Arthur Allan Seidelman began his career in entertainment as an actor, working under famed acting coach Sanford Meisner at his studio in New York. After watching numerous Broadway productions, Seidelman decided he “wanted to be the one who told the story” and attended UCLA where he received an M.A. in Theatre. Upon graduation, Seidelman began directing well-received off-Broadway plays which caught the eye of producer Willard Goodman which led to Seidelman being offered the opportunity to direct his first feature film, Hercules in New York (1969)—Arnold Schwarzenegger’s acting debut. After extensive research in the Middle East, he wrote and directed his next film, Children of Rage (1975), which was screened for the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and the United Nations. Seidelman’s additional film credits include Echoes (1982), The Caller (1987), Rescue Me (1992), Walking Across Egypt (1999), Puerto Vallarta Squeeze (2004), The Sisters (2005), The Awakening of Spring (2008) and Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks (2013).
In addition to his film credits and long list of theater and Broadway productions, Seidelman has led an extensive career in television, directing for the series Great Performances, CBS Afternoon Playhouse, ABC Afterschool Specials, Bay City Blues, Hill Street Blues, Paper Dolls, Fame, Knots Landing, Magnum, P.I., Murder, She Wrote, L.A. Law, FBI: The Untold Stories, Amazing Grace, and Quattrocento. He has also directed an extensive list of movies for television, which include Strange Voices (1987), A Friendship in Vienna (1988), False Witness (1989), The Kid Who Loved Christmas (1990), Body Language (1992), Dying to Remember (1993), Heaven Help Us (1994), Trapped in Space (1995), The Summer of Ben Tyler (1996), Grace & Glorie (1998), By Dawn’s Early Light (2000), A Christmas Carol: The Musical (2004), and The Venice Beach Hostel (2009).
For his directorial efforts, Seidelman has been nominated for a Primetime Emmy for an episode of Hill Street Blues in 1984, in addition to a writing Emmy nomination for the Musical/Variety special I Love Liberty in 1982. He has also won a Daytime Emmy award for an ABC Afterschool Special in 1982, as well as a WGA Award for I Love Liberty. Seidelman currently serves on the DGA’s Special Projects Committee.