What happened to Elliot Silverstein, ‘Cat Ballou’ Director?

Elliot Silverstein, the esteemed television director renowned for his work on shows like “The Twilight Zone,” “Naked City,” and “Route 66,” passed away on Friday in Los Angeles at the age of 96, as confirmed by his family. Despite his extensive career in episodic television, Silverstein achieved notable acclaim for directing “Cat Ballou” in 1965, a film that earned Lee Marvin a Best Actor Oscar.

Born on August 3, 1927, in Boston to a doctor, Silverstein was raised in Dorchester, Massachusetts. He attended Roxbury Memorial High School for Boys and later Boston College, where he transitioned from a biology major to drama. His pursuit of directing led him to Yale University.

Beyond his contributions to various television series such as “The Defenders,” “Dr. Kildare,” “The U.S. Steel Hour,” and “Have Gun Will Travel,” among others, Silverstein played a pivotal role in shaping the Bill of Creative Rights for directors.

His realization of the limitations on his rights as a television director surfaced during the production of the “Twilight Zone” episode “The Obsolete Man,” featuring Burgess Meredith as a librarian on trial for obsolescence in a book-banned world. Prompted by these behind-the-scenes challenges, Silverstein urged DGA president George Sidney to establish a committee in November 1963. This committee, chaired by Silverstein and including figures like Robert Altman and Sydney Pollack, eventually unveiled the Bill of Creative Rights in 1964.