Jack Bender

American film and television director

Television director
television producer
film director
television writer
actor

Years active1971–presentSpouseLaura OwensChildren2

Jack Bender (born September 25, 1949) is an American television and film director, television producer and actor best known for his work as a director on Lost, The Sopranos and Game of Thrones.

Biography

Bender grew up in a secular Jewish family in Los Angeles. His father was a furrier to the Hollywood community.^[1] He studied art with Los Angeles artist Martin Lubner (spouse of actress Joanna Merlin) and then went into acting "because it seemed like what I could do and make a living."^[1] As an actor, Bender guest-starred on All in the Family, The Bob Newhart Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. He co-starred in The Million Dollar Duck, Savage and McNaughton's Daughter. He then went into directing, working on a number of television series.

He directed the popular slasher film Child's Play 3 before becoming an executive producer and lead director on the ABC TV series Lost, directing 38 episodes of the show, including the series finale.^[2] Bender has also directed on other popular shows such as The Sopranos,^[3] Carnivàle, Alias and Boston Public. In recent years he was an executive producer and lead director on the TV series Under the Dome (2013) and The Last Ship (2014–15). In 2016, Bender directed the fifth and sixth episodes of the sixth season of Game of Thrones, followed by a limited TV series adaptation of Stephen King's novel Mr. Mercedes.^[4]

Bender received nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for his direction of the Lost episodes "Live Together, Die Alone", "Through the Looking Glass" and the series finale "The End". He was also nominated for the Game of Thrones episode "The Door".

Family/Personal life

Bender is married to Rabbi Laura Owens of B’nai Horin of Los Angeles. They have two daughters, Hannah and Sophie Owens-Bender.^[1]

Director

Eight Is Enough (1977) TV series
The Paper Chase (1978) TV series
A Real Naked Lady (1980)
Falcon Crest (1981) TV series
Fame (1982) TV series
King's Crossing (1982) TV series
In Love with an Older Woman (1982) (TV)
Two Kinds of Love (1983) (TV film)
Shattered Vows (1984) (TV)
Deadly Messages (1985) (TV)
Letting Go (1985) (TV)
The Midnight Hour (1985) (TV)
Side by Side (1988) (TV)
Tricks of the Trade (1988/I) (TV)
Charlie (1989) (TV)
My Brother's Wife (1989) (TV)
Northern Exposure (1990) TV series
Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990) TV series
- Episode "The Game Is Chicken"
- Episode "Home and Away"
- Episode "Sentenced to Life"
The Dreamer of Oz (1990) (TV film)
The Perfect Tribute (1991) (TV film)
Child's Play 3 (1991)
Love Can Be Murder (1992) (TV film)
Ned Blessing: The Story of My Life and Times (1993) TV series
Armed and Innocent (1994) (TV movie)
Gambler V: Playing for Keeps (1994) (TV film)
Family Album (1994) (TV film)
Lone Justice 2 (1995)
New York News (1995) TV Series
Nothing Lasts Forever (1995) (miniseries)
A Face to Die For (1996) (TV)
Sweet Dreams (1996) (TV film)
Profiler (1996) TV series
- Episode "Cycle Of Violence"
- Episode "It Cuts Both Ways"
- Episode "Modus Operandi"
- Episode "Old Acquaintance"
Friends 'Til the End (1997) (TV film)
Killing Mr. Griffin (1997) (TV film)
A Call to Remember (1997) (TV movie)
Felicity (1998) TV series
- Episode 2.21 "The Aretha Theory"
- Episode 2.23 "The Biggest Deal There Is"
- Episode 3.02 "The Anti-Natalie Intervention"
The Tempest (1998) (TV film)
The Sopranos (1999) TV series
- Episode 3.05 "Another Toothpick"^[5]
- Episode 3.10 "...To Save Us All from Satan's Power"^[6]
- Episode 4.04 "The Weight"^[7]
- Episode 6.03 "Mayham"^[8]
It Came from the Sky (1999) (TV)
Judging Amy (1999) TV series
- Episode 1.02 "Short Calendar"
- Episode 1.15 "Culture Clash"
- Episode 1.17 "Drawing the Line"
- Episode 2.09 "The Undertow"
- Episode 2.16 "Everybody Falls Down"
- Episode 3.02 "Off the Grid"
My Little Assassin (1999) (TV film)
The David Cassidy Story (2000) (TV film)
That's Life (2000) TV series
Boston Public (2000) TV series
Alias (2001) TV series
- Episode 1.07 "Color-Blind"
- Episode 1.10 "Spirit"
- Episode 1.12 "The Box, Part 1"
- Episode 1.13 "The Box, Part 2"
- Episode 2.13 "Phase One"
- Episode 3.03 "Reunion"
- Episode 3.07 "Prelude"
- Episode 3.10 "Remnants"
- Episode 3.15 "Façade"
- Episode 3.18 "Unveiled"
- Episode 3.20 "Blood Ties"
Presidio Med (2002) TV series
- Episode "Breathless"
Boomtown (2002) TV Series (episode "Blackout")
The Lone Ranger (2003) (TV film)
Carnivàle (2003) TV series
- Episode 1.09 "Insomnia"^[9]
- Episode 2.02 "Alamogordo, NM"^[10]
Joan of Arcadia (2003) TV series
The Lyon's Den (2003) TV series
Lost (2004–2010) TV series
- Episode 1.03 "Tabula Rasa"^[11]
- Episode 1.04 "Walkabout"^[12]
- Episode 1.07 "The Moth"^[13]
- Episode 1.12 "Whatever the Case May Be"^[14]
- Episode 1.16 "Outlaws"^[15]
- Episode 1.23 "Exodus: Part 1"^[16]
- Episode 1.24/1.25 "Exodus: Part 2"^[17]
- Episode 2.01 "Man of Science, Man of Faith"^[18]
- Episode 2.03 "Orientation"^[19]
- Episode 2.12 "Fire and Water"^[20]
- Episode 2.15 "Maternity Leave"^[21]
- Episode 2.18 "Dave"^[22]
- Episode 2.23/2.24 "Live Together, Die Alone"^[23]
- Episode 3.01 "A Tale of Two Cities"^[24]
- Episode 3.05 "The Cost of Living"^[25]
- Episode 3.08 "Flashes Before Your Eyes"^[26]
- Episode 3.13 "The Man from Tallahassee"^[27]
- Episode 3.16 "One of Us"^[28]
- Episode 3.22/3.23 "Through the Looking Glass"^[29]
- Episode 4.01 "The Beginning of the End"^[30]
- Episode 4.03 "The Economist"^[31]
- Episode 4.05 "The Constant"^[32]
- Episode 4.09 "The Shape of Things to Come"^[33]
- Episode 4.13/4.14 "There's No Place Like Home, Part 2"^[34]
- Episode 5.02 "The Lie"
- Episode 5.07 "The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham"
- Episode 5.09 "Namaste"
- Episode 5.13 "Some Like It Hoth"
- Episode 5.16/5.17 "The Incident"
- Episode 6.01/6.02 "LA X"
- Episode 6.05 "Lighthouse"
- Episode 6.08 "Recon"
- Episode 6.11 "Happily Ever After"
- Episode 6.14 "The Candidate"
- Episode 6.17/6.18 "The End"
Alcatraz (2012) TV series
- Episode 1.02 "Ernest Cobb"
- Episode 1.03 "Kit Nelson"
- Episode 1.10 "Clarence Montgomery"
- Episode 1.11 "Webb Porter"
Under the Dome (2013) TV series
- Episode 1.02 "The Fire"
- Episode 1.05 "Blue on Blue"
- Episode 1.08 "Thicker Than Water"
- Episode 1.13 "Curtains"
- Episode 2.01 "Heads Will Roll"
- Episode 2.06 "In the Dark"
- Episode 2.08 "Awakening"
- Episode 2.11 "Black Ice"
- Episode 2.13 "Go Now"
The Last Ship (2014) TV series
- Episode 1.02 "Welcome to Gitmo"
- Episode 1.03 "Dead Reckoning"
- Episode 1.04 "We'll Get There"
- Episode 1.09 "Trials"
- Episode 2.01 "Unreal City"
- Episode 2.02 "Fight the Ship"
- Episode 2.05 "Achilles"
- Episode 2.13 "A More Perfect Union"
Game of Thrones (2016) TV series
- Episode 6.5 "The Door"
- Episode 6.6 "Blood of My Blood"
From (2022) TV series
- Episode 1.01 "Long Day's Journey Into Night"
- Episode 1.02 "The Way Things Are Now"
- Episode 1.03 "Choosing Day"
- Episode 1.04 "A Rock and a Farway"
- Episode 2.01 "Strangers in a Strange Land"
- Episode 2.02 "The Kindness of Strangers"
- Episode 2.05 "Lullaby"
- Episode 2.06 "Pas de Deux"
- Episode 2.09 "Ball of Magic Fire"
- Episode 2.10 "Once Upon a Time?"

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Maseng, Jonathan (January 7, 2015). "Jack Bender's lost and found". Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles.
^ Miller, Ross. "J.J. Abrams Will NOT Direct The Lost Season 6 Finale". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on 2009-05-20. Retrieved 2009-05-16.
^ "The Sopranos cast and crew". HBO. Archived from the original on June 14, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
^ "'Game of Thrones' New Director Teases Season 6, Why He's Treating Show Like 'Lost'". Variety. 2 July 2015. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
^ "The Sopranos – "Another Toothpick"". HBO. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
^ "The Sopranos – "...To Save Us All from Satan's Power"". HBO. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
^ "The Sopranos – "The Weight"". HBO. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
^ "The Sopranos – "Mayham"". HBO. Archived from the original on December 26, 2010. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
^ Jack Bender (director), William Schmidt (writer) (2003-11-09). "Insomnia". Carnivàle. Season 1. Episode 9. HBO.
^ Jack Bender (director), William Schmidt (writer) (2005-01-16). "Alamogordo, NM". Carnivàle. Season 2. Episode 2. HBO.
^ Jack Bender (director), Damon Lindelof (writer) (2004-10-06). "Tabula Rasa". Lost. Season 1. Episode 3. ABC.
^ Jack Bender (director), David Fury (writer) (2004-10-13). "Walkabout". Lost. Season 1. Episode 4. ABC.
^ Jack Bender (director), Jennifer Johnson & Paul Dini (writers) (2004-11-03). "The Moth". Lost. Season 1. Episode 7. ABC.
^ Jack Bender (director), Damon Lindelof & Jennifer Johnson (writers) (2005-01-05). "Whatever the Case May Be". Lost. Season 1. Episode 12. ABC.
^ Jack Bender (director), Drew Goddard (writer) (2005-02-16). "Outlaws". Lost. Season 1. Episode 16. ABC.
^ Jack Bender (director), Damon Lindelof & Carlton Cuse (writers) (2005-05-18). "Exodus: Part 1". Lost. Season 1. Episode 23. ABC.
^ Jack Bender (director), Damon Lindelof & Carlton Cuse (writers) (2005-05-25). "Exodus: Part 2". Lost. Season 1. Episode 24. ABC.
^ Jack Bender (director), Damon Lindelof (writer) (2005-09-21). "Man of Science, Man of Faith". Lost. Season 2. Episode 1. ABC.
^ Jack Bender (director), Javier Grillo-Marxuach & Craig Wright (writers) (2005-10-05). "Orientation". Lost. Season 2. Episode 3. ABC.
^ Jack Bender (director), Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz (writers) (2006-01-25). "Fire and Water". Lost. Season 2. Episode 12. ABC.
^ Jack Bender (director), Dawn Lambertsen Kelly & Matt Ragghianti (writers) (2006-03-01). "Maternity Leave". Lost. Season 2. Episode 15. ABC.
^ Jack Bender (director), Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz (writers) (2006-04-05). "Dave". Lost. Season 2. Episode 18. ABC.
^ Jack Bender (director), Damon Lindelof & Carlton Cuse (writers) (2006-05-24). "Live Together, Die Alone". Lost. Season 2. Episode 23. ABC.
^ Jack Bender (director), J. J. Abrams & Damon Lindelof (writers) (2006-10-04). "A Tale of Two Cities". Lost. Season 3. Episode 1. ABC.
^ Jack Bender (director), Alison Schapker & Monica Owusu-Breen (writers) (2006-11-01). "The Cost of Living". Lost. Season 3. Episode 5. ABC.
^ Jack Bender (director), Damon Lindelof & Drew Goddard (writers) (2007-02-14). "Flashes Before Your Eyes". Lost. Season 3. Episode 8. ABC.
^ Jack Bender (director), Drew Goddard & Jeff Pinkner (writers) (2007-03-21). "The Man from Tallahassee". Lost. Season 3. Episode 13. ABC.
^ Jack Bender (director), Carlton Cuse & Drew Goddard (writers) (2007-04-11). "One Of Us". Lost. Season 3. Episode 16. ABC.
^ Jack Bender (director), Carlton Cuse & Damon Lindelof (writers) (2007-05-23). "Through the Looking Glass". Lost. Season 3. Episode 22. ABC.
^ Jack Bender (director), Carlton Cuse & Damon Lindelof (writers) (2008-01-31). "The Beginning of the End". Lost. Season 4. Episode 1. ABC.
^ Jack Bender (director), Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz (writers) (2008-02-14). "The Economist". Lost. Season 4. Episode 3. ABC.
^ Jack Bender (director), Carlton Cuse & Damon Lindelof (writers) (2008-02-28). "The Constant". Lost. Season 4. Episode 5. ABC.
^ Jack Bender (director), Brian K. Vaughn & Drew Goddard (writers) (2008-04-24). "The Shape of Things to Come". Lost. Season 4. Episode 9. ABC.
^ Jack Bender (director), Damon Lindelof & Carlton Cuse (writers) (2008-05-29). "There's No Place Like Home, Part 2". Lost. Season 4. Episode 13. ABC.