Philips, Lee, 1927-1999

Lee Philips was born January 10, 1927 in Brooklyn, New York. He began his career as an actor before starting his long career as a television director in the late 1950s. Early in his acting career he appeared on the Philco Television Playhouse production of Marty in 1948. He would go on to make other television appearances in shows such as Alfred Hitchcock Presents, I Spy, Perry Mason, The Twilight Zone and The Untouchables. Philips also had feature appearances in the motion pictures Peyton Place (1957) and Tess of the Storm (1960). His stage credits include the Broadway production of Middle of the Night in the mid-1950s. It is reported he started his directing career with an episode of the Donna Reed Show in 1958. Among his many directorial credits are: The Andy Griffith show, The Dick Van Dyke show, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Kung Fu, M*A*S*H, The Partridge family and The Waltons, among others. Philips also directed a number of television movies and miniseries including Crazy times, Getting away from it all, James Michener's Dynasty, Mae West, Silent motive and The War between the Tates. His final directorial project was an episode for Diagnosis Murder in 1993. Philips died on March 3, 1999 in Brentwood, Calif.