Joel Zwick (born January 11, 1942) is an American film director, television director, and theater director who directed 3 episodes of Season 1 of Mork & Mindy, and contributing to The Way Mork Were in Season 2.
Biography[]
Zwick was born in Brooklyn, New York to a Jewish family. Growing up in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn His father was a cantor from an Orthodox background, and Zwick had his bar mitzvah at an Orthodox synagogue.
He graduated from James Madison High School in 1958. Zwick then went to Brooklyn College ('62), where he taught in the School of Film. Zwick’s original intentions in college were to become a doctor and help support his family. This did not work out in his favor, as his grades were never at a standard high enough for medical school. After much shuffling around to different departments to figure out where he best belonged, Zwick found his place in the Television & Radio department, taking acting and vocal classes.[1]
Zwick has directed 21 television pilots, all of which have continued on to successful runs as weekly series.
He is married to Dr. Candice Zwick, a psychologist. They have three daughters, Hillary, Jodi and Lara, and one son, Jamie. He lives in Tarzana, California.
Career[]
Joel Zwick began his career in the late 1960s at La MaMa, a New York experimental theater club, before moving to Hollywood to become a successful director during the sitcom's golden age.
Zwick has more than 60 credits as a Director starting with Busting Loose (1977) following that came a host of TV Series including:
The Ted Knight Show (1978) Insight (1978), Makin' It (1979), Struck by Lightning (1979) Goodtime Girls (1980) Laverne & Shirley (1978-1980) (33 episodes), It's a Living (1980-1981) (10 episodes), Bosom Buddies (1980-1982) (18 episodes), Star of the Family (1982), Joanie Loves Chachi (1982), The New Odd Couple (1982-1983) (17 episodes), Brothers (1984-1985), Better Days (1986), Webster (1983-1987) (65 episodes), CBS Summer Playhouse (1987), Going Places (1990), The Trouble with Larry (1993), Getting By (1993-1994) (23 episodes), On Our Own (1994-1995), Full House (1987-1995) (97 episodes), Kirk (1995), The Parent 'Hood (1995), The Wayans Bros. (1995-1997), Hangin' with Mr. Cooper (1992-1997), Meego (1997), Just One of the Girls (1997), Step by Step (1992-1998) (31 episodes), Family Matters (1989-1998) (32 episodes), Guys Like Us (1998), Malcolm & Eddie (1998), Love Boat: The Next Wave (1998-1999), Two of a Kind (1999), The Jamie Foxx Show (1997-1999) (10 episodes), Perfect Strangers (1986-2008) (100 episodes), Two and a Half Men (2008), The Suite Life on Deck (2010-2011), I'm in the Band (2011), Good Luck Charlie (2011), Pair of Kings (2010-2011), Shake It Up (2011-2013) (41 episodes), Jessie ( 2013-2014), I Didn't Do It (2014), Richie Rich (2015), Dog with a Blog (2013-2015),Fuller House (2016), Girl Meets World ( 2014-2017) (24 episodes), K.C. Undercover (2015-2018) (12 episodes), The Jackson Show (2018)
TV Movies Include:
America 2100 (1979), Little Darlings (1982), Adventures in Babysitting (1989), The World According to Straw (1990), Hot W.A.C.S (2009), Finding Fillion (TV Movie)
Features Include:
Second Sight (1989), Fat Albert (2004), My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002), Elvis Has Left the Building (2004)
Mork & Mindy[]
Along with Howard Storm & Harvey Medlinsky, Joel Zwick directed the first ten episodes of Season 1 of Mork & Mindy, with Zwick helming:
With clips of appearing in the S2 anthology episode- The Way Mork Were