Robert Stevenson: An Actor’s Director
When the Walt Disney Studios first started producing live-action films in the 1950s, Walt began hiring a single director, for each film rather than small groups of directors which had been his practice for animated films. Byron Haskin directed the studio’s very first live-action film, Treasure Island (1950). In 1957, two years after the opening of Disneyland in 1955, Walt Disney hired Robert Stevenson to direct the feature film Johnny Tremain (1957). Stevenson wound up being one of Walt Disney’s most-frequently used directors, directing a total of 19 films for the Walt Disney Studios, including “Tremain.”
The same year as “Tremain,” Robert Stevenson directed Old Yeller (1957), which was released on Christmas Day. He also directed a total of 26 episodes for Walt Disney’s television series, Disneyland (1957-1982) and 3 episodes of Zorro (1957-1959). Robert Stevenson’s next film for Disney would be Darby O’Gill and the Little People (1959). He directed Kidnapped (1960) the following year, which he also wrote the screenplay for. After “Kidnapped,” Stevenson directed The Absent-Minded Professor, in 1961 and it’s sequel, Son of Flubber, in 1963. In both “Flubber,” movies, Stevenson directed Disney Legend/child star Tommy Kirk, whom he also directed in “Yeller,” The Misadventures of Merlin Jones (1964) and The Monkey’s Uncle (1965). In between the “Flubber” films, Robert Stevenson directed In Search of the Castaways (1962) with other Disney Legend/child star Hayley Mills. He would reunite with Mills when he directed her in That Darn Cat! (1965), released the same year as “Monkey’s Uncle.”
The same year as “Misadventures of Merlin Jones,” Walt Disney assigned Robert Stevenson to direct Mary Poppins (1964). This was Stevenson’s very first attempt at making a musical and it earned him an Academy Award Nomination for Best Director. His guidance helped Julie Andrews earn the Best Actress Oscar for her performance as the lead and audience favorite in “Poppins.”
After “Poppins,” “Monkey’s Uncle,” and “Darn Cat,” Stevenson directed The Gnome-Mobile (1967) which reunited him with the children from “Poppins,” Karen Dotrice and Matthew Garber, as well as Ed Wynn, who portrayed Uncle Albert in “Poppins,” and Tom Lowell who played Canoe in “Darn Cat.” (Ed Wynn also played Mr. Hofstedder in “Darn Cat.) His next film was Blackbeard’s Ghost (1968), which reunited him with Dean Jones from “Darn Cat,” Elsa Lanchester from “Poppins,” and Elliot Reid from the “Flubber,” movies. The same year as “Blackbeard’s Ghost,” Robert Stevenson directed The Love Bug (1968)—his third collaboration with Dean Jones, as well as his second collaboration with David Tomlinson who played Mr. George Banks in “Poppins.” Stevenson also directed Tomlinson in Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971).
Next for Stevenson was Herbie Rides Again (1974), the first sequel to “The Love Bug,” which reunited him with Keenan Wynn, who reprised his role as Alonzo P. Hawk from the “Flubber,” movies. The Island at the Top of the World (1974) and One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing (1975) followed and “Dinosaurs,” reunited him with Peter Ustinov from “Blackbeard’s Ghost.” His nineteenth and final film for the Walt Disney Studios was The Shaggy D.A. (1976), the sequel to The Shaggy Dog (1959). “Shaggy D.A.” was his fourth and final collaboration with Dean Jones and Keenan Wynn.
Robert Stevenson remains the only director in the history of the Walt Disney Studios to receive a Best Director Oscar Nomination. He unfortunately lost the Oscar to George Cukor for My Fair Lady (1964). Despite that, “Poppins,” continues to be one of Disney’s most highly regarded films for many reasons, including his direction. His directing skills helped bring many beautiful stories to life, and he directed many of the actors who have been awarded the “Disney Legend Award” today because of films they made under his supervision. Robert Stevenson truly was an actor’s director!
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