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Sidney Salkow 

Sidney Salkow was my Directing Professor at CSUN. Although it was for 1 year, he had a major impact on me. I was captivated with his knowledge of the old studio system that he took part in. He was part of an era that made movies on a weekly basis and honed their craft that become 2nd nature. I was also fascinated with all the stories of the Studio Chiefs he had to deal with being in that system, I was hooked. They don't make movie like use-to.

 

After dropping out as a senior at CSUN, I stayed in touch with him until he passed away in 2000. I would give him updates on my progress in the business and he always encouraged me to keep going with my endeavors in film. Thus, naming the Backlot after Sidney just seemed so fitting.

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  -Roland Cañamar/Studio Chief, SDF

1909-2000 

By ROBERTO J. MANZANO, Times Staff Writer

 

Sidney Salkow directed more than 50 motion pictures and a number of television programs, and later headed the film program at Cal State Northridge. Born to Hungarian parents in New York City, Salkow first worked as a child actor in theater. He later attended City College of New York, and received a master's degree from Columbia University, his widow, Patricia, said Tuesday. At 19, Salkow was admitted to Harvard Law School, "but the lure of the stage drew him away from that," Patricia Salkow said.

 

He directed two plays on Broadway, then signed a contract in the early 1930s with Paramount Studios. Early in his career, he directed films starring the Three Stooges and Bing Crosby. Salkow wasn't the only member of his family to find his calling in Hollywood. His brothers, Lester and Irving, became successful agents. Their father, Louis, was a tailor for Western Costume, a major outfitter to the film industry.

 

At the beginning of World War II, Salkow joined the Marines, rising to the rank of major. He suffered shrapnel injuries to his back when Japanese planes attacked an aircraft carrier, where he was part of a film unit documenting the war. After the war, Salkow returned to his film career and directed and wrote many films, including "Faithful in My Fashion" (1946), "Sitting Bull" (1954), "Twice-Told Tales" (1963) and "Last Man on Earth" (1964). He also directed episodes of the TV shows "The Addams Family" and "Lassie." In the early 1970s, Salkow began teaching film at Northridge, where he became a professor emeritus and headed the film side of the Radio, Television and Film Department.

 

At 62, Salkow returned to college and earned a master's of fine arts at USC. "He really put our film program together," said Karen Kearns, a Northridge professor. Salkow mobilized his studio contacts to secure donations for film equipment for the fledgling program, she said.

 

During about 20 years at Northridge, Salkow was a popular if demanding film production teacher, Kearns said. "He taught kids if they wanted to succeed in the film industry they had to meet deadlines," Kearns said. "This business is so young-oriented. It was good for him to come and teach because that kept him young." 

Sidney Salkow Credits

The Addams Family (TV Series) (4 episodes) 

 

- Morticia, the Decorator (1966)

- Morticia and Gomez vs. Fester and Grandmama (1966)

- Uncle Fester, Tycoon (1965)

- Portrait of Gomez (1965)

 1965The Murder Game 

 1965The Great Sioux Massacre 

 1964The Long Rifle and the Tomahawk 

 1964Blood on the Arrow 

 1964The Quick Gun 

 1964The Last Man on Earth (: in Italian prints - uncredited) 

 1962-1963Death Valley Days (TV Series) (4 episodes) 

 

- Deadly Decision (1963)

- The Vintage Years (1962)

- To Walk with Greatness (1962)

- The Hat That Won the West (1962)

 1963 Twice-Told Tales 

 1962 77 Sunset Strip (TV Series) (4 episodes) 

 

- The Snow Job Caper (1962)

- Pattern for a Bomb (1962)

- The Disappearance (1962)

- The Diplomatic Caper (1962)

 1962Ernestine (TV Movie) 

 1962The Comedy Spot (TV Series) (1 episode) 

 

- The Soft Touch (1962)

 1962Bronco (TV Series) (1 episode) 

 

- The Immovable Object (1962)

 1961-1962Surfside 6 (TV Series) (3 episodes) 

 

- Irish Pride (1962)

- Separate Checks (1962)

- Prescription for Panic (1961)

 1962Maverick (TV Series) (2 episodes) 

 

- The Troubled Heir (1962)

- Marshal Maverick (1962)

 1961The Roaring 20's (TV Series) (2 episodes) 

 

- So's Your Old Man (1961)

- The Duke on the Bum (1961)

 1961Hawaiian Eye (TV Series) (1 episode) 

 

- The Kupua of Coconut Bay (1961)

 1960-1961The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (TV Series) (12 episodes) 

 

- The Law Must Be Fair (1961)

- Wyatt Earp's Baby (1961)

- Doc Holliday Faces Death (1961)

- Billy Buckett, Incorporated (1961)

- The Too Perfect Crime (1960)

Show all 12 episodes

 1961Michael Shayne (TV Series) (5 episodes) 

 

- Murder Is a Fine Art (1961)

- Murder at the Convention (1961)

- The Heiress (1961)

- Four Lethal Ladies (1961)

- Spotlight on a Corpse (1961)

 1960Overland Trail (TV Series) (3 episodes) 

 

- The Vigilantes of Montana (1960)

- All the O'Mara's Horses (1960)

- Westbound Stage (1960)

 1960The Big Night 

 1959-1960Shotgun Slade (TV Series) (8 episodes) 

 

- The Deadfall (1960)

- Ring of Death (1960)

- Lost Gold (1960)

- Charcoal Bullet (1960)

- A Flower on Boot Hill (1960)

Show all 8 episodes

 1960Simon Lash: The Black Book (TV Movie) 

 1957-1959Tales of Wells Fargo (TV Series) (6 episodes) 

 

- Clay Allison (1959)

- The Tall Texan (1959)

- The Walking Mountain (1958)

- The Silver Bullets (1957)

- Stage to Nowhere (1957)

Show all 6 episodes

 1959Mike Hammer (TV Series) (3 episodes) 

 

- A Haze on the Lake (1959)

- The Commodore (1959) ... (as Sid Salkow)

- The Last Aloha (1959)

 1957-1959State Trooper (TV Series) (4 episodes) 

 

- The Choker (1959)

- Death on the Rock (1957)

- Coate of Many Colors (1957)

- Rocking Chair Bandit (1957)

 1958This Is Alice (TV Series) (38 episodes) 

 

- When the Bough Breaks (1958)

- Weight Lifter (1958)

- Two Yanks in Georgia (1958)

- Trial Balloon (1958)

- Too Many Fathers (1958)

Show all 38 episodes

 1957Along the Mohawk Trail 

 1956-1957Fury (TV Series) (4 episodes) 

 

- Pee Wee Grows Up (1957)

- The Tomboy (1957)

- My Horse Ajax (1957)

- Joey and the Little League (1956)

 1957Casey Jones (TV Series) (1 episode) 

 

- Night Mail (1957)

 1957Chicago Confidential 

 1957Gun Duel in Durango 

 1957Hawkeye and the Last of the Mohicans (TV Series) (1 episode) 

 

- Hawkeye's Homecoming (1957)

 1957The Iron Sheriff 

 1956The Count of Monte Cristo (TV Series) (10 episodes) 

 

- An Affair of Honour (1956)

- Andorra (1956)

- The Duel (1956)

- The Golden Blade (1956)

- The First Train to Paris (1956)

Show all 10 episodes

 1955-1956Soldiers of Fortune (TV Series) (4 episodes) 

 

- The Black Cat Waits (1956)

- Drums of Far Island (1955)

- Return of the Hawk (1955)

- Gypsy Prince (1955)

 1956Gun Brothers 

 1956Crusader (TV Series) (1 episode) 

 

- The Secret (1956)

 1955The Toughest Man Alive 

 1955Robbers' Roost 

 1955The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse (TV Series) (1 episode) 

 

- The Boy with the Beautiful Mother (1955)

 1955Las Vegas Shakedown 

 1954-1955Lassie (TV Series) (9 episodes) 

 

- The Snake (1955)

- Father (1955)

- Runaways (1955)

- The Fighter (1954)

- The Rustlers (1954)

Show all 9 episodes

 1954Sitting Bull 

 1953-1954Cavalcade of America (TV Series) (2 episodes) 

 

- The Absent Host (1954)

- Breakfast at Nancy's (1953)

 1953General Electric Theater (TV Series) (2 episodes) 

 

- Test of Love (1953)

- Bilshan and the Thief (1953)

 1953Raiders of the Seven Seas 

 1953Jack McCall, Desperado 

 1953Prince of Pirates 

 1952The Pathfinder 

 1952Your Jeweler's Showcase (TV Series) (1 episode) 

 - The Hand of St. Pierre

 

 

 1952The Golden Hawk 

 1952Scarlet Angel 

 1951La rivale dell'imperatrice 

 1950Shadow of the Eagle 

 1950Fugitive Lady 

 1948Sword of the Avenger 

 1947Bulldog Drummond at Bay 

 1947Millie's Daughter 

 1946Faithful in My Fashion 

 1943The Boy from Stalingrad 

 1943City Without Men 

 1942Flight Lieutenant 

 1942The Adventures of Martin Eden 

 1941Tillie the Toiler 

 1941Time Out for Rhythm 

 1941The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance 

 1940The Lone Wolf Keeps a Date 

 1940Girl from God's Country 

 1940The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady 

 1940The Lone Wolf Strikes 

 1940Cafe Hostess 

 1939Flight at Midnight 

 1939She Married a Cop 

 1939The Zero Hour 

 1939Street of Missing Men 

 1939Woman Doctor 

 1939Fighting Thoroughbreds 

 1938Storm Over Bengal 

 1938The Night Hawk 

 1937That's My Story! 

 1937Behind the Mike 

 1937Girl Overboard 

 1936Four Days' Wonder 

Sidney Salkow 

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