Thomas Harry Cherones Jr. ( ; September 11, 1939 – January 5, 2026) was an American television director and producer. He directed 81 of the 86 episodes of the first five seasons of Seinfeld. For his work directing the series, he won a Directors Guild of America Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award as producer.
Early life and education Cherones was born on September 11, 1939, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where he was also raised. His father, Tom Cherones Sr. operated a radio and television repair shop there. His grandfather was a Greek immigrant. His mother was Hazel Belle Hyche. He has a younger brother, Bill Cherones, who also worked in Hollywood.
Cherones graduated from the University of New Mexico in 1961 with a bachelor's degree in journalism and received a master's degree in telecommunications from the University of Alabama in 1966. From 1961 to 1965, he was a lieutenant in the United States Navy.
Television career Cherones began working in educational television while a student at the University of Alabama and later produced and directed programs for WQED in Pittsburgh. His first work after moving to Hollywood in 1975 was as a production manager for General Hospital and Welcome Back Kotter.
Cherones worked as a television producer and/or director on Growing Pains, My Sister Sam, and Annie McGuire in the 1980s. In the 1990s, he directed and produced Seinfeld (81 episodes) and NewsRadio (56 episodes). His work on Seinfeld won him praise as well as an Emmy, a DGA Award and a Golden Globe Award.
Several of Cherones's Seinfeld episodes are considered highlights of the series, including "The Chinese Restaurant," "The Parking Garage," and "The Contest," with the latter featured in rankings of the greatest television episodes of all time."TV's Top 100 Episodes of All Time" TV Guide; June 15, 2009; Pages 34–49 Within Seinfeld, he appears in a cameo as the fictional director in "The Pilot." Cherones left Seinfeld after season five at Jerry Seinfeld's request: "He was tired of the same thing, I guess. We changed writers almost every season, and finally he just wanted somebody else, another presence, to try to keep it fresh," Cherones said. He was succeeded as lead director by Andy Ackerman. Cherones also directed episodes of other shows including Caroline in the City, Ellen, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Desperate Housewives.
In 2003, Cherones was inducted into the Alabama Stage and Screen Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the University of Alabama College of Communication and Information Sciences Hall of Fame in 2001.
Later life From 2002 to 2014, Cherones taught a film production course at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, where he had earned a master's degree. In 2012, Cherones published his first novel, The Hardly Boys, a parody of the old Hardy Boys books.
Personal life and death Cherones had two children with his first wife, Bobby. He moved to Hollywood in 1975 with his second wife, Joyce Keener, who died in 2006.
Cherones was married to his third wife, Carol, when he died from Alzheimer's disease at his home in Florence, Oregon, on January 5, 2026, at the age of 86.
Filmography Year Title Role Additional Notes1985–1986Growing PainsSupervising Producer10 episodes 1986 My Sister SamDirector1 episodeSupervising Producer4 episodes 1988Annie McGuireDirector1 episodeSupervising Producer7 episodesJust in TimeDirector1 episodeSupervising Producer5 episodesPhilbyProducerTV MovieThe Silence at BethanyProducer 1990–1994 SeinfeldDirector80 episodesSupervising Producer/Producer82 episodes1994–1995EllenDirector23 episodes1995Pins and NeedlesDirectorTV Movie1995–1996Caroline in the CityDirector9 episodes1996Men Behaving BadlyDirector1 episodeThe FacultyDirector3 episodesBoston CommonDirector1 episode1996–1999NewsRadioDirector57 episodes1999Oh, Grow UpDirector4 episodesLadies ManDirector1 episodeSabrina the Teenage WitchDirector1 episode2003The PittsDirector1 episode2006Desperate HousewivesDirector1 episode2009ReaperDirector1 episode
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