Reza Badiyi

Reza Badiyi
Born (1929-04-17)April 17, 1929
Arak, Iran
Died August 20, 2011(2011-08-20) (aged 81)
Los Angeles, California, United States
Occupation Film and television director
Spouse(s) Gwendolyn Davis (divorced),
Barbara Turner (1968–1985; divorced),
Tania Harley (1987–2011; death)
Children Mina, Mimi, Steven, Alexis and Natasha

Reza Sayed Badiyi also known as Reza Sayed Badiei (Persian: رضا بدیعی; April 17, 1929 – August 20, 2011) was an Iranian-American film director. Badiyi also directed episodes of many popular television series. His credits also include developing the opening montages for Hawaii Five-O, Get Smart, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

Early life and education

Badiyi was born April 17, 1929, in Arak, Iran.[1] His parents were from Isfahan. He graduated from the Academy of Drama in Iran and received the golden medal of art from the former Shah of Iran.[2] He moved to the United States in 1955. He graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in film making.

Career

Badiyi often worked with Robert Altman. Badiyi was assistant director on the low-budget 1957 film "The Delinquents," which marked Altman's feature film debut as a director, and also the cult classic horror film Carnival of Souls, made in 1962.[3]

Early in his career, he directed episodes of Get Smart, Mission: Impossible, Hawaii Five-O, The Incredible Hulk, Mannix, The Six Million Dollar Man, Starsky and Hutch, The Rockford Files and Police Squad!. He also directed the definitive "fashion show" sequence of the third season of the popular "Doris Day Show". There were lowlights, as well, including directing the unsold pilot for "Inside O.U.T.", starring Farrah Fawcett and a chimp for Columbia/Screen Gems in 1971.

In the 1980s and 1990s, he directed episodes of Falcon Crest, Cagney and Lacey, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Le Femme Nikita, Sliders and Baywatch.

Awards

Reza Badiyi was invited by the US government to continue his studies in America after winning an international film award for the Flood in Khuzestan. He later won various awards including the humanitas award for an episode of Cagney and Lacey. He was honored by The Directors Guild of America for directing over 400 hours of Television. On May 2010, Badiyi was honored at UCLA for his 80th birthday and his 60th year in the entertainment industry. In 2009, he was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Noor Iranian Film Festival in Los Angeles, and after his passing in 2011, the festival gave the award his namesake.

Filmography

Director

This is list showing a selection of entertainment directed by Reza Badiyi, in order by start date. He directed more than 430 tv episodes from 1963 on.[2]

Personal life

Badiyi's third and last marriage was to actress Tania Harley[5] from 1987 until his death in 2011, with whom he had two daughters, Alexis Badiyi and Natasha Badiyi. He was previously married to actress and writer Barbara Turner, whom he has a daughter Mina Badiyi with, and was the stepfather of actress Jennifer Jason Leigh and her sister Carrie Morrow.[1] His first marriage was to Gwendolyn Davis,[1] a co-worker at Calvin Productions in Kansas City, Missouri; and is the father of Steve Badiyi and Mimi Badiyi, and the stepfather to Clifford Davis.

Death

Badiyi died in Los Angeles, California, on August 20, 2011 at the age of 81 after struggling with various health issues, he was survived by his five children and three stepchildren.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Reza Badiyi". IMDb. Retrieved 2016-03-06.
  2. 1 2 "Director Reza Badiyi dies". Variety Magazine. 2011-08-21. Retrieved 2016-03-06.
  3. 1 2 McLellan, Dennis (2011-08-22). "Reza Badiei dies at 81; prolific TV director". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2011-08-22.
  4. ↑ "Reza Badiyi". Archive of American Television. Retrieved 2016-03-06.
  5. ↑ "Tania Harley". IMDb. Retrieved 2016-03-06.
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