During his last two summer vacations of college, acted in summer stock at the Highland Playhouse in Falmouth, Massachusetts

Served in US Air Force; eventually joined its newly formed film squadron

Short film about a California cattle farm brought him first assignment from the private sector, writing and producing a local TV show, "The Harry Howard Ranch Roundup"; served unofficially as director for drunken title holder

Arrived in NYC with $150 and talked his way into an assistant director's job at CBS

TV directing debut, "The Plot Against King Solomon" episode of the CBS series "You Are There"

After directing additional episodes of "You Are There" and "Danger", moved to CBS' California studios to direct for "Climax!" and "Playhouse 90"

Feature directorial debut, "The Young Stranger"; had also filmed live TV version ("Deal a Blow") for "Climax!"; preferred that version because he had worked with familiar TV crew

Helmed "The Comedian" for "Playhouse 90", considered by some the finest live drama from TV's "Golden Age" because of its depiction of the fledgling medium itself; written by Rod Serling and starring Mickey Rooney

Directed Broadway production, "The Midnight Sun"

Second feature, "The Young Savages", adapted from a novel by Evan Hunter; first of five films with Burt Lancaster; also first of five films with director of photography Lionel Lindon

Helmed William Inge's adaptation of James Leo Herlihy's novel "All Fall Down", starring Warren Beatty; first of two films that year with Angela Lansbury

Replaced Charles Crichton as director of "The Birdman of Alcatraz", starring Lancaster

Directed and co-produced (with screenwriter George Axelrod) "The Manchurian Candidtae"; second film with Lansbury

Initial collaboration with producer Edward Lewis, "Seven Days in May", starring Lancaster, Fredric March, Kirk Douglas and Ava Gardner

Replaced Arthur Penn as director of "The Train", starring Lancaster and Paul Scofield

After "Seconds" received harsh treatment at Cannes, Paramount panicked and dumped the film; critical esteem for film has grown over the years

Success of actioner "Grand Prix" restored bankability; international cast included James Garner, French actor Yves Montand and Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune

First collaboration with screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, "The Fixer", adapted from the Bernard Malamud novel

Directed campaign commercials for Robert F Kennedy during presidential primary season

Last film with Lancaster, "The Gypsy Moths"

Reteamed with Trumbo on "The Horsemen", adapted from the Joesph Kessel novel

Seventh and last film with Lewis, the highly esteemed "The Iceman Cometh"; also Fredric March's last film

Helmed the sequel "French Connection II"

Seized upon the Goodyear Blimp as an instrument of unpredictable menace in action disaster pic "Black Sunday"; feature acting debut as TV Controller

Reteamed with Mifune for "The Challenge", martial arts movie co-scripted by John Sayles; Steven Seagal worked as a stunt coordinator

Directed HBO TV-movie remake of "The Rainmaker", starring Tommy Lee Jones and Tuesday Weld

Second collaboration with screenwriter George Axelrod, "The Holcroft Covenant"

Career received boost with re-release of "The Manchurian Candidate"

Returned to TV at helm of "Maniac at Large" episode of HBO's "Tales of the Crypt"

Began career turnaround with "Against the Wall" (HBO); produced by Axelrod's son Jonathan; received first of four Emmy Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Directing for a Miniseries or Special

Produced and directed the HBO biopic "The Burning Season", starring Raul Julia; received second Emmy

Picked up third Emmy Award for the acclaimed TNT miniseries "Andersonville", set in the notorious Civil War prison camp; also served as an executive producer

First feature in five years, "The Island of Dr. Moreau"; took over production from fired South African director Richard Stanley, salvaged the film and made it releasable

Received fourth Emmy for helming the TNT biographical miniseries "George Wallace"; also produced

Delivered sly action masterpiece, "Ronin", a triumpant feature return; boasted international cast including Robert De Niro, Jean Reno and Stellan Skarsgard

Appeared as an Army general in the thriller "The General's Daughter"

Helmed the thriller "Reindeer Games", starring Ben Affleck and Charlize Theron

Directed the short "Ambush", one of five featurette advertisments for BMW shown over the Internet at bmwfilms.com

Helmed an as yet untitled prequel to "The Exorcist" (lensed 2002), focusing on Father Merrin's missionary work in Africa