Joel Rudolf Zwick (born January 11, 1942) is an American film director, television director, and theater director.Mann, Iris (June 1, 2016). "'Hillary and Monica': An Unlikely Meeting". Jewish Journal. He worked on the television series Perfect Strangers, Full House, and Family Matters, and directed the films My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Second Sight, and Fat Albert.
Biography Zwick was born in Brooklyn, New York to a Jewish family. His father was a cantor from an Orthodox background, and Zwick had his bar mitzvah at an Orthodox synagogue.
He graduated from James Madison High School in 1958. Zwick then went to Brooklyn College ('62),"Paving the Way, Workmen Install Tributes on the Alumni Walk In Front of Library ". Brooklyn College. May 24, 2002. Retrieved February 1, 2020. where he taught in the School of Film.
Zwick has directed 21 television pilots, all of which have continued on to successful runs as weekly series.
He is married to Dr. Candice Zwick, a psychologist. They have three daughters, Hillary, Jodi and Lara, and one son, Jamie. Despite a popular misconception, he is not related to fellow filmmaker Edward Zwick.
Television
Busting Loose (1977) Insight (1978) Mork & Mindy (1978) The Ted Knight Show (1978) Makin' It (1979) Goodtime Girls (1980) Laverne & Shirley (1978–1980) It's a Living (1980–1981) Bosom Buddies (1980–1982) Joanie Loves Chachi (1982) The New Odd Couple (1982) Brothers (1984–1985) Webster (1983–1986) Perfect Strangers (1986–1992) On Our Own (1994) The Wayans Bros. (1995) Full House (1987–1995) Kirk (1995) The Parent 'Hood (1995) Step by Step (1992–1996) Hangin' with Mr. Cooper (1992–1997) Meego (1997) Family Matters (1989–1998) The Jamie Foxx Show (1998) Love Boat: The Next Wave (1999) Two of a Kind (1999) Two and a Half Men (2008) The Suite Life on Deck (2010–2011) Pair of Kings (2010–2011) Good Luck Charlie (2010–2011) I'm in the Band (2010–2011) Shake It Up (2010–2013) Dog with a Blog (2013-2015) Jessie (2013-2014) Girl Meets World (2014-2017) Richie Rich (2015) K.C. Undercover (2015–2018) Fuller House (2016)
Film Second Sight (1989) My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) Elvis Has Left the Building (2004) Fat Albert (2004)
Broadway Shenandoah (national tour) Dance with Me (1975; musical; Tony Award nomination) Esther (Promenade Theater, New York City) George Gershwin, Alone (2001; one-man show; Helen Hayes Theater) Back From Broadway (2002; benefit concert at Lincoln Center)
Theater Zwick was active in the Off-Off-Broadway movement at La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, which was founded by Ellen Stewart in 1961. He worked with the La MaMa Plexus company at the East Village theater and on tour both domesticallyLa MaMa Archives Digital Collections. "Tour: La MaMa Plexus at Dartmouth (1969)". Accessed July 10, 2018. and internationally.La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. "Tour: La MaMa Plexus European Tour (1969)". Accessed July 10, 2018. He performed with La MaMa Plexus in Jan Quackenbush's Inside Out in 1968.La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. "Production: La MaMa Plexus Workshop Presents The Cylinder, Complexions, and Inside Out (1968)". Accessed July 10, 2018. He also directed the following productions at La MaMa:
The Last Chance Saloon (1969)La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. "Production: Last Chance Saloon, The (1969a)". Accessed July 10, 2018. Woyzeck (1969)La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. "Production: Woyzeck (1969)". Accessed July 10, 2018. Spring-Voices (1969)La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. "Production: Spring-Voices (1969)". Accessed July 10, 2018. Dance Wi Me (1971)La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. "Production: La MaMa Plexus in Dance Wi Me (or The Fatal Twitch) (1971)". Accessed July 10, 2018. The Myths of America Smith or Pappy Crumb's Treefrog Beer (1973)La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. "Production: Myths of America Smith or Pappy Crumb's Treefrog Beer, The (1973)". Accessed July 10, 2018. The Last Chance Saloon (1973)La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. "Production: The Last Chance Saloon (1973)". Accessed July 10, 2018. Calm Down Mother and The Gloaming, Oh My Darling (1974)La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. "Production: Calm Down Mother and The Gloaming, Oh My Darling (1974)". Accessed July 10, 2018. Dance Wi' Me (1974)La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. "Production: Dance Wi' Me (1974)". Accessed July 10, 2018. The Myths of America Smith and His Son (1975)La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. "Production: Myths of America Smith and His Son, The (1975)". Accessed July 10, 2018. Dance With Me (1975)La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. "Production: Dance With Me (1975)". Accessed July 10, 2018.
He was stage manager for the original 1967 production of MacBird!, and has directed the following theater productions:
Oklahoma (national tour) Cold Storage (American Place Theater) Merry-Go-Round (Chicago and Las Vegas) Last Chance Saloon (West End, London) Woycek (West End, London) Carry A. Nation (Triangle Theater) George Gershwin, Alone (one-man show; Los Angeles, London; Ford's Theater in Washington, Chicago, West Palm Beach, Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, South Korea, etc.) Monsieur Chopin (one-man show) Beethoven, As I Knew Him (one-man show) Maestro: The Art of Leonard Bernstein (one-man show) Jamaica Farewell (one-woman show) Serrano
Teaching Brooklyn College Queens College, City University of New York University of Southern California Wheaton College (Massachusetts) Yale University
References
External links
Zwick's page on La MaMa Archives Digital Collections