John Rich

Who was John Rich?

John Rich was an American film and television director. He directed such television shows as Colonel Humphrey Flack, I Married Joan, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Where's Raymond?, Mister Ed, The Dick Van Dyke Show, All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Maude, Good Times, Barney Miller, Newhart, Benson, The Brady Bunch, and Gilligan's Island. His feature film credits include Wives and Lovers, Boeing Boeing, Roustabout and Easy Come, Easy Go. He also participated in the live telecast of the opening day ceremonies of Disneyland in 1955.

He won an Emmy for The Dick Van Dyke Show, two Emmys for All in the Family, and two Golden Globes and an N.A.A.C.P. Image Award for All in the Family.

In the 1980s, Rich and Henry Winkler formed a production company called Henry Winkler/John Rich Productions and together they produced MacGyver for Paramount Television.

Rich studied at the University of Michigan earning both a B.A. and an M.A. degree in English.

Mr. Rich died on January 29, 2012 after a brief illness, he was survived by his wife of 22 years, the former Patricia Dodds; two sons, Anthony Rich and Robert Rich; a daughter, Catherine Rich; three stepdaughters, Megan Lewis, Kimberly Beres, and Dana Benton; and eight grandchildren.