William Witney

William Witney was one of Hollywood's youngest directors, teaming up with Republic director, John English, on many of the era's best serials, most of them highlighted by high-energy fight and chase scenes that helped change the face of action moviemaking. Witney directed over 370 films including many Roy Rogers movies and numerous TV episodes including High Chaparral, Bonanza, The Virginian, Coronado 9, Tarzan, Zorro and Stories of the Century to name but a few. Although his hey-day in motion...See more

William Witney was one of Hollywood's youngest directors, teaming up with Republic director, John English, on many of the era's best serials, most of them highlighted by high-energy fight and chase scenes that helped change the face of action moviemaking. Witney directed over 370 films including many Roy Rogers movies and numerous TV episodes including High Chaparral, Bonanza, The Virginian, Coronado 9, Tarzan, Zorro and Stories of the Century to name but a few. Although his hey-day in motion pictures was in the'30s, '40s and '50s, in television from the mid-'50s through the '60s and his last film was in 1982, film-makers are still being influenced by him, more than a quarter of a century later. Steven Spielberg and George Lucas have admitted that Saturday afternoon serials inspired the 'Indiana Jones' movies. And Quentin Tarantino ('Pulp Fiction, ' 'Reservoir Dogs, ' 'Jackie Brown') calls William Witney a "forgotten master." Other books by William Witney, available on Amazon, include 'Trigger Remembered' and 'In A Door, Into A Fight, Out A Door, Into A Chase: Movie Making Remembered By The Guy At The Door' See less