John Nicolella

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John Joseph Nicolella (May 28, 1945 – February 21, 1998) was an American film and television director and producer. He is best known for his work on the 1980s television series Miami Vice. Nicolella began his career working as an assistant director on the Ivan Passer-directed film Born to Win (1971). Other films soon followed, the Paul Newman-directed film The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds (1972), Crazy Joe (1974) starring Peter Boyle, Sweet Revenge (1976) starring Stockard Channing and Sam Waterston and Time Square (1980). He was also as a production manager on the films Saturday Night Fever (1977), Curse of the Pink Panther (1983) and co-produced Easy Money starring Rodney Dangerfield, Joe Pesci, and Jennifer Jason Leigh. In 1984, he joined the production crew of Miami Vice directing a number of episodes until 1987. He continued working with the show's star Don Johnson directing the music video short film for Johnson's song "Heartbeat" from the album of the same name. They reunited again when Nicolella served as executive producer for eight episodes of Nash Bridges. Nicolella's other directorial television credits include M.A.N.T.I.S., Crime Story, Leg Work, Gabriel's Fire, Dark Justice, Melrose Place, Key West, Marker and Super Force. He also directed a number of television films, most notably Mike Hammer: Murder Takes All (1989) and Rock Hudson (1990), as well as all four of the Vanishing Son films. He also directed the theatrical features Sunset Heat (1992) and Kull the Conqueror (1997), his final directing credit before his death in 1998.

Filmography

Movies and shows, newest first

1997
Kull the Conqueror
Movie Director
1995
Marker
TV show Director
1995
The Watcher
TV show Director
1994
Vanishing Son IV
Movie Director
1994
M.A.N.T.I.S.
TV show Director
1994
Vanishing Son III
Movie Director
1994
Vanishing Son II
Movie Director
1994
Vanishing Son
Movie Director
1993
Key West
TV show Director
1993
The Untouchables
TV show Director
1992
Melrose Place
TV show Director
1992
Sunset Heat
Movie Director
1991
Runaway Father
Movie Director
1991
A Rage in Harlem
Movie Co-Producer
1990
Super Force
TV show Director
1990
Rock Hudson
Movie Director

More credits

1990
Max Monroe: Loose Cannon
TV show Director
1989
Mike Hammer: Murder Takes All
Movie Director
1989
Finish Line
Movie Director
1987
Leg Work
TV show Director
1987
Heartbeat
Movie Director
1986
Crime Story
TV show Director
1984
Miami Vice
TV show Director
1984
Miami Vice: Brother's Keeper
Movie Producer
1984
The Lost Honor of Kathryn Beck
Movie Producer
1983
Easy Money
Movie Producer
1981
The Fan
Movie Associate Producer
1980
Times Square
Movie Executive Producer
1980
Windows
Movie Associate Producer
1979
Last Embrace
Movie Production Manager
1978
Interiors
Movie Production Supervisor
1977
Saturday Night Fever
Movie Production Manager
1974
Crazy Joe
Movie First Assistant Director
1972
The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds
Movie First Assistant Director
1972
The Hot Rock
Movie Second Assistant Director