William Asher

Directing

William Asher

Born August 8, 1921 · New York City, New York, USA

Died July 16, 2012 · aged 90

William Milton Asher (August 8, 1921 – July 16, 2012) was an American television and film producer, film director, and screenwriter. He was one of the most prolific early television directors, producing or directing over two dozen series. With television in its infancy, he introduced the sitcom Our Miss Brooks, which was adapted from a radio show. He began directing I Love Lucy by 1952. As a resu…

Known For

The 27th DayThe 27th Day · 1957
The 27th Day
★ 6.21957
MovieScience Fiction
Five individuals from five nations, including the USA, USSR, and China, suddenly find themselves on an alien saucer, where an alien gives each a container holding three capsules. The alien explains that no power on earth can open a given container except a mental command from the person to whom it is given, then anyone may take a capsule and, by speaking a latitude and longitude at it, cause instant death to all within a given radius: thus each of the five has been provided with the power of life and death. Then, they are given 27 days to decide whether to use the capsules, and returned to the places from which each one came...
Johnny CoolJohnny Cool · 1963
Johnny Cool
★ 5.41963
MovieCrimeDrama
A deported gangster trains an Italian convict to take over his operations in the U.S.
Butcher, Baker, Nightmare MakerButcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker · 1981
Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker
★ 6.51981
MovieThrillerHorror
Rejected by her lover, the only man left in Cheryl's life is the orphaned nephew she has raised as her own son. She'll stop at nothing to keep Billy with her. When her plans misfire, she is swept up into an insane frenzy that means death to anyone who comes between her and her obsession. But the investigating detective is convinced that Billy is the real killer - and determined to prove it. Madness and fanaticism work together to drag all concerned into a terrifying vortex of blood-letting that adds a nightmarish twist to the classic Oedipus story.
I Hate KidsI Hate Kids · 2019
I Hate Kids
★ 5.82019
MovieComedy
Nick Pearson is a life-long bachelor who is finally settling down. On the brink of his wedding he is surprised to find he has a 13 year old son who has come to find his him through the help of a psychic. The problem is Nick can't stand kids and would happily send the boy back to live with his biological mother, except that no one has any clue who that might be. Having nowhere to turn Nick must hit the road with the boy and the neurotic, inept psychic to track down dozens of his disgraced ex-flings to whom he must ask the awkward question - with very mixed results.
Beach Blanket BingoBeach Blanket Bingo · 1965
Beach Blanket Bingo
★ 6.01965
MovieMusicComedy
In the fourth of the highly successful Frankie and Annette beach party movies, a motorcycle gang led by Eric Von Zipper kidnaps singing star Sugar Kane managed by Bullets, who hires sky-diving surfers Steve and Bonnie from Big Drop for a publicity stunt. With the usual gang of kids and a mermaid named Lorelei.
Muscle Beach PartyMuscle Beach Party · 1964
Muscle Beach Party
★ 5.71964
MovieComedyMusic
Local beach-goers find that their beach has been taken over by a businessman training a stable of body builders.
How to Stuff a Wild BikiniHow to Stuff a Wild Bikini · 1965
How to Stuff a Wild Bikini
★ 5.31965
MovieComedyMusic
When he's stationed in Tahiti, a sailor hires a witch doctor to keep an eye on his girlfriend.
Beach PartyBeach Party · 1963
Beach Party
★ 6.01963
MovieComedyMusic
Anthropology Professor Robert Orwell Sutwell and his secretary Marianne are studying the sex habits of teenagers. The surfing teens led by Frankie and Dee Dee don't have much sex but they sing, battle the motorcycle rats and mice led by Eric Von Zipper and dance to Dick Dale and the Del Tones.

Filmography

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Four Star PlayhouseFour Star Playhouse · 1952
Four Star Playhouse
★ 6.81952
SeriesDramaComedy
Four Star Playhouse is an American television anthology series that ran from 1952 to 1956, sponsored in its first bi-weekly season by The Singer Company; Bristol-Myers became an alternate sponsor when it became a weekly series in the fall of 1953. The original premise was that Charles Boyer, Ida Lupino, David Niven, and Dick Powell would take turns starring in episodes. However, several other performers took the lead from time to time, including Ronald Colman and Joan Fontaine. Blake Edwards was among the writers and directors who contributed to the series. Edwards created the recurring character of illegal gambling house operator Willie Dante for Dick Powell to play on this series. The character was later revamped and spun off in his own series starring Howard Duff, then-husband of Lupino. The pilot for Meet McGraw, starring Frank Lovejoy, aired here, as did another episode in which Lovejoy recreated his role of Chicago newspaper reporter Randy Stone, from the radio drama Nightbeat.

Director