Allan Arkush
(Director)

Allan Arkush started his career in the late 1960s doing psychedelic lightshows at the Fillmore East for bands like The Grateful Dead, The Who, Santana and many others. He debuted as editor and co-director, along with Joe Dante, on Roger Corman's Hollywood Boulevard in 1976. In 1979, Arkush's first solo effort was the punk rock classic Rock 'n' Roll High School, starring Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Ramones. He also directed rock videos for Bette Midler and Mick Jagger, for which he received an MTV Award nomination, Elvis Costello and Christine McVie. He started directing episodic television in 1984 with Fame. Arkush has directed more than 150 episodes for such shows as St. Elsewhere, L.A. Law, I'll Fly Away, Dawson's Creek and, presently, Crossing Jordan, on which he also serves as co-executive producer. He received Emmy® nominations for directing an episode of Moonlighting and for the "Dancing Baby" episode of Ally McBeal, and has directed nine television pilots that went to series. Arkush also directed the telefilms Young at Heart, starring Frank Sinatra; Shake, Rattle & Roll, starring Ren¿Zellweger; Showtime's Elvis Meets Nixon, for which he received a CableAce nomination; and The Temptations, for which he received a DGA Award nomination and an Emmy® Award. He is the only director in film history to have directed Frank Sinatra, Joey Ramone and Martin Short, all in one lifetime.