Jeannot Szwarc, 1939 – 2025

French-born director Jeannot Szwarc, 85, died on Jan. 15. Szwarc moved to the US after working in commercials and screenwriting in France, and began directing. He started in TV and pretty much stayed there, only directing a handful of films (the most successful of which was the time-travelling romance Somewhere in Time). On TV, though, he was tireless, directing either one-offs or as many as 20 episodes of such series as Alias Smith and Jones, Longstreet, Night Gallery (19 episodes), Columbo, Ally McBeal, Boston Legal, Smallville, and Grey’s Anatomy. Szwarc was married to production coordinator Cara de Menual.