CTVA Profile - Director - Leslie H. Martinson
Profile - Director - Leslie H. Martinson
Compiled for ctva by
Sal Crisanti
<crisanti52@netscape.net>
BOSTON BRED, LESLIE H. MARTINSON MUST HAVE GONE DOWN IN
THE RECORD BOOKS
OF BEING THE MOST ACTIVE DIRECTOR OF TV SHOW EPISODES FROM THE EARLY 1950'S
UNTIL MIDDLE 1980'S.
THIS VERSATILE DIRECTOR HAD THE EXPERIENCE AND KNOW-HOW TO HELM ANY TYPE
OF STORY FROM ACTION TO WESTERNS. LIKE MOST TO-BE DIRECTORS, MARTINSON
BEGAN HIS TRAINING AS A SCRIPT SUPERVISOR FROM 1946 TO 1951.
HIS FIRST DIRECTORIAL ASSIGNMENT WAS "THE ROY ROGERS SHOW"(1951-1957).
NEXT CAME A LONG STRING OF TV SERIES THAT RANGED FROM ANTHOLOGIES,
TO COMEDIES, POLICE DRAMAS AND WESTERNS. THE LIST INCLUDES:
"CITY DETECTIVE'(1952-1955),
"GENERAL ELECTRIC THEATER"(1954-1962),
"CRUSADER"(1955-1956),
"THE MILLIONAIRE"(1955-1960),
"DAMON RUNYON THEATER"(1955-1956).
IN 1957, LESLIE H. MARTINSON WAS HIRED BY WARNER BROS. TELEVISION AS A
CONTRACT DIRECTOR. DURING HIS STAY, MARTINSON DIRECTED VARIOUS EPISODES
FROM SUCH SHOWS AS:
"SUGARFOOT"(1957-1961),
"MAVERICK"(1957-1962),
"LAWMAN"(1958-1962),
"77 SUNSET STRIP"(1958-1964),
"THE GALLANT MEN"(1962-1963),
INCLUDING THE REST OF THE WARNER BROS. LINEUP.
DURING THE 1960'S AND 70'S, LESLIE WAS AGAIN ACTIVE DOING WHAT HE
DOES BEST. DIRECTED TV SERIES. HIS PROLIFIC ABILITY LED HIM TO:
"THE GREEN HORNET"(1966-1967),
"THE COURTSHIP OF EDDIE'S FATHER"(1969-1972),
"LONGSTREET"(1971-1972).
"BARNABY JONES"(1973-1980),
"DALLAS"(1978-1991).
LESLIE'S FINAL SERIES AS A DIRECTOR WAS, "SMALL WONDER"(1985-1989).
IN BETWEEN TV EPISODES, MARTINSON WORKED ON A NUMBER
OF MADE FOR TV MOVIES. INCLUDED WERE:
"THE CHALLENGERS"(1970),WITH DARREN McGAVIN,
"ESCAPE FROM ANGOLA"(1976),
AND "RESCUE FROM GILLIGAN'S ISLAND"(1978).
AFTER 34 PLUS YEARS AS A DIRECTOR, LESLIE H. MARTINSON DECIDED TO CALL
IT QUITS, WITH A DIRECTORIAL RECORD TO MAKE ANYONE PROUD.