kids encyclopedia robot

Joseph Pevney facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Joseph Pevney
Joseph Pevney.jpg
Born (1911-09-15)September 15, 1911
New York City, U.S.
Died May 18, 2008(2008-05-18) (aged 96)
Palm Desert, California, U.S.
Occupation Film and television director
Years active 1946–1985
Spouse(s)
Mitzi Green
​
​
(m. 1942; died 1969)​

Philippa
(m. 19??; died 1996)
Margo
​
​
(m. 2002)​
Children 4

Joseph Pevney (born September 15, 1911 – died May 18, 2008) was a talented American director who worked on many movies and TV shows. He started his career as an actor and later became known for directing popular films and, especially, many episodes of the famous TV series Star Trek.

Joseph Pevney's Life and Career

Early Life and Acting

Joseph Pevney was born in New York City. When he was a boy in 1924, he began performing in vaudeville. Vaudeville was a type of entertainment with many different acts, like singing, dancing, and comedy. Even though he didn't like vaudeville much, he loved the theater.

He became a stage actor, appearing in plays such as Home of the Brave and Golden Boy. Later, he also acted in a few movies. One of his most important movie roles was in the boxing film Body and Soul (1947), where he played a character named Shorty Pulaski. Before focusing on movies, he served in the Signal Corps during World War II.

Becoming a Director

In 1950, Joseph Pevney started a new career as a film and television director. He directed more than 80 different productions between 1950 and 1984.

Some of the movies he directed include:

Directing Television Shows

Joseph Pevney also directed many episodes of well-known TV shows. He worked on Bonanza, The Paper Chase, and Trapper John, M.D..

He is especially famous for his work on Star Trek. He directed 14 episodes, which is the most by any director, tied with Marc Daniels. Some of his famous Star Trek episodes include "The Devil in the Dark", "Arena", "The City on the Edge of Forever", "Amok Time", and "The Trouble with Tribbles".

People who worked on Star Trek thought highly of him. Herb Solow and Robert Justman, who were executives for the show, wrote that Pevney was more than just a "good" director. He continued directing TV shows through the 1970s and 1980s. His last show was Trapper John, M.D., and he retired after that.

Personal Life and Passing

Joseph Pevney was married three times. He had four children with his first wife, actress Mitzi Green.

He passed away at his home in Palm Desert, California, on May 18, 2008. He was 96 years old.

Selected Filmography

As actor:

  • Nocturne (1946) as Fingers
  • Body and Soul (1947) as Shorty Polaski
  • The Street with No Name (1948) as Matty
  • Thieves' Highway (1949) as Pete
  • Outside the Wall (1950) as Gus Wormser
  • Shakedown (1950) as Keller, the reporter (uncredited, final film role)

As director:

  • Shakedown (1950)
  • Undercover Girl (1950)
  • The Iron Man (1951)
  • The Lady from Texas (1951)
  • The Strange Door (1951)
  • Air Cadet (1951)
  • Flesh and Fury (1952)
  • Meet Danny Wilson (1952)
  • Because of You (1952)
  • Just Across the Street (1952)
  • Desert Legion (1953)
  • Back to God's Country (1953)
  • It Happens Every Thursday (1953)
  • Yankee Pasha (1954)
  • 3 Ring Circus (1954)
  • Six Bridges to Cross (1955)
  • Foxfire (1955)
  • Female on the Beach (1955)
  • Away All Boats (1956)
  • Congo Crossing (1956)
  • Man of a Thousand Faces (1957)
  • The Midnight Story (1957)
  • Istanbul (1957)
  • Tammy and the Bachelor (1957)
  • Torpedo Run (1958)
  • Twilight for the Gods (1958)
  • Cash McCall (1959)
  • The Crowded Sky (1960)
  • The Plunderers (1960)
  • Portrait of a Mobster (1961)
  • The Night of the Grizzly (1966)
kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Joseph Pevney Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.