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James Frawley

A prolific director for television for over four decades, James Frawley was behind the camera for countless series, from "The Monkees" (NBC 1966-68), "Columbo" (NBC 1968-1978) and "Cagney and Lacey" (CBS 1981-88), as well as the occasional feature film, the best known and loved of which was "The Muppet Movie" (1979). Frawley was initially an actor, appearing on Broadway and with the iconic improv group The Premise. The latter would prove instrumental in his subsequent career as a director: producers Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider sought out his comic skills for "The Monkees," while Jim Henson saw in his comedy and technical background the perfect choice to helm "The Muppet Movie." The success of these and other projects kept Frawley busy for nearly a half-century as a director for television, garnering an Emmy win and three nominations along the way before his retirement in 2009. Frawley's vast body of work and impact on some of the most popular television series of the late 20th century virtually ensured his status as one of the medium's most prolific and influential directors.