Beloved TV director and producer, Stan Harris, passed away at the age of 92 on Monday. Harris, known for directing TV specials for a wide range of talented artists including Jack Benny, Dolly Parton, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, and John Wayne, died of natural causes while surrounded by his family in Toronto.
Harris began his impressive career in live music and comedy directing at the CBC in Toronto, where he worked alongside notable peers such as Norman Jewison, Arthur Hiller, and Eric Till. Some of the highlights of his time in Canada included directing “Canada’s Hit Parade” and a special featuring Nat King Cole called “Wild Is Love.”
In the early 1960s, Harris and his family made the move to New York, where he began his career with the Directors Guild of America (DGA) on popular series like “The Bing Crosby Show,” “The Steve Lawrence Show,” “The Milton Berle Show,” and “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.”
Later in the 1960s, Harris relocated to Los Angeles to direct the immensely popular “Smothers Brothers Show.” It was around this time that his career in network specials took off when he directed The 22nd Annual Tony Awards.
Harris worked with countless big names in the industry, directing network specials for the likes of George Burns, Jack Benny, Johnny Cash, Duke Ellington, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Blondie, and John Wayne. Additionally, he produced and directed the NBC show “The Midnight Special” and numerous episodes of “The Mancini Generation.”
Despite his tremendous success, Harris remained humble and always made it known that he cherished his family and career. He would frequently tell his son Danny that his life had exceeded his wildest dreams.
Throughout his illustrious career, Harris received three Emmy nominations and was honored with a DGA Award in 1982. His contributions to television will always be remembered.
Harris is survived by his wife, Fai Harris, who is a TV writer and whom he married in 1956. His children, Lauren, Jayne, and Danny, all work in the TV industry, and he leaves behind grandchildren Alexandra, Kate, Samantha, Emma, Andrew, and Jeremy, as well as great-grandchildren Jonah and Bea.
Stan Harris will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and fans, but his legacy as a talented TV director and producer will live on forever.
