Robert Stanton Butler (November 16, 1927 – November 3, 2023) was an American film and Emmy Award-winning television director. He is best known for his work in television, where he directed the pilots for a number of series including Star Trek, Hogan's Heroes, Batman, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and Hill Street Blues.
Career Butler graduated from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he majored in English. He was first in an army band, before his career as a stage manager and an assistant before launching his directing career with an episode of Hennesey (starring Jackie Cooper and including a young Ron Howard)Susan King, "Director Robert Butler put stamp on 'Batman,' other landmark series", Los Angeles Times, February 15, 2014. and then went on to direct such shows as The Untouchables, Dr. Kildare, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Batman, The Fugitive and The Twilight Zone.
Butler shot pilots for many TV series including the original Star Trek, Shane, Hogan's Heroes, Batman, The Blue Knight, Hill Street Blues, Remington Steele (a show which he also co-created), Moonlighting, Sisters, and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.
Butler also directed episodes for many other shows, including Bonanza, I Spy, Blue Light, The Invaders, Gunsmoke, The Outcasts, Mission: Impossible, Kung Fu, Hawaii Five-O, Columbo: Publish or Perish, Columbo: Double Shock and Midnight Caller.
Butler directed actor Kurt Russell in four Walt Disney movies, including Guns in the Heather, The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes and The Barefoot Executive.
Butler won two Emmy Awards for outstanding directing, the first in 1973 for The Blue Knight pilot and the second in 1981 for his Hill Street Blues premiere.
In 2014, Butler's work was the subject of a career retrospective at the UCLA Film and Television Archive.
Butler was honored by the Directors Guild of America (DGA) with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Achievement in Television Direction in February 2015.Variety, February 5, 2015
Butler died in Los Angeles on November 3, 2023, missing his 96th birthday by thirteen days. With his death, Ralph Senensky had become the last living director to direct an episode of Star Trek (1966) until his own death almost exactly 2 years later on November 1, 2025
Filmography Film Guns in the Heather (1969) The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969) The Barefoot Executive (1971) Scandalous John (1971) Now You See Him, Now You Don't (1972) The Ultimate Thrill (1974) Black Bart (1975) (Also producer) Hot Lead and Cold Feet (1978) Night of the Juggler (1980) Underground Aces (1981) Up The Creek (1984) Turbulence (1997) Where Do the Balloons Go? (2009) (Short film)
Television Year Title Director Producer Notes 1959–1960Hennesey3 Episodes1960Happy1 EpisodeThe Many Loves of Dobie Gillis1 Episode 1960–1961The DuPont Show with June Allyson5 Episodes1961Bonanza1 EpisodeThe Dick Van Dyke Show2 EpisodesThe Dick Powell Theater1 EpisodeThe Gertrude Berg Show2 EpisodesHave Gun – Will Travel1 EpisodeMichael Shayne1 EpisodePeter loves Mary2 Episodes 1961–1962The Detectives5 Episodes1962Follow The Sun3 EpisodesThe Rifleman1 Episode1962–1963Dr. Kildare2 EpisodesStoney Burke2 EpisodesThe Untouchables7 Episodes1963Ben Casey3 EpisodesThe Greatest Show On Earth2 EpisodesThe Richard Boone Show1 Episode 1963–1964The Lieutenant2 Episodes 1963–1965The Defenders2 Episodes1964Arrest and Trial1 EpisodeThe Twilight Zone2 Episodes 1964–1966The Fugitive6 Episodes1965Mister Roberts5 EpisodesRun For Your Life1 EpisodeThe Virginian1 Episode 1965–1966Hogan's Heroes5 Episodes 1965–1975The Magical World Of Disney12 Episodes1966Blue Light1 EpisodeShane1 EpisodeI Spy4 EpisodesBatman6 EpisodesStar Trek2 Episodes1967Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre1 EpisodeThe Invaders3 EpisodesJudd, for the Defense2 EpisodesN.Y.P.D.2 Episodes 1967–1972Gunsmoke3 Episodes 1967–1981Insight4 Episodes1968Cimarron Strip2 EpisodesIronside1 Episode1969Mission: Impossible1 EpisodeThe Outcasts1 EpisodeCBS Playhouse1 Episode 1969–1970Lancer4 Episodes 1970Then Came Bronson1 Episode 1972Nichols1 Episode 1972–1973The Waltons3 Episodes1973Doc Elliot1 EpisodeHawaii Five-O1 EpisodeKung Fu4 EpisodesRoll Out1 Episode 1973–1974Columbo2 Episodes 1975The Blue Knight1 Episode 1981Hill Street Blues6 Episodes 1982–1987Remington SteeleAlso creator and executive consultant1985Moonlighting1 EpisodeOur Family Honor1 Episode 1987Out on a Limb2 Episodes 1988–1991Midnight CallerAlso executive consultant 1991–1996Sisters 1993Sirens2 Episodes 1993–1994Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of SupermanAlso executive consultant 1999St. Michael's Crossing 2001The Division1 Episode
TV movies Year Title Director Producer Writer 1971Death Takes a Holiday 1973The Blue Knight 1974McMasters of Sweetwater 1975Strange New World1976Dark VictoryJames DeanMayday at 40,000 Feet! 1977In the Glitter Palace1978Lacy and the Mississippi QueenA Question of Guilt 1984Concrete Beat 1986Long Time Gone 1987On the Edge 1988Out of Time 1991The Brotherhood 1994White Mile 1998Glory, Glory
Associate director Climax! (1956–1958) (4 Episodes) Playhouse 90 (1958–1959) (3 Episodes)
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