Memory Alpha
Register
Advertisement
Memory Alpha
Real world article
(written from a Production point of view)

Joseph Sargent (22 July 192522 December 2014; age 89), born Giuseppe Danielle Sorgente, was a prolific film and television director. He started out as a Broadway chorus performer and actor before turning to directing. Among his many credits is Star Trek: The Original Series, for which he directed the first season episode "The Corbomite Maneuver". He has also directed episodes of such classic television series as Bonanza, Gunsmoke, The Fugitive (1965, with William Shatner and Nichelle Nichols' son Kyle Johnson), The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and The Invaders.

Sargent was nominated for nine Emmy awards, winning four. His first nomination came for his direction of the 1970 TV movie Tribes. His second nomination, for 1973's The Marcus-Nelson Murders – which served as the pilot for the television series Kojak – earned him his first win. This movie featured Lawrence Pressman and Bill Zuckert in the cast. Sargent also won Emmys for Love Is Never Silent (1985), Caroline? (1990), and Miss Rose White (1992, with Thomas Kopache). He earned additional nominations for 1980's Amber Waves, A Lesson Before Dying (1999), Something the Lord Made (2004, with Gabrielle Union), and Warm Springs (2005, with Matt Malloy).

Twenty-five years after directing "The Corbomite Maneuver", Sargent reteamed with Leonard Nimoy for Never Forget (1991). He also directed Star Trek: Deep Space Nine actress Louise Fletcher in The Karen Carpenter Story (1989), Star Trek: First Contact actress Alfre Woodard in Miss Evers' Boys (1997), and frequent Star Trek guest actress Fionnula Flanagan in For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story (2000). Other TV movies he directed include Sunshine (1973, with Cliff DeYoung, Meg Foster, Bill Mumy, and Noble Willingham), Terrible Joe Moran (1984, with James Cagney giving his final performance, as well as Lawrence Tierney), Day One (1989, with David Ogden Stiers), and Out of the Ashes (2003, with Bruce Davison).

Sargent also had several feature films to his credit, most notably Colossus: The Forbin Project (1970, featuring Original Series guest actors William Schallert, Willard Sage, and Byron Morrow) and The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974, with Bill Cobbs). He also directed Trek alumni Robert DoQui, Gilbert Green, Vince Howard, Janet MacLachlan, Barry Russo, Garry Walberg, and William Windom in The Man (1972). Other films he directed include The Hell with Heroes (1968, with William Marshall and Sid Haig), White Lightning (1973), MacArthur (1977, with Kenneth Tobey and Garry Walberg), and Jaws: The Revenge (1987).

He was married to Carolyn Nelson from 1970 until his death, and directed her in several of his projects, including the aforementioned The Marcus-Nelson Murders and The Taking of Pelham One Two Three. He was also previously married to Mary Carver.

The Star Trek production staff was well-satisfied with Sargent's work and tried to bring him back to direct further episodes, but he was not available, as he already started to "aim higher" and direct TV-movies and feature films. (Inside Star Trek: The Real Story) Sargent was a personal friend of Grace Lee Whitney. (The Longest Trek: My Tour of the Galaxy, p. 89)

Sargent died on 22 December 2014 at his home in Malibu from complications from heart disease. [1]

External links[]

Advertisement