DYNAMIC DIRECTOR

‘Seinfeld’ Director Dies at 86

Tom Cherones worked on 81 of the acclaimed sitcom’s first 86 episodes.

Tom Cherones, the director and producer best known for his work on the classic 1990s sitcom Seinfeld, has died at 86. A spokesperson for the family shared that Cherones died on Jan. 5 at his home in Florence, Oregon, with Alzheimer’s disease. Cherones worked on 81 of Seinfeld‘s first 86 episodes during the show’s first five years, beginning in May 1990 with a directing credit on the series’ second episode, “The Stakeout.” His directorial style involved multi-camera setups that provided a more cinematic look than most contemporary sitcoms, which played a key role in the series’ more experimental episodes, like “The Contest” and “The Chinese Restaurant.” Cherones was also known among the Seinfeld cast and crew for wearing Hawaiian-style shirts on set. He appeared in one episode of the show—season four’s “The Pilot”—playing the character of “the director.” Cherones received six Emmy nominations during his time on the series and shared the 1993 award for outstanding comedy series with showrunners Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld. Outside of Seinfeld, his credits included Ellen, Desperate Housewives, General Hospital, Growing Pains, and Ladies Man.