Robert Butler is a director, writer and producer who has worked on many iconic television series such as Hogan’s Heroes (1964-1966), The Fugitive (1964-66), Hill Street Blues (1981), and Moonlighting (1985). Butler also directed features like Turbulence (1997) and movies for television such as The Blue Knight (1973),Out on a Limb (1987), and White Mile (1994). Butler got his start in 1960 directing an episode of Hennessey, starring Jackie Cooper. Over the next forty years, Butler went on to direct episodes of television series such as: The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961), Bonanza (1961), Columbo (1973-74), Remington Steele (1982-83), Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993) and The Division (2001).
Butler won DGA Awards for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Dramatic Series twice: In 1973 for The Waltons, and in 1982 for Hill Street Blues. He has also been recognized by the DGA with nominations for his work on The Blue Knight in 1974 and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman in 1994. In addition, Butler has received two Emmy Awards for directing the movie for television, The Blue Knight (1973), as well as Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series for Hill Street Blues (1981). He has also received Emmy nominations for directing the pilots for Moonlighting (1985) and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993), as well as episodes of Sirens (1993) and Hill Street Blues (1981).
Robert Butler served on the DGA National Board from 1985-2007 in various capacities, including two terms as 5th Vice President 1995-1999, and also served on the Western Directors Council from 1984-2005. He was a member of nine Negotiating Committees, the Residuals Study Committee, the Reality TV Committee, and was a longtime Trustee of the DGA Foundation, serving as 2nd Vice Chairman for several of those years. In 2001, Butler was honored with the Robert B. Aldrich Achievement Award for extraordinary service to the Guild.