Bruce Bilson, a renowned television director who earned an Emmy for his work on “Get Smart,” passed away on January 16 at the age of 97 in Los Angeles. Bilson was a prolific director, with over 400 episodes of television under his belt, including popular shows like “The Odd Couple,” “Hogan’s Heroes,” and “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”
Born on May 19, 1928, in Brooklyn, New York, Bilson was the son of Hattie Bilson, a screen and magazine writer, and George Bilson, a producer at Warner Brothers and RKO. He graduated from UCLA in 1946, marking the first graduating class of the film school. After serving in the Air Force, Bilson began his career as an assistant editor on “You Bet Your Life” with Groucho Marx, before moving on to work as an assistant director on shows like “Wyatt Earp” and “The Andy Griffith Show.”
In 1955, Bilson married Mona Whiteman and had two children. Later in 1984, he married actress Renne Jarrett, with whom he remained married until his passing. He is survived by his wife, children, stepson, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
A memorial service for Bruce Bilson will be held at Hillside Memorial Park in Los Angeles on January 25 at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations in his honor can be made to casala.org.
Bruce Bilson’s contribution to the television industry will always be remembered, and his legacy will continue to inspire future generations of filmmakers. May he rest in peace.
