Directing
John Erman
Born August 3, 1935 · Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died June 25, 2021 · aged 85
John Erman (August 3, 1935 – June 25, 2021) was an American television director, producer, and actor. He was nominated for ten Primetime Emmy Awards, winning once for the film Who Will Love My Children? (1983). He also won two Directors Guild of America Awards for the miniseries Roots (1977) and the film An Early Frost (1985). Description above from the Wikipedia article John Erman, licensed unde…
Known For
Remembering Roots · 2002Remembering Roots
2002
MovieDocumentary
The cast and crew of Roots (1977) recall its phenomenal success on its 25th anniversary.
Blackboard Jungle · 1955Blackboard Jungle
★ 6.91955
MovieCrimeDrama
Richard Dadier is a teacher at North Manual High School, an inner-city school where many of the pupils frequently engage in anti-social behavior. Dadier makes various attempts to engage the students' interest in education, challenging both the school staff and the pupils. He is subjected to violence as well as duplicitous schemes.
This Year's Blonde · 1980This Year's Blonde
★ 6.31980
MovieDramaTV Movie
First he seduced her. Then he made her a star. He was Johnny Hyde, 52-year-old agent, friend, lover. She was an unemployed starlet — destined to be America's greatest sex goddess. Theirs was a sizzling romance — torrid, touching, tragic.
Carolina Skeletons · 1991Carolina Skeletons
★ 7.21991
MovieThrillerTV Movie
After a long time in the army, an Afro-American soldier returns to his hometown, where, years ago, his brother was executed for the rape and murder of two white girls. The commando believes his brother to have been innocent and seeks a proof for that, but there are some people in the town who will stop at nothing to hide the secrets of their past...
The Sunshine Boys · 1996The Sunshine Boys
★ 5.01996
MovieTV MovieDrama
Two aging comedians, who acrimoniously dissolved their act eight years earlier, must overcome their differences when they have the chance for a lucrative movie comeback.
Breathing Lessons · 1994Breathing Lessons
★ 5.61994
MovieDramaTV Movie
A married couple review their lives and renew their love for one another while driving to a friend's funeral.
The Scarlett O'Hara War · 1980The Scarlett O'Hara War
★ 6.21980
MovieDramaTV Movie
The trials and tribulations of David O. Selznick as he attempts to find an actress to play the role of Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind (1939).
An Early Frost · 1985An Early Frost
★ 5.81985
MovieDramaTV Movie
Successful lawyer Michael Pierson is gay, but he has always hidden this part of his life from his mother, Katherine, father, Nick, and grandmother Beatrice. But when Michael discovers he has AIDS and is dying of complications from the disease, he must open up to his parents and the rest of his family. Though fearful of their reactions, he introduces them to his longtime lover, Peter, and looks to them for support.
Movies
Remembering Roots · 2002Remembering Roots
2002
MovieDocumentary
The cast and crew of Roots (1977) recall its phenomenal success on its 25th anniversary.
Blackboard Jungle · 1955Blackboard Jungle
★ 6.91955
MovieCrimeDrama
Richard Dadier is a teacher at North Manual High School, an inner-city school where many of the pupils frequently engage in anti-social behavior. Dadier makes various attempts to engage the students' interest in education, challenging both the school staff and the pupils. He is subjected to violence as well as duplicitous schemes.
This Year's Blonde · 1980This Year's Blonde
★ 6.31980
MovieDramaTV Movie
First he seduced her. Then he made her a star. He was Johnny Hyde, 52-year-old agent, friend, lover. She was an unemployed starlet — destined to be America's greatest sex goddess. Theirs was a sizzling romance — torrid, touching, tragic.
Carolina Skeletons · 1991Carolina Skeletons
★ 7.21991
MovieThrillerTV Movie
After a long time in the army, an Afro-American soldier returns to his hometown, where, years ago, his brother was executed for the rape and murder of two white girls. The commando believes his brother to have been innocent and seeks a proof for that, but there are some people in the town who will stop at nothing to hide the secrets of their past...
The Sunshine Boys · 1996The Sunshine Boys
★ 5.01996
MovieTV MovieDrama
Two aging comedians, who acrimoniously dissolved their act eight years earlier, must overcome their differences when they have the chance for a lucrative movie comeback.
Breathing Lessons · 1994Breathing Lessons
★ 5.61994
MovieDramaTV Movie
A married couple review their lives and renew their love for one another while driving to a friend's funeral.
The Scarlett O'Hara War · 1980The Scarlett O'Hara War
★ 6.21980
MovieDramaTV Movie
The trials and tribulations of David O. Selznick as he attempts to find an actress to play the role of Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind (1939).
An Early Frost · 1985An Early Frost
★ 5.81985
MovieDramaTV Movie
Successful lawyer Michael Pierson is gay, but he has always hidden this part of his life from his mother, Katherine, father, Nick, and grandmother Beatrice. But when Michael discovers he has AIDS and is dying of complications from the disease, he must open up to his parents and the rest of his family. Though fearful of their reactions, he introduces them to his longtime lover, Peter, and looks to them for support.
Right to Kill? · 1985Right to Kill?
★ 7.21985
MovieDramaCrime
Based on true story of teens Richard and Deborah Jahnke charged in Wyoming for the killing of their abusive father.
Victoria & Albert · 2001Victoria & Albert
★ 7.62001
MovieRomanceDrama
The passionate love story that was Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's lengthy marriage. Beginning in 1837, the year of King William IV's death and 18-year-old Victoria's ascension to the throne, the series charts the tumultuous period in 19th Century England where Victoria comes to terms with the enormous duties that lay ahead of her, while also falling deeply in love with her beloved Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. The marriage and birth of their nine children are featured, as is Albert's frustration by the inactivity he experienced in the early years of his role as Prince Consort.
Ellen Foster · 1997Ellen Foster
★ 6.11997
MovieDramaTV Movie
After her mother's death, a young girl is separated from her abusive father and is sent between her various friends and relatives, always longing to find a place to call home.
The Boys Next Door · 1996The Boys Next Door
★ 6.71996
MovieComedyDrama
Kind-hearted social worker Jack Palmer feels guilty about not spending enough time with his wife due to the pressures of his job taking care of four developmentally disabled men: obsessive-compulsive Norman, bipolar Arnold, childlike Lucien, and schizophrenic Barry. When Jack announces his decision to leave his job, his four charges react quite unexpectedly to the news.
The Last Best Year · 1990The Last Best Year
★ 7.71990
MovieDramaTV Movie
Jane (Bernadette Peters) has a dizzy spell while at home. As her condition does not improve, she consults a doctor who finds that she is very ill and that she has no family to help her through this very trying time. He enlists the help of a therapist (Mary Tyler Moore) who is very hesitant to become involved in this case due to the loss she suffered as a young child. As her condition deteriorates, Jane learns how to come to terms with her past as does her therapist.
The Benny Goodman Story · 1956The Benny Goodman Story
★ 6.41956
MovieDramaMusic
Young Benny Goodman is taught clarinet by a music professor. He is advised to play whichever kind of music he likes best, but to make a living, Benny begins by joining the Ben Pollack traveling band.
Stella · 1990Stella
★ 5.81990
MovieRomanceDrama
Barmaid Stella Claire and blueblood Stephen Dallas have very little in common -- except they've fallen in love. When their relationship fails, Stella decides to raise the child they had, Jenny, alone. But Jenny and Stella are far from the perfect mother-daughter pair.
Making It · 1971Making It
★ 4.21971
MovieComedyDrama
A cocky high school student thinks nothing of using the people around him to satisfy his self-centered needs, until someone in his life gets pregnant.
The Silent Lovers · 1980The Silent Lovers
★ 4.71980
MovieDramaTV Movie
The story of the ill-fated romance between Greta Garbo and John Gilbert.
Only Love · 1998Only Love
★ 5.51998
MovieTV MovieDrama
Two young lovers whose romantic dreams were shattered, are reunited years later in this sweeping story of fobidden love.
Our Sons · 1991Our Sons
★ 5.41991
MovieDramaTV Movie
When James admits to his mother that he is gay it strains her liberal attitude. A San Diego businesswoman, Audrey believes she is a modern, open-minded mother, but the news sends her reeling. However, the real shock comes when James asks her to travel to Arkansas and inform his lover's estranged mom, Luanne, that her son has AIDS. As Audrey and Luanne learn to put aside their prejudice toward each other, they soon discover how to share their thoughts, hopes and fears for their sons.
Green Eyes · 1977Green Eyes
1977
MovieDramaWar
Disillusioned Vietnam veteran Lloyd Dubeck travels back to Southeast Asia in search among thousands of war orphans for the son he left behind.
Candles on Bay Street · 2006Candles on Bay Street
★ 6.12006
MovieTV MovieDrama
DeeDee returns to her hometown with her 11 year old son, Trooper, 13 years after she ran off with her boyfriend. Her childhood best friend, Sam, is now married and he and his wife, Lydia, are the town's veterinarians. Lydia is a little wary about DeeDee after Sam tells her that they were best friends growing up and DeeDee was his first crush. But DeeDee and Trooper find their way into many hearts of the townspeople with their sweet helpfulness and friendships. DeeDee sets up a candle making business in town square and invites many of the ladies of the town to weekly candle making parties, and through these parties she and Lydia become good friends. One evening after dinner with Lydia and Sam, DeeDee tells Sam she's very sick and she doesn't have much longer to live and she needs his help to find a good family in town to adopt Trooper. Sam later tells Lydia everything and they decide to adopt Trooper themselves if/when something happens to DeeDee.
The Last to Go · 1991The Last to Go
★ 6.31991
MovieDramaTV Movie
Tyne Daly plays a woman who sees the dreams of her youth change over a 22-year period as, first, her surgeon husband leaves her for another relationship, and then, her children, on reaching adulthood, go their separate ways. Adapted from the 1988 novel by Rand Richards Cooper.
David · 1988David
★ 6.91988
MovieDramaTV Movie
The true story of David Rothenberg, whose disturbed father set him on fire.
A Streetcar Named Desire · 1984A Streetcar Named Desire
★ 5.81984
MovieDramaTV Movie
As Blanche’s fragile world crumbles, she turns to her sister Stella for solace – but her downward spiral brings her face to face with the brutal, unforgiving Stanley Kowalski.
TV Shows
Star Trek · 1966Star Trek
★ 8.01966
SeriesSci-Fi & FantasyDrama
Space. The Final Frontier. The U.S.S. Enterprise embarks on a five year mission to explore the galaxy. The Enterprise is under the command of Captain James T. Kirk with First Officer Mr. Spock, from the planet Vulcan. With a determined crew, the Enterprise encounters Klingons, Romulans, time paradoxes, tribbles and genetic supermen led by Khan Noonian Singh. Their mission is to explore strange new worlds, to seek new life and new civilizations, and to boldly go where no man has gone before.
The Fugitive · 1963The Fugitive
★ 7.31963
SeriesDrama
Richard Kimble is falsely convicted of his wife's murder and given the death penalty. En route to death row, Kimble's train derails and crashes, allowing him to escape and begin a cross-country search for the real killer, a "one-armed man". At the same time, Dr. Kimble is hounded by the authorities, most notably dogged by Police Lieutenant Philip Gerard.
M*A*S*H · 1972M*A*S*H
★ 7.91972
SeriesDrama
The 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital is stuck in the middle of the Korean war. With little help from the circumstances they find themselves in, they are forced to make their own fun. Fond of practical jokes and revenge, the doctors, nurses, administrators, and soldiers often find ways of making wartime life bearable.
Ben Casey · 1961Ben Casey
★ 5.91961
SeriesDrama
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. · 1964Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
★ 7.11964
SeriesComedyFamily
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. is an American situation comedy that originally aired on CBS from September 25, 1964, to May 2, 1969. The series was a spinoff of The Andy Griffith Show, and the pilot was aired as the finale of the fourth season of The Andy Griffith Show on May 18, 1964. The show ran for five seasons and a total of 150 episodes. In 2006, CBS Home Entertainment began releasing the series on DVD. The final season was released in November 2008.
The series was created by Aaron Ruben, who also produced the show with Sheldon Leonard and Ronald Jacobs. Filmed and set in California, it stars Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle, a naive but good-natured gas-station attendant from the town of Mayberry, North Carolina, who enlists in the United States Marine Corps. Frank Sutton plays Gomer's high-octane, short-fused Gunnery Sergeant Vince Carter, and Ronnie Schell plays Gomer's friend Gilbert "Duke" Slater. Allan Melvin played in the recurring role of Gunnery Sergeant Carter's rival, Sergeant Charley Hacker. The series never discussed nor addressed the then-current Vietnam War, instead focusing on the relationship between Gomer and Sergeant Carter. The show retained high ratings throughout its run.
The Bob Newhart Show · 1972The Bob Newhart Show
★ 7.51972
SeriesComedy
The Bob Newhart Show is an American situation comedy produced by MTM Enterprises, which aired 142 original episodes on CBS from September 16, 1972, to April 1, 1978. Comedian Bob Newhart portrays a psychologist having to deal with his patients and fellow office workers. The show was filmed before a live audience.
Marcus Welby, M.D. · 1969Marcus Welby, M.D.
★ 6.61969
SeriesDrama
Marcus Welby, M.D. is an American medical drama television program that aired on ABC from September 23, 1969, to July 29, 1976. It starred Robert Young as a family practitioner with a kind bedside manner and James Brolin as the younger doctor he often worked with, and was produced by David Victor and David J. O'Connell. The pilot, A Matter of Humanities, had aired as an ABC Movie of the Week on March 26, 1969.
The Outer Limits · 1963The Outer Limits
★ 7.81963
SeriesSci-Fi & Fantasy
The Outer Limits is an anthology tv series of self-contained sci-fi-horror stories, sometimes with a plot twist at the end.
That Girl · 1966That Girl
★ 6.21966
SeriesComedy
That Girl is an American sitcom that ran on ABC from 1966 to 1971. It stars Marlo Thomas as the title character Ann Marie, an aspiring actress, who moves from her hometown of Brewster, New York to try to make it big in New York City. Ann has to take a number of offbeat "temp" jobs to support herself in between her various auditions and bit parts. Ted Bessell played her boyfriend Donald Hollinger, a writer for Newsview Magazine; Lew Parker and Rosemary DeCamp played Lew Marie and Helen Marie, her concerned parents. Bernie Kopell, Ruth Buzzi and Reva Rose played Ann and Donald's friends. That Girl was developed by writers Bill Persky and Sam Denoff, who had served as head writers on The Dick Van Dyke Show earlier in the 1960s.
Room 222 · 1969Room 222
★ 6.11969
SeriesComedyDrama
The Flying Nun · 1967The Flying Nun
★ 6.31967
SeriesComedySci-Fi & Fantasy
Young Sister Bertrille uses her ability to become airborne to help others, whether they want it or not. Although her aims are always benevolent, her means are often bemoaned by Mother Superior. The other Sisters must cope with their beloved Sister's aerodynamics and antics as she flies in and out of trouble.
Family · 1976Family
★ 7.21976
SeriesDrama
The lives of the middle-class Lawrence family in Pasadena, California.
Stoney Burke · 1962Stoney Burke
★ 6.81962
SeriesWestern
Stoney Burke is an American western television series broadcast on ABC from October 1, 1962 until May 20, 1963. Six years before the premiere of his CBS crime drama, Hawaii Five-0, Jack Lord starred in the title role.
Judd, for the Defense · 1967Judd, for the Defense
★ 7.71967
SeriesDrama
High-priced Houston lawyer Clinton Judd and his assistant Ben Caldwell take difficult cases throughout the U.S.
Roots · 1977Roots
★ 7.31977
SeriesDrama
The epic tale of celebrated Pulitzer-prize winning author Alex Haley's ancestors as portrayed in the acclaimed twelve hour mini-series Roots, was first told in his 1976 bestseller Roots: The Saga of an American Family. The docu-drama covers a period of history that begins in mid-1700s Gambia, West Africa and concludes during post-Civil War United States, over 100 years later. This 1977 miniseries eventually won 9 Emmy awards, a Golden Globe award, and a Peabody award, and still stands as the most watched miniseries in U.S. history.
My Favorite Martian · 1963My Favorite Martian
★ 6.11963
SeriesSci-Fi & FantasyComedy
Newspaper reporter Tim O'Hara finds a crashed alien spaceship that contains one live alien. Not wanting to be discovered by the authorities, the Martian assumes the identity of Tim's Uncle Martin and begins to repair his spaceship so that he can return to Mars.
Scarlett · 1994Scarlett
★ 6.61994
SeriesDrama
Scarlett is a 1994 American television miniseries loosely based on Alexandra Ripley's eponymous 1991 book of the same name, a sequel to Margaret Mitchell's 'Gone with the Wind' (1936). Filmed across the United States and abroad, the series stars Joanne Whalley and Timothy Dalton. The miniseries was broadcast in four parts on CBS from November 13-17, 1994.
Following the death of her sister-in-law Melanie Wilkes, Scarlett O'Hara sets out to reclaim her doomed romance with Rhett Butler, as it takes her home to Tara to Charleston to Savannah to Ireland, where she learns of her family's roots.
Roots: The Next Generations · 1979Roots: The Next Generations
★ 7.41979
SeriesDrama
Roots: The Next Generations is a television miniseries, introduced in 1979, continuing, from 1882 to the 1960s, the fictionalized story of the family of Alex Haley and their life in Henning, Lauderdale County, Tennessee, USA. This sequel to the 1977 miniseries is based on the last seven chapters of Haley's novel entitled Roots: The Saga of an American Family plus additional material by Haley.
Roots: The Next Generations was produced with a budget of $16.6 million, nearly three times as large as that of the original.
Please Don't Eat the Daisies · 1965Please Don't Eat the Daisies
★ 6.81965
SeriesComedy
Please Don't Eat the Daisies is an American sitcom.
Alex Haley's Queen · 1993Alex Haley's Queen
★ 7.01993
SeriesDrama
Queen is the story about Easter, the illegitimate daughter of James Jackson, III and her lifelong affair with plantation owner Tim Daly, which would result in the birth of Queen. Queen's story revolves around her early years as a slave who yearns to know who her father is, and her condition as a fair skin mixed race woman who spends her life trying to figure out where exactly she fits in.
Hallmark Hall of Fame · 1951Hallmark Hall of Fame
★ 8.81951
SeriesDrama
Long-running anthology program sponsored by Hallmark Cards. Beginning in 1951 and continuing into 2019, the series received 80 Emmy Awards, 24 Christopher Awards, 11 Peabody Awards, 9 Golden Globes, and 4 Humanitas Prizes. Early seasons were a weekly live drama, eventually transitioning to videotaped and then filmed productions broadcast as occasional specials.
Good Heavens · 1976Good Heavens
★ 7.01976
SeriesSci-Fi & FantasyComedy
Good Heavens was an ABC comedy anthology series produced by Columbia Pictures Television that aired between February 29 to June 26, 1976. It ranked #17 in the Nielsen ratings during the 1975-76 television season.
The main character was Mr. Angel, who was an Emissary of Heaven that came down to Earth to grant wishes to those who had performed a good deed. Episodes featured actors such as Don Ameche, Susan Dey, Sandy Duncan, Pat Harrington Jr., Florence Henderson, Alex Karras, Penny Marshall, Hugh O'Brian, Loretta Swit, Brenda Vaccaro, and Fred Willard.
Occasional Wife · 1966Occasional Wife
★ 8.01966
SeriesComedy
The Atlanta Child Murders · 1985The Atlanta Child Murders
★ 5.81985
SeriesDrama
The Atlanta Child Murders is a TV miniseries that aired on February 10 and 12, 1985 on CBS. Inspired by true events, the miniseries examines the so-called "Atlanta child murders" of the late 1970s and early 1980s.