Leslie H. Martinson

Leslie Herbert Martinson (January 16, 1915 – September 3, 2016) was an American television and film director.

Career

Martinson was born to Gertrude and Lewis Martinson in Boston, Massachusetts on January 16, 1915. He had a brother named Bertram. He was a newspaper journalist before accepting a long-term job as an MGM script clerk in 1936. He began directing TV western series in the early 1950s. His first feature film assignment was Republic Pictures' 1954 film ''The Atomic Kid'', a Mickey Rooney matinée vehicle. Beginning with episodes of the series ''Conflict'', Martinson became a prolific director for Warner Brothers Television.

In 1954-1955, he directed the first of Mickey Rooney's three failed situation comedy television series entitled ''The Mickey Rooney Show: Hey, Mulligan''. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Martinson continued directing feature films and episodic television including ''Maverick'', '' PT 109'', '' Temple Houston'', '' Batman'', '' Mission: Impossible'', '' Mannix'', ''Diff'rent Strokes'', and the made-for-TV movie, ''Rescue from Gilligan's Island''. During the 1980s, Martinson directed episodes of ''Harper Valley PTA'', ''CHiPs'', and ''Airwolf''.

Martinson was President Emeritus of the West Coast Jewish Theatre.

Personal life

He was married to television host and writer Connie Martinson. They resided in Beverly Hills, California. He turned 100 on January 16, 2015 and died on September 3, 2016 at the age of 101. Prior to his marriage to Connie, Leslie was married to Louise Fish.

Filmography

Director

*''City Detective (TV series), City Detective'' (Unknown episodes, 1953)
*''Cowboy G-Men'' (1 episode, 1953)
*''General Electric Theater'' (Unknown episodes, 1953)
*''The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse'' (Unknown episodes, 1953)
*''Topper (TV series), Topper'' (Unknown episodes, 1953)
*''The Roy Rogers Show'' (11 episodes, 1953–1954)
*''The Mickey Rooney Show: Hey, Mulligan'' (1 episode, 1954)
*''The Atomic Kid'' (1954)
*''TV Reader's Digest'' (Unknown episodes, 1955)
*''The Millionaire (TV series), The Millionaire'' (Unknown episodes, 1955)
*''Damon Runyon Theater'' (Unknown episodes, 1955)
*''Crusader'' (Unknown episodes, 1955)
*''Hot Rod Girl'' (1956)
*''Tales of Wells Fargo'' (2 episodes, 1957)
*''Conflict'' (3 episodes, 1957)
*''Hot Rod Rumble'' (1957)
*''Cheyenne (TV western), Cheyenne'' (8 episodes, 1956–1957)
*''Colt .45 (TV series), Colt .45'' (1 episode, 1958)
*''Maverick'' (10 episodes, 1957–1959)
*''Sugarfoot'' (8 episodes, 1957–1959)
*''Lawman (TV series), Lawman'' (7 episodes, 1958–1959)
*''The Alaskans'' (1 episode, 1960)
*''Bourbon Street Beat'' (4 episodes, 1959–1960)
*''Surfside 6'' (1 episode, 1960)
*''77 Sunset Strip'' (3 episodes, 1958–1961)
*''Hawaiian Eye'' (1 episode, 1961)
*''The Roaring 20's (TV series), The Roaring 20s'' (3 episodes, 1960–1961)
*''Bronco (TV series), Bronco'' (2 episodes, 1958–1962)
*''Lad, A Dog (film), Lad A Dog'' (1962)
*''Room for One More (TV series), Room for One More'' (4 episodes, 1962)
*''Black Gold'' (1962)
*''FBI Code 98'' (1963)
*''The Gallant Men'' (1 episode, 1963)
*'' PT 109'' (1963)
*''The Greatest Show on Earth (TV series), The Greatest Show on Earth'' (Unknown episodes, 1963)
*'' Temple Houston'' (6 episodes, 1963–1964)
*''Kraft Suspense Theatre'' (1 episode, 1964)
*''For Those Who Think Young'' (1964)
*''No Time for Sergeants'' (1 episode, 1964)
*''Hank (1965 TV series), Hank'' (Unknown episodes, 1965)
*''Run for Your Life (TV series), Run for Your Life'' (3 episodes, 1965)
*''The Double Life of Henry Phyfe'' (Unknown episodes, 1966)
*''Batman (TV series), Batman'' (2 episodes, 1966)
*''Mister Roberts (TV series), Mister Roberts'' (4 episodes, 1966)
*''Batman (1966 film), Batman: The Movie'' (1966)
*''The Green Hornet (TV series), The Green Hornet'' (Unknown episodes, 1966)
*''Wonder Woman: Who's Afraid of Diana Prince?'' (1967)
*''Fathom (1967 film), Fathom'' (1967)
*''The Outcasts (U.S. TV series), The Outcasts'' (1 episode, 1969)
*''The Courtship of Eddie's Father'' (1 episode, 1969)

*''The Challengers'' (1970)
*''The Immortal (1970 TV series), The Immortal'' (3 episodes, 1970)
*''Alias Smith and Jones'' (1 episode, 1971)
*''Mrs. Pollifax-Spy'' (1971)
*''The Chicago Teddy Bears'' (1 episode, 1971)
*''Longstreet (TV series), Longstreet'' (1 episode, 1971)
*''How to Steal an Airplane'' (1971)
*''Ironside (TV series), Ironside'' (3 episodes, 1971)
*''Ghost Story (TV series), Ghost Story'' (1 episode, 1972)
*''Love, American Style'' (4 episodes, 1970–1972)
*''Room 222'' (1 episode, 1972)
*''And Millions Will Die'' (1973)
*''Barnaby Jones'' (Unknown episodes, 1973)
*'' Mission: Impossible'' (9 episodes, 1971–1973)
*''The Brady Bunch'' (1 episode, 1973)
*''The Return of Charlie Chan'' (Uncredited, 1973)
*''Dusty's Trail'' (Unknown episodes, 1973)
*''The Magician (U.S. TV series), The Magician'' (Unknown episodes, 1973)
*'' Mannix'' (8 episodes, 1969–1974)
*''The Swiss Family Robinson (1975 TV series), The Swiss Family Robinson'' (Unknown episodes, 1975)
*''The Six Million Dollar Man'' (1 episode, 1975)
*''Cannon (TV series), Cannon'' (1 episode, 1975)
*''Wonder Woman (TV series), Wonder Woman'' (Unknown episodes, 1976)
*''Quincy, M.E.'' (Unknown episodes, 1976)
*''Most Wanted (1976 TV series), Most Wanted'' (Unknown episodes, 1976)
*''Escape from Angola'' (1976)
*''Code R (TV series), Code R'' (Unknown episodes, 1977)
*''Eight Is Enough'' (Unknown episodes, 1977)
*''Bigfoot and Wildboy'' (Unknown episodes, 1977)
*''Missile X - Geheimauftrag Neutronenbombe'' (1978)
*''Fantasy Island (1977 TV series), Fantasy Island'' (Unknown episodes, 1978)
*''Rescue from Gilligan's Island'' (1978)
*''Diff'rent Strokes'' (Unknown episodes, 1978)
*''The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo'' (Unknown episodes, 1979)
*''Big Shamus, Little Shamus'' (Unknown episodes, 1979)
*''Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (TV series), Buck Rogers in the 25th Century'' (1 episode, 1979)
*''Young Maverick'' (1 episode, 1979)
*''Dallas (1978 TV series), Dallas'' (4 episodes, 1979–1980)
*''Private Benjamin (TV series), Private Benjamin'' (Unknown episodes, 1981)
*''Harper Valley PTA'' (1 episode, 1982)
*''The Kid with the Broken Halo'' (1982)
*''CHiPs'' (10 episodes, 1981–1982)
*''The Kid with the 200 I.Q.'' (1983)
*''The Powers of Matthew Star'' (2 episodes, 1983)
*''Small & Frye'' (Unknown episodes, 1983)
*''Manimal'' (1 episode, 1983)
*''The Fantastic World of D.C. Collins'' (1984)
*''Airwolf'' (1 episode, 1984)
*''Small Wonder (TV series), Small Wonder'' (4 episodes, 1986–1988)

Awards

References

External links

Official site
*
Episodes on TV

{{DEFAULTSORT:Martinson, Leslie H.
1915 births
2016 deaths
American centenarians
Men centenarians
Artists from Boston
American male screenwriters
American film directors
American television directors
Television producers from Massachusetts
Film producers from Massachusetts
Screenwriters from Massachusetts