Directors Guild of America

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Nominees for: Dramatic Series Night, Comedy Series, Musical Variety, Reality Programs, Daytime Serials and Children's Programs

January 11, 2006

LOS ANGELES, CA - Directors Guild of America President Michael Apted today announced the DGA’s nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement for 2005 in the television categories of Dramatic Series Night, Comedy Series, Musical Variety, Reality Programs, Daytime Serials and Children’s Programs. The winners of all six categories will be announced at the 58^th Annual DGA Awards Dinner on Saturday, January 28, 2006 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles.

“With the landscape of television rapidly widening and productions becoming more complex and more visually ambitious, the role of the director is increasingly critical to the success of television programming," said DGA President Michael Apted. “The DGA Television Awards represent an opportunity for the Guild to recognize this vital role and to honor the broad range of excellence found in television directing today.”

Apted continued: “As we celebrate the inauguration of the DGA Reality Television Award this year, I offer my congratulations to the first five nominees -- their work is a strong testament to the importance of the director’s role in this genre.”

The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series Night for 2005 are (in alphabetical order):

MICHAEL APTED
Rome – The Stolen Eagle
HBO

Unit Production Manager: Stanley Wlodkowski
First Assistant Directors: Sergio Ercolessi, Julie Bloom, Thomas Gormley
Second Assistant Directors: Barbara Ravis, Kiersten Miller

This is Mr. Apted’s third nomination. He was nominated in the Feature Film category for Coal Miner’s Daughter in 1980, and in the Dramatic Series Night category for The Collection - Harold Pinter (PBS Special) in 1978.

ALAN BALL
Six Feet Under – “Everyone’s Waiting”
HBO

Unit Production Manager: Robert del Valle
First Assistant Director: Marty Elcan
Second Assistant Director: Cara McCastlain
Second Second Assistant Directors: Eddie Kalpa, Yumiko Takeya, Melody Beam, Matt Buckler

This is Mr. Ball’s third nomination. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series Night in 2001 for Six Feet Under (Pilot) and was nominated in the same category for Six Feet Under (“I’m Sorry I’m Lost”) in 2003.

PARIS BARCLAY
House – “Three Stories”
FOX

Unit Production Manager: Gerrit van der Meer
First Assistant Director: Carol Green
Second Assistant Director: Janet VanEtten
Second Second Assistant Director: Stacy Christenson
Additional Second Second Assistant Directors: Grace Liu, Lori Ashfield

This is Mr. Barclay’s sixth nomination. In 1998 he won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series Night for NYPD Blue (“Heart And Souls”). He was nominated in 1996 for ER (“Ask Me No Questions, I'll Tell You No Lies”); in 2000 for The West Wing (“The Portland Trip”); in 2001 for The West Wing (“The Indians in the Lobby”); and in 2002 for The West Wing (“Debate Camp”).

PETER HORTON
Grey’s Anatomy – “A Hard Day’s Night”
ABC

Unit Production Manager: Ann Kindberg
First Assistant Director: Carey Dietrich
Second Assistant Director: Korey Pollard
Second Second Assistant Director: Deborah Greaney

This is Mr. Horton’s first nomination.

JEFF MELMAN
Grey’s Anatomy – “Into You Like A Train”
ABC

Unit Production Manager: Carla Corwin
First Assistant Director: Annette Sutera
Second Assistant Director: Shawn Hanley
Second Second Assistant Director: Laura Petticord
DGA Trainee: Patricia Butler

This is Mr. Melman’s first nomination.

The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series for 2005 are (in alphabetical order):

MARC BUCKLAND
My Name is Earl - "Pilot"
NBC

Unit Production Manager: Henry Lange, Jr.
First Assistant Director: Joan Cunningham
Second Assistant Director: Jeff Bilger
Second Second Assistant Director: Stacy Schrader

This is Mr. Buckland’s first nomination.

JAMES BURROWS
Will & Grace - "Alive and Schtiking"
NBC

Unit Production Manager: Tim Kaiser
Associate Director: Jim Tanker
Stage Managers: Rob Sellers, Jr., Josh Berger
First Assistant Director: Dale White
Second Assistant Director: Caryn Rae Shick

This Mr. Burrows’ twenty-first nomination. The four-time DGA Award winner received his first nomination in 1981. He is a ten-time nominee and two-time winner for Cheers in 1982, 1983 (winner), 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990 (winner), 1991 and 1992. He won the DGA Award again in 1993 for the pilot episode of Frasier, and in 1995 was nominated for the Friends episode “The One with the Birth”. He received the nomination in 1997 for the Dharma and Greg pilot, and was also nominated for Will & Grace from 1998-2003, winning the award in 2000 for his direction of the episode “Lows in the Mid-Eighties”.

LARRY CHARLES
Curb Your Enthusiasm - "The End"
HBO

Associate Directors: Dale Stern, Tim Gibbons
Stage Manager: Jonathan Harris

This is Mr. Charles’ second nomination. He was previously nominated for Curb Your Enthusiasm (“The Nanny from Hell”) in 2002.

JULIAN FARINO
Entourage - "Exodus"
HBO

Unit Production Manager: Wayne Carmona
First Assistant Directors: Gary Goldman, Jeff Kay
Second Assistant Director: Susan Hellmann
Second Second Assistant Director: Michelene Mundo

This is Mr. Farino’s first nomination.

BRYAN GORDON
Curb Your Enthusiasm - "Korean Bookie"
HBO

Associate Directors: Dale Stern, Tim Gibbons
Stage Manager: Jonathan Harris

This is Mr. Gordon’s third nomination. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series in 2002 for Curb Your Enthusiasm ("Special Section") and was nominated in 2004 for Curb Your Enthusiasm (“The 5 Wood”).

The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Musical Variety for 2005 are (in alphabetical order):

MATTHEW DIAMOND
Great Performances: Dance in America, Swan Lake with American Ballet Theater
PBS

Associate Director: Rae Kraus
Stage Manager: David Fox

This is Mr. Diamond’s fifth nomination. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Musical Variety in 2002 for From Broadway: Fosse and in 1995 for Some Enchanted Evening, Celebrating Oscar Hammerstein. He was nominated in 1998 for Savion Glover - Stomp, Slide & Swing: Performance in the White House, and also in 1998 in the Documentary category for Dance Maker.

JERRY FOLEY
Late Show with David Letterman - Show #2452
CBS

Associate Directors: Randi Grossack, Jessica Santini
Stage Managers: Biff Henderson, Frank Comito, Mark Dicso, Edward Valk, Sandy Stevens

This is Mr. Foley’s seventh nomination, all for Late Show with David Letterman. He was nominated in 2004 for episode #2187, in 2002 for episode #1876, in 2001 for episode #1634, in 2000 for episode #1527, in 1999 for episode #1294, and in 1998 for episode #958.

LOUIS J. HORVITZ
The 77th Annual Academy Awards
ABC

Associate Directors: Jim Tanker, Timothy H. Kettle, Mike Polito, Richard Preuss, Deborah Read, Greg Fera, Rita Rogers-Blye, Lauren Singer, Anne Rickey, Harriet Ells, Ronni Fisher, David Kelmachter
Stage Managers: Gary Natoli, Denny Barry, Rita Cossette, John Esposito, Valdez Flagg, Harve Levine, Arthur Lewis, Dency Nelson, Ronald Paul, Vincent Poxon, Jason Seligman, Rob Sellers, Jr., Douglas Smith

This is Mr. Horvitz’s twelfth DGA Award nomination. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Musical Variety in 1997 for The Kennedy Center Honors. He received his first nomination in 1985 for Live Aid Concert. He was nominated again in 1993 for The Kennedy Center Honors, and in 1995 for Sinatra: 80 Years My Way. He received his next three DGA nominations for The 70^th Annual Academy Awards, The 71^st Annual Academy Awards and The 72^nd Annual Academy Awards. He garnered another nomination in 2001 for The Kennedy Center Honors, and again in 2002-2004 for The 74^th, 75^th, and 76^th Annual Academy Awards.

ALAN SKOG
Live from Lincoln Center, Higher Ground Hurricane Relief Benefit
PBS

Associate Director: Karen McLaughlin
Stage Managers: Electa Brown, Phyllis Digilio, Lynn Finkel, Douglas Fogel, Mark McKenna, Jeffrey Pearl

This is Mr. Skog’s first nomination.

GLENN WEISS
The 59th Annual Tony Awards
CBS

Associate Directors: Gregg Gelfand, Robin Mishkin, Ricky Kirshner
Stage Managers: Garry W. Hood, Peter Epstein, Andrew Feigin, Lynn Finkel, Douglas Fogel, Jeffry Gitter, Christopher Kelly, Arthur Lewis, Mark McKenna, Jeffrey Pearl

This is Mr. Weiss’ third nomination. He was nominated in 2001 and 2002 for The 55^th and 56^th Annual Tony Awards, respectively.

CHUCK O'NEIL
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Comedy Central

Associate Director: Paul A.J. Pennolino
Stage Manager: Craig Spinney

This is Mr. O’Neil’s third nomination. He was nominated for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart in 2003 and 2004.

The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Reality Programs for 2005 are (in alphabetical order)*:

ROSS BREITENBACH
Brat Camp – “Episode #104”
ABC

TONY CROLL
Three Wishes – “Episode #1, Pilot”
NBC

STAR PRICE
Penn & Teller: Bullshit! - “Circumcision”
Showtime

Segment Directors: Scott Schaefer, Chip Selby, Ted Saad, Tim Rogan
Stage Manager: Tim Rogan

J. RUPERT THOMPSON
Fear Factor – “Heist Fear Factor, Season 6 Premiere”
NBC

Stage Manager: John Stewart

BERTRAM VAN MUNSTER
The Amazing Race, “Episode #805”
CBS

Segment Director: Michael Noval

*These are all first-time nominations.

The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Daytime Serials for 2005 are (in alphabetical order):

LARRY CARPENTER
One Life to Live – Episode #9385
ABC

Associate Directors: Teresa Anne Cicala, Paul Glass
Stage Managers: Richard A. Manfredi, Alan P. Needleman
Production Associate: Allison J. Samon

This is Mr. Carpenter’s third nomination. He was nominated for One Life to Live, Episode #8655 in 2002 and episode #8849 in 2003.

OWEN RENFROE
General Hospital – Episode #10914
ABC

Associate Directors: Ron Cates, Christine Magarian, Penny Pengra, Peter Fillmore
Stage Managers: Craig McManus, Crystal Craft
Production Associates: Lisa Kaseff, Denise Van Cleave, Christine Cooper

This is Mr. Renfroe’s first nomination.

HERBERT STEIN, ALBERT ALARR
Days of Our Lives – Episode #10090
NBC

Associate Directors: Julie Brady, Joseph H. Lumer
Stage Managers: Joseph H. Lumer, Francesca Bellini-De Simone, Stuart W. Howard
Production Associates: Tonya Van Horn Peat, Michael Fiamingo, Denise White Serrette, Andrea Goldblatt, Jessica Judd

This is Mr. Stein’s second nomination. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Daytime Serials in 1999 for Days of Our Lives, Episode #8557 with co-director Roger W. Inman. This is Mr. Alarr's second nomination. He was nominated for Port Charles, Episode #619 in 1999.

MICHAEL STICH
The Bold and the Beautiful – Episode #4623
CBS

Associate Directors: Steven Wacker, Clyde Kaplan, Jennifer Howard
Stage Managers: Laura Yale, Douglas Hayden, Lisa Winther-Huston

This is Mr. Stich’s seventh nomination for his direction of The Bold and the Beautiful. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Daytime Serials in 1991 and 1994; he was nominated in 1993, 1996, 2001 and 2002.

ELLEN WHEELER
Guiding Light – Episode #14696
CBS

Associate Directors: Christopher Cullen, Jan Conklin, Ilene Frankel, Tracey Hanley Bryggman, Andrea Giles-Rich
Stage Managers: Adam Reist, Ann Vettel, Joseph Willmore
Production Associates: Elana Slott, Charles Grayauskie, Kristin Doherty

This is Ms. Wheeler’s first nomination.

The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children’s Programs for 2005 are (in alphabetical order):

CHRIS EYRE
Edge of America
Showtime