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Director Storm: The Unofficial Allen Tutor Who Found His Calling
27 May
Summary
- Storm learned filmmaking by unofficially directing Woody Allen.
- He debuted as a director on the sitcom Rhoda in 1975.
- Storm directed Mork & Mindy, calling Robin Williams a genius.
Filmmaker and director Storm, whose career began in comedy and included an unexpected tutelage of Woody Allen, died recently at his Beverly Hills home. Storm learned directing by observing and unofficially guiding Allen on films like Bananas (1971) and Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (1972).
Born Howard Sobel on December 11, 1931, Storm was immersed in show business from a young age, influenced by his vaudevillian father. He performed in comedy acts and clubs before joining Lucille Ball's Desilu Workshop in 1959.
His official directorial career launched in 1975 with an episode of Rhoda. Storm went on to direct for other sitcoms and famously helmed episodes of Mork & Mindy, describing Robin Williams as a genius whose performance required a hands-off approach.
Storm also contributed to "Yarmy's Army," a group supporting fellow comics. He published a memoir in 2019 and served on DGA negotiating committees, chairing the DGA Awards for many years. He is survived by two sons and grandsons. His wife, Patricia Ridgely, passed away in January.
