Mel Stuart

Who was Mel Stuart?

Mel Stuart, born Stuart Solomon, was an American film director and producer.

Stuart directed the fantasy-musical Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. He has directed other features, including If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium, Two is a Happy Number and Running on the Sun: The Badwater 135.

Stuart also directed feature documentaries including Four Days in November and Wattstax.

In addition he has directed or produced over 180 films including movies of the week, The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal, Bill, The Chisholms, and Ruby and Oswald, the television series Ripley's Believe it Not, and the documentaries The Making of the President 1960, 1964, and 1968, The Hobart Shakespeareans, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, Man Ray — The Prophet of the Avant-Garde, George Plimpton and the Philharmonic and The Poet's View.

He was awarded four Emmy awards, an Academy Award nomination, a Peabody and numerous other awards. He served as president of the International Documentary Association for two years.

He often worked with TV producer David L. Wolper. Stuart died of cancer at his Beverly Hills home on August 9, 2012.