Andy Sidaris

• Name — Andy Sidaris • Birth Name — Andrew William Sidaris • Born — 20 February 1931 • Birthplace — Chicago, Illinois, U.S. • Died — 7 March 2007 • Place of death — Beverly Hills, California, U.S. • Occupation — * Director • producer • screenwriter • Years Active — 1950–1998 • Spouse — Arlene Sidaris • Website — http: www.andysidaris.com/ • Education — Southern Methodist University (BA) • Children — 3

Andrew William Sidaris was born in 1931 in Chicago, Illinois, to first-generation Greek immigrants. He grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana, where he played halfback and quarterback on the football team at Byrd High School. He graduated from Southern Methodist University in 1955 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in speech and theater.

Sidaris began his television career in 1950, working as a stage manager for WFAA in Dallas, Texas, before being promoted to director six months later. In 1959, he moved to Los Angeles to work for ABC Sports, beginning with directing AFL football games in 1960. Sidaris also directed the first telecast of the Wide World of Sports in 1961, Monday Night Football games, as well as ABC's coverage of every Olympics from the 1964 Winter Games in Innsbruck to the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary, winning several Emmy Awards in the process. While directing college football games on ABC, Sidaris pioneered what became known as the "honey shot," close-ups of cheerleaders and attractive female fans in the stands at sporting events. He was also at the forefront of the development of instant replay, slow-motion replays, and split-screen views. Sidaris entered the field of scripted television in the mid-1970s, directing episodes of programs such as Kojak and The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries.

Sidaris had three children—Drew, Alexa, and Stacey—with his wife and production partner, Arlene. They resided in Beverly Hills, California, where Sidaris died of throat cancer on March 7, 2007, aged 76.

• Film • Year — Film — Notes • 1969 — The Racing Scene — Director • 1970 — MASH — Football choreographer (uncredited) • 1973 — Stacey — Director, producer, writer • 1979 — Seven — Director • 1985 — Malibu Express — Director, producer, writer • 1987 — Hard Ticket to Hawaii — Director, writer • 1988 — Picasso Trigger — Director, writer • 1989 — Savage Beach — Director, producer, writer • 1990 — Guns — Director, writer • 1991 — Do or Die — Director, writer • 1992 — Hard Hunted — Director, producer, writer • 1993 — Fit to Kill — Director, writer • Enemy Gold — Producer • 1994 — The Dallas Connection — Executive producer • 1996 — Day of the Warrior — Director, writer • 1998 — L.E.T.H.A.L. Ladies: Return to Savage Beach — Director, writer • Television • Year — Title — Notes • 1975 — Kojak — Director, 1 episode • 1976 — Gemini Man — Director, 1 episode • 1977 — The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries — Director, 1 episode

Andy Sidaris is recorded as actor, screenwriter, film producer and director.