Ralph Levy

As one of the most prominent director/producers of television's Golden Age, Ralph Levy established the formats for such television classics as The Beverly Hillbillies and Green Acres. Though he occasionally dabbled in film, most of his celluloid endeavors occurred in London, with his stateside focus remaining on the small screen.
Born in Scranton, PA, and educated at Yale, Levy later joined CBS as a director of sports at Madison Square Gardens following a brief stint as a manager of the Masine Ballet Company. Pioneering live network television with Ed Wynn on the West Coast in 1949, he would later become the producer/director of the George Burns and Gracie Allen Show as well as later serve a seven-year stint as Jack Benny's producer/director. Directing the pilot episode of I Love Lucy in 1951, Levy later worked with Bob Newhart as well. Calling the shots behind the camera for such features as Bedtime Story (1964) and Do Not Disturb (1965), Levy took the knowledge he had gained over the years to the classroom as a teacher after retiring from show business.
On October 15, 2001, Ralph Levy died at St. Vincent's Hospital in Santa Fe, NM, following a lengthy illness. He was 81.

~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide