In Memoriam
He was proudest of Enigma and Somewhere in Time, but his career was much broader than that.
He got the job done.
Jeannot Szwarc’s career wasn’t that of a man lauded in his home country and unknown in Hollywood; his French Wikipedia entry is so slim that I didn’t have to resort to Google Translate for the fine details (as there were no fine details). He worked mostly in the United States, mostly in television; when he did direct features, the results were mixed. Jaws 2 and Supergirl were beset by studio interference (though Jaws 2 did remarkably well at the box office); though it did gain a cult following, no one knew quite what to do with Somewhere in Time when it was released. Other features, like Santa Claus the Movie and Hercule et Sherlock, just weren’t very good.
But on the smaller screen, he was a go-to guy. In addition to one-offs from the 1970s through the 2010s, he directed dozens of episodes of JAG, The Practice, Gray’s Anatomy and Bones, with stints on Marcus Welby, M.D., Smallville, and Ally McBeal, He was trusted with pivotal episodes on Fringe and Smallville–including one of the show’s most popular episodes, “Homecoming.” He even did a Columbo episode in that show’s golden years, 1973’s “Lovely But Lethal,” with Vera Miles, Vincent Price and a shockingly young Martin Sheen. (He would work again with Sheen on 1982’s Enigma, another feature film with mixed-at-best reviews.)
He’ll probably be best known for his stint on Rod Serling’s horror anthology Night Gallery. He directed more segments than any other director — 19 episodes, including a segment that most fans regard as the show’s finest and most frightening, “The Caterpillar.”
By all accounts — including the ones I looked for from before his death — he was pleasant to fans and an enthusiastic collaborator. His interviews show clear enthusiasm for the simple joys of moviemaking (this interview about Supergirl is delightful, especially as he explains how many of the effects were created) and appreciation for the cast and crew he worked with. He loved Somewhere in Time and was pleased to watch it gain appreciation as the years passed.
There’s something to say for someone who’s good to work with, who shows up and does a good job. Szwarc was one of those, steady but not staid, there for heartbreak, a good scare, or a good time. I’m not surprised that he was welcomed back on set again and again.
About the writer
Bridgett Taylor
Bridgett Taylor has a day job, but would rather talk about comic books. She lives in small-town Vermont (she has met Bernie; she has not met Noah Kahan), where she ushers at local theatrical productions and talks too much at Town Meeting.
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Lovely in memoriam for someone who sounds like a lovely guy. I’m glad he got to see Somewhere in Time pick up more appreciation as the years went on.
I rewatched “The Caterpillar” recently, and it really does deserve all the acclaim: terrifying (I know that’s not how earwigs work, but also, AHHHHH!–and stylishly directed, with a real sense of moody menace; it’s absolutely a credit to him.
Thank you! There are some people you just take for granted, and we shouldn’t.
I haven’t seen it but it sounds like a ride.
Outside of auteurs like Whedon, TV directors tend not to get much respect. Can most people tell you the name of the director of a classic episode of Mad Men or Lost? I will admit that while I always notice the director credit, unless it’s Jonathan Frakes or James Burrows, it doesn’t stick with me. Szwarc is someone whose name I notice but don’t recall. I had even forgotten he directed Columbo. But if I see that name, I am pretty sure he will deliver the goods, even if the goods on a 70s cop show are not that ambitious.
That was one of the reasons I wanted to pick up this obit, actually – we don’t always give credit for TV work when it really is due. It’s not easy to keep all those wheels moving on a tighter and often more budget-conscious schedule.
I know I’ve seen his episodes, but I have fond memories of Somewhere in Time which I saw in a hotel room in 1985.
I’ve meant to get to that for a while.