Hollywood craftsman who helmed many hit features of the 1980s and 90s after making a name for himself in 70s television. A smooth director with an unobtrusive style, Badham has occasionally touched upon such topical social issues as euthanasia ("Whose Life Is It Anyway?" 1981), nuclear disarmament ("War Games" 1983) and the dangers of the police state ("Blue Thunder" 1983) but entertainment is his primary mission. His witty and popular "Short Circuit" (1986) has been hailed as a children's classic of the 80s.Trained in directing the classics at the Yale School of Drama, Badham was inspired to
