Aaron Ruben
Encyclopedia
Aaron Ruben, was an American television director
known for The Andy Griffith Show
(1960) Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
(1964) and Sanford and Son
(1972).
's program, George Burns
and Gracie Allen
's show and Fred Allen
's show. He also co-wrote Milton Berle
's 1947-48 radio series with Nat Hiken
.
(1954). He then directed eleven episodes of The Phil Silvers Show
between 1957 and 1959 along with Silvers' CBS
TV special, Keep in Step (1959). He later produced The Andy Griffith Show
(1960), working on that series for 5 seasons as producer, writer and story consultant. Other credits include Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
(1964), The Headmaster
(1970), Sanford and Son
(1972), C.P.O. Sharkey
(1976) and Teachers Only
(1982). Aaron Ruben last did a voiceover in the videogame Buick Berle, 1954 (1995).
In 2003, Ruben won the Writers Guild of America, West
's Valentine Davies
Award for public service, for his work on behalf of abused children.
. He died at 95 from pneumonia
on January 30, 2010, at his home in Beverly Hills, California
. He was over a month away from his 96th birthday.
Television director
A television director directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or recorded to video tape or video server .In both types of productions, the...
known for The Andy Griffith Show
The Andy Griffith Show
The Andy Griffith Show is an American sitcom first televised by CBS between October 3, 1960, and April 1, 1968. Andy Griffith portrays a widowed sheriff in the fictional small community of Mayberry, North Carolina...
(1960) Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.The show renders the title as Gomer Pyle - USMC. is an American situation comedy that originally aired on CBS from September 25, 1964, to May 2, 1969. The series was a spinoff of The Andy Griffith Show, and the pilot was aired as the finale of the fourth season of The Andy...
(1964) and Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son is an American sitcom, based on the BBC's Steptoe and Son, that ran on the NBC television network from January 14, 1972, to March 25, 1977....
(1972).
Early life
Ruben was the son of Polish Jewish immigrants. He grew up on the West Side of Chicago and attended Lewis Institute but did not graduate. He was involved in theater in Chicago after leaving college. After service in the military he worked for studios and wrote for radio programs including Dinah ShoreDinah Shore
Dinah Shore was an American singer, actress, and television personality...
's program, George Burns
George Burns
George Burns , born Nathan Birnbaum, was an American comedian, actor, and writer.He was one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, film, radio, television and movies, with and without his wife, Gracie Allen. His arched eyebrow and cigar smoke punctuation became...
and Gracie Allen
Gracie Allen
Grace Ethel Cecile Rosalie Allen , known as Gracie Allen, was an American comedian who became internationally famous as the zany partner and comic foil of husband George Burns...
's show and Fred Allen
Fred Allen
Fred Allen was an American comedian whose absurdist, topically pointed radio show made him one of the most popular and forward-looking humorists in the so-called classic era of American radio.His best-remembered gag was his long-running mock feud with friend and fellow comedian Jack Benny, but it...
's show. He also co-wrote Milton Berle
Milton Berle
Milton Berlinger , better known as Milton Berle, was an American comedian and actor. As the manic host of NBC's Texaco Star Theater , in 1948 he was the first major star of U.S. television and as such became known as Uncle Miltie and Mr...
's 1947-48 radio series with Nat Hiken
Nat Hiken
Nat Hiken was an American television writer, producer, and songwriter who rose to prominence in the 1950s.-Biography:...
.
Television career
Ruben started his TV producing and directing career in 1954 when he directed the TV series Caesar's HourCaesar's Hour
Caesar's Hour is a live, hour-long American sketch comedy television program that aired on NBC from 1954 until 1957. The program starred, among others, Sid Caesar, Nanette Fabray, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris, Janet Blair and Milt Kamen, and featured a number of cameo roles by famous entertainers...
(1954). He then directed eleven episodes of The Phil Silvers Show
The Phil Silvers Show
The Phil Silvers Show is a comedy television series which ran on CBS from 1955 to 1959 for 142 episodes, plus a 1959 special. The series starred Phil Silvers as Master Sergeant Ernest G...
between 1957 and 1959 along with Silvers' CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
TV special, Keep in Step (1959). He later produced The Andy Griffith Show
The Andy Griffith Show
The Andy Griffith Show is an American sitcom first televised by CBS between October 3, 1960, and April 1, 1968. Andy Griffith portrays a widowed sheriff in the fictional small community of Mayberry, North Carolina...
(1960), working on that series for 5 seasons as producer, writer and story consultant. Other credits include Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.The show renders the title as Gomer Pyle - USMC. is an American situation comedy that originally aired on CBS from September 25, 1964, to May 2, 1969. The series was a spinoff of The Andy Griffith Show, and the pilot was aired as the finale of the fourth season of The Andy...
(1964), The Headmaster
The Headmaster (TV series)
Headmaster is a half-hour television comedy-drama starring Andy Griffith and broadcast by CBS in the United States during the 1970-71 season....
(1970), Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son is an American sitcom, based on the BBC's Steptoe and Son, that ran on the NBC television network from January 14, 1972, to March 25, 1977....
(1972), C.P.O. Sharkey
C.P.O. Sharkey
C.P.O. Sharkey is an American sitcom which aired from 1976 to 1978 on NBC.-Premise:The series starred Don Rickles as a Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy. C.P.O. Otto Sharkey was an abrasive, sharp-tongued veteran in charge of a company of new Seaman Recruits on a San Diego naval base...
(1976) and Teachers Only
Teachers Only
Teachers Only is an NBC television sitcom centered around the faculty of a Los Angeles high school; in the first season the school was named Millard Fillmore High, but in the second it was Woodrow Wilson High with a changed cast...
(1982). Aaron Ruben last did a voiceover in the videogame Buick Berle, 1954 (1995).
In 2003, Ruben won the Writers Guild of America, West
Writers Guild of America, west
Writers Guild of America, West is a labor union representing film, television, radio, and new media writers. The Guild was formed in 1954 from five organizations representing writers, which include the Screen Writers Guild...
's Valentine Davies
Valentine Davies
Valentine Davies was an American film and television writer, producer, and director. His credits included Miracle on 34th Street , Chicken Every Sunday , The Bridges at Toko-Ri , and The Benny Goodman Story...
Award for public service, for his work on behalf of abused children.
Death
He was married to actress Maureen ArthurMaureen Arthur
Maureen Arthur is an American actress.Arthur appeared in numerous movies and television programs from the late 1950s through the early 1990s as well as on Broadway....
. He died at 95 from pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
on January 30, 2010, at his home in Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together...
. He was over a month away from his 96th birthday.
External links
- Aaron Ruben Archive of American Television Interview
- Aaron Ruben at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...