Rick Rosenthal

Richard L. "Rick" Rosenthal, Jr. (born June 15, 1949) is an American television and film director, best known for directing Bad Boys, the 1983 drama film that helped launch Sean Penn's career as well episodes of many popular TV series (including Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Smallville). His filmography includes the horror sequel Halloween II,^[1] the romantic comedy American Dreamer, and the 1987 drama film Russkies.^[2]

Biography

Rosenthal was born in New York City, the son of Hinda (née Gould) and entrepreneur Richard L. Rosenthal, Sr.^[3] He is a graduate of The Choate School (now Choate Rosemary Hall), Harvard College 1971 cum laude and the American Film Institute.

Rosenthal helped launch Sean Penn's career when he cast the then-unknown actor in the title role of the 1983 film Bad Boys. Rosenthal worked on the Emmy-winning ABC series Life Goes On as well as such series as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Providence, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Smallville. He is a winner of the Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award.

In recent years, Rosenthal has turned to the independent film world, continuing to direct ("Nearing Grace"), but also producing as well, giving opportunities to first time directors. The first production under the Whitewater Films banner was the Sundance Film Festival hit Mean Creek, winner of two Independent Spirit Awards as well as a Humanitas Prize. The film was invited to the Directors Fortnight at Cannes and launched the filmmaking career of writer-director Jacob Estes.

Mean Creek was followed by writer-director Scott Prendergast's first feature, Kabluey, starring Lisa Kudrow.

The fall of 2007 saw Ocean Grove, New Jersey become the site of Whitewater Films' Greta, video director Nancy Bardawil's feature debut, starring Hilary Duff and Ellen Burstyn.

Rosenthal started his career by directing Halloween II and returned to the series 20 years later helming Halloween: Resurrection. In between he has directed films such as American Dreamer (1984), Russkies (1987), Distant Thunder (1988), Just A Little Harmless Sex (1999), and Nearing Grace (2005).

Rosenthal is a producer on the Amazon hit series "Transparent" and was nominated in 2015 for Directors Guild of Canada award.

He met his wife, actress Nancy Stephens, while filming Halloween II. They have worked together on some films including American Dreamer (1984), Russkies (1987), and Mean Creek (2004).

Filmography

• Halloween II (1981)
• Bad Boys (1983)
• American Dreamer (1984)
• Russkies (1987)
• Distant Thunder (1988)
• Nasty Boys (1989)
• The Birds II: Land's End (1994)
• Just a Little Harmless Sex (1998)
• Halloween: Resurrection (2002)
• Nearing Grace (2005)
• Drones (2013)

Selected television series directed

• Yesterday Today (1992, unsold pilot)
• The Witches of Eastwick (1992, unsold pilot)
• Early Edition (2 episodes, 1996–1997)
• The Practice (1 episode, 1997)
• Wasteland (1 episode, 1999)
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2 episodes, 1999–2000)
• Strong Medicine (1 episode, 2000)
• Providence (6 episodes, 2000–2001)
• The District (6 episodes, 2001–2003)
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2 episodes, 2002)
• Crossing Jordan (1 episode, 2002)
• She Spies (1 episode, 2003)
• Smallville (7 episodes, 2003–2008)
• Tru Calling (2 episodes, 2004–2005)
• Point Pleasant (1 episode, 2005)
• Reunion (3 episodes, 2005–2006)
• Veronica Mars (1 episode, 2006)
• Flash Gordon (1 episode, 2007)
• The Dresden Files (1 episode, 2007)
• 90210 (1 episode, 2009)
• Being Erica (3 episodes, 2009–2010)
• Greek (1 episode, 2009)
• Mental (1 episode, 2009)
• Life on Mars (1 episode, 2009)
• Haven (1 episode, 2010)
• Drop Dead Diva (1 episode, 2010)
• Gigantic (2 episodes, 2010)
• Shattered (2 episodes, 2010)
• Beauty & the Beast (1 episode, 2013)

References

External links

• Rick Rosenthal at the Internet Movie Database