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Robert Lieberman an American film and television director, best known for directing Fire in the Sky and D3: The Mighty Ducks, as well as various episodes of The X-Files, Dexter, and Criminal Minds along with thousands of commercials, has passed away. He was 75.
What was the cause of Robert Lieberman’s death?
The award-winning director died on July 1 in Los Angeles after a lengthy battle with cancer, according to his son, Nick Lieberman, who co-directed Searchlight Pictures’ Theater Camp, which opened this weekend. Other people considered family include his ex-wife from 1990 to 2001, actress Marilu Henner with whom he had two children, Nick and Joseph. Robert’s third wife, Victoria, whom he married in 2010, his two children from his first marriage, Erin and Lorne are among his survivors as well. Lieberman is also survived by his son-in-law, who is the producer Trent Othick, his stepdaughter, Kristen Konvitz, a UTA agent, and his sister, Fern.
What was Robert Lieberman’s legacy in film?
In addition to directing Fire in the Sky (1993) and D3: The Mighty Ducks (1996), Robert also directed Table for Five (1983), All I Want for Christmas (1991), and many other critically acclaimed films. He was the first student to graduate with a film degree from the University at Buffalo, where he founded a film program. Before moving to Los Angeles, he worked as a video assistant for the NFL’s Buffalo Bills. His first television film, Fighting Back: The Story of Rocky Bleier, starred Robert Urich and Pittsburgh Steelers. In 1987, he directed an episode of thirtysomething, and he went on to direct 19 pilots, 16 of which went to series, including Gabriel’s Fire, Strong Medicine, and The Dead Zone.
Robert Lieberman also directed commercials for McDonald’s, Hallmark, and Oreo, and collaborated with huge personalities ranging from President Clinton, Ray Charles, and Jerry Lewis to Michael Jordan, Anne Hathaway, and Kenan Thompson. He won over a dozen Clio Awards and the first DGA Award for commercials in 1979. Harmony Pictures, the company he co-founded with Stuart Gross, was responsible for much of his work.