January 23, 1995
Los Angeles - DGA President Gene Reynolds and Awards Committee Chairman Howard Storm today announced the Guild's nominees for outstanding directorial achievement in four separate categories of television programs during 1994, including dramatic specials, comedy, dramatic series-night, and musical variety.
All DGA Award winners will be announced at the 47th Annual DGA Awards banquet on March 11. Nominees in the category of dramatic specials will participate in the 2nd Annual DGA Television Nominees Symposium on Saturday, March 4 from 10:00 am until 1:00 pm in DGA Theater #1, 7920 Sunset Blvd.
The 1994 DGA Award Television Nominees are:
CATEGORY: DRAMATIC SPECIALS DIRECTOR PROGRAM
1. JOHN DAHL
"THE LAST SEDUCTION" (ITC, HBO)
Unit Production Manager: GUY LOUTHAN
First Assistant Director: ERIC HEFFRON
Second Assistant Director: MICHAEL MOORE
This is Mr. Dahl's first DGA nomination.
2. JOHN FRANKENHEIMER
"AGAINST THE WALL" (Producers Entertainment Group/HBO)
UPM: Steven McGlothen
First AD's: Bruce Greenfield, Jonathon G. Zimmerman, Richard Learman
Second AD: Warren R. Turner
This is Mr. Frankenheimer's first DGA Award nomination in television. He was previously nominated by the DGA in 1962 for his work on the feature films THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE and BIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ as well as in 1966 for GRAND PRIX.
3. ROD HOLCOMB
"ER" (Pilot) (Warner Bros./AMBLIN)
UPM: Dennis Murphy
First AD: T.R. Subramaniam
Second AD: Joyce Mayeda-Jones
This is Mr. Holcomb's second DGA television nomination, following his 1988 nod for the pilot of CHINA BEACH.
4. JOSEPH SARGENT
"WWII: WHEN LIONS ROARED" (NBC, The WWII Company, Inc.)
Associate Director: Richard T. Schor
Stage Manager: Nicholas P. Maniatis
This is Mr. Sargent's third DGA Award nomination. He won a DGA Award in 1973 for THE MARCUS NELSON MURDERS and was nominated again in 1992 for MISS ROSE WHITE.
5. BETTY THOMAS
"MY BREAST" (CBS, Hearst Prods., Big City Prods.)
UPM: Clara George
First AD: Jeff Authors
Second AD: Randi Richmond
This is Ms. Thomas's second DGA Award nomination. She was a comedy category nominee in 1993 for the DREAM ON episode "SILENT NIGHT, HOLY COW."
CATEGORY: COMEDY
DIRECTOR PROGRAM, SERIES
1. ANDY ACKERMAN
"THE RACE" SEINFELD (NBC, Castle Rock)
Unit Production Manager: Jeffrey Scott
First Assistant Director: Randy Carter
Second Assistant Directors: James Lansbury
Technical Coordinator: David Owen Trainor
This is Mr. Ackerman's first DGA Award nomination.
2. RICK BEREN
"THE UNKINDEST CUT OF ALL" FRASIER (NBC, GRUB STREET/PARAMOUNT TELEVISION)
UPM: Bill Carroll
First AD: Brian Ellis
Second AD: Katy Garretson
Technical Coordinator: Dan Fendel
This is Mr. Beren's first DGA Award nomination.
3. TOM CHERONES
"THE OPPOSITE" SEINFELD (NBC, Castle Rock)
UPM: Joan Van Horn
First AD: Joan Van Horn
Second AD: Jason Saville
Technical Coordinator: David Owen Trainor
This is Mr. Cherones' third DGA nomination. He won 1992's DGA Award for comedy with another Seinfeld episode, "THE CONTEST," and was nominated again in 1993 for still another Seinfeld, "THE MANGO."
4. TODD HOLLAND
"THE MR. SHARON STONE SHOW" THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW
UPM: Kent Zbornak
First AD: Kent Zbornak
Second AD: Peter Margolis
This is Mr. Holland's first DGA nomination.
5. DAVID LEE
"THE MATCHMAKER" FRASIER (NBC, GRUB STREET PRODS.)
UPM: Bill Carroll
First AD: Brian Ellis
Second AD: Katy Garretson
Technical Coordinator: Rick Beren
This is Mr. Lee's first DGA Award nomination.
CATEGORY: DRAMATIC SERIES, NIGHT
DIRECTOR PROGRAM, SERIES
1. FELIX ENRIQUEZ ALCALA
"THE GIFT" E.R. (NBC, WARNER BROS.)
UPM: Michael Salamunovich
First AD: Thomas Burns
Second AD: Michael J. Pendell
This is Mr. Alcala's first DGA Award nomination.
2. CHARLES HAID
"INTO THAT GOOD NIGHT" E.R.(NBC, WARNER BROS.)
UPM: Michael Salamunovich
First AD: T.R. Sabrsniam
Second AD: Michael J. Pendell
This is Mr. Haid's second DGA nomination. He was nominated in the same category last year for the "TRUE CONFESSIONS" episode of NYPD BLUE.
3. GREGORY HOBLIT
"SIMON SAYS" NYPD Blue (ABC, Steven Bochco Prods.)
UPM: Robert Doherty
First AD: Dennis White
Second AD: John Isabeau
This is Mr. Hoblit's third DGA nomination. He was previously nominated in 1986 for the pilot of L.A. LAW and won last year's DGA Award for directing the pilot of NYPD BLUE.
4. MIMI LEDER
"BLIZZARD" E.R. (NBC, WARNER BROS.)
UPM: Michael Salamunovich
First AD: T.R. Sabrsniam
Second AD: Michael J. Pendell
This is Ms. Leder's first DGA Award nomination.
5. MICHAEL PRESSMAN
"PILOT" CHICAGO HOPE (CBS, David E. Kelley Prods.)
UPM: Herb Adelman
First AD: Rob Corn
Second AD:Dana Kuzetzkoff
This is Mr. Pressman's first DGA Award nomination.
CATEGORY: MUSICAL VARIETY
DIRECTOR PROGRAM
1. PATRICIA BIRCH
"NATALIE COLE'S UNTRADITIONAL TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS" (Great Performances, WNET/Thirteen/WNET/Knight Prods.)
Associate Director: Nancy Cohen
Stage Managers: Gary Natoli, Rose Riggins
This is Ms. Birch's first DGA Award nomination.
2. WILLIAM COSEL
"THE THREE TENORS IN CONCERT" (PBS)
Associate Directors: Christine Clark, John Field
Stage Manager: David Wader
This is Mr. Cosel's first DGA Award nomination
3. HAL GURNEE
Late Show with David Letterman (5/13/94)(CBS, WorldWide Pants, Inc.)
Associate Directors: Brian McAloon, Randi Grossack
Stage Managers: Biff Henderson, Corky Ramirez
This is Mr. Gurnee's eighth consecutive DGA Musical Variety Award nomination, marking a new Guild record for that category.
4. DWIGHT HEMION
"BARBRA STREISAND: THE CONCERT" (Directed for Television by Dwight Hemion)
Associate Director: Allan Kartun
Technical Director: Gene Crowe
Stage Managers: Garry Hood, Dency Nelson
This is Mr. Hemion's twelfth DGA Musical Variety nomination, tying him for second place among most all-time DGA Award nominees with James Burrows. Only former DGA President George Schaefer has received more Guild nominations, with sixteen. Mr. Hemion was first nominated by the DGA in 1965 for MY NAME IS BARBRA. He went on to be nominated in 1966 (SINATRA: A MAN AND HIS MUSIC, PART II, 1967 (HERB ALPERT & THE TIJUANA BRASS), 1970 (ANTHONY QUINN & PEGGY LEE), 1973 (BARBRA STREISAND & OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS), 1975 (OUR LOVE IS HERE TO STAY), 1976 (two separate nods for DOROTHY HAMILL SPECIAL and AMERICA SALUTES RICHARD RODGERS & THE SOUND OF HIS MUSIC), 1980 (BARYSHNIKOV ON BROADWAY), 1986 (NEIL DIAMOND: HELLO AGAIN), and 1987 (JULIE ANDREWS...SOUND OF CHRISTMAS.)
5. JEFF MARGOLIS
"66th Annual Academy Awards" (ABC, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Prods.)
Associate Directors: Wendy Acey, Debbie Pallacio, Marilyn Seabury
Stage Managers: David Wader, Dency Nelson, Peter Margolis, Ken Stein, Vince Poxon, Gary Natoli, Rita Cosette, R.A.Clark, Jason Seligman, Sandy Prudden
This is Mr. Margolis' fifth consecutive DGA Musical Variety nomination. He won the Guild's top honor in 1990 for the 62nd Annual Academy Awards and 1993 for the 65th Annual Academy Awards.