Buzz Kulik Biography (1923-1999)



See index for CTFT sketch: Born in 1923 in New York City; died of heart failure, January 13, 1999, in Los Angeles, CA. Television director, producer. Best known for directing the television movie Brian's Song, about Chicago Bears football player Gale Sayers's friendship with teammate Brian Piccolo through Piccolo's terminal bout of cancer, Kulik was one of the first television directors, getting his start managing the cameras at Yankee Stadiumin 1947. Kulik was a native New Yorker who served in the army during World War II and heard about the opportunity to direct television while working in the mail room at an advertising agency after the war. From Yankee Stadium, Kulik moved into directing episodes of live television anthology series, including Lux Video Theatre, Kraft Television Theatre, and Playhouse 90in the 1950s. In the 1960s he directed episodes of Gunsmoke, The Defenders, and Twilight Zone, and several feature films, including TheYellow Canary in 1963, Sergeant Ryker in 1968, and Shamus,starring Burt Reynolds, which was released in 1973. In the 1970s he made a name for himself directing miniseries, including Vanished, starring Richard Widmark, in 1971, which is considered the first television miniseries. The response to Brian's Song, which was a made-for-television movie released in 1971, was so great that it became one of the few such ever to be released theatrically. For his work on that picture he earned one of several Emmynominations for his directing; other nominated works include A Storm in Summer from 1970, Babe in 1975, about Olympic medalist Babe Didrikson Zaharias, and George Washington, in 1983. For his work on Brian's Song he won an award from the Directors Guild of America.

Gender
Male
Birth Details
1923
New York, New York, United States
Death Details
January 13, 1999
Los Angeles, California, United States

Further Reference

OBITUARIES AND OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals:



User Contributions:

Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic: