Reza Badiyi, Iranian-born American television director (Mission: Impossible, The Six Million Dollar Man), died at 81.

Reza Sayed Badiyi was an Iranian-American film director. Badiyi was well known for directing episodes of many popular (and quite distinct) television series. His credits also include developing the memorable opening montages (title visualization) for Hawaii Five-O, Get Smart, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

(April 17, 1930 – August 20, 2011) 

Early life and education

Badiyi was born April 17, 1930, in Arak, Iran. His parents were from Isfahan. He graduated from the Academy of Drama in Iran. He moved to the United States in 1955. He graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in film making.

Career

After Syracuse University Badiyi often worked with Robert Altman. Badiyi was assistant director on the low-budget 1957 film "The Delinquents," which marked Altman's feature film debut as a director.
Early in his career, he directed episodes of Get Smart, Mission: Impossible, Hawaii Five-O, The Incredible Hulk, Mannix, The Six Million Dollar Man, Starsky and Hutch, The Rockford Files and Police Squad!. He also directed the definitive "fashion show" sequence of the third season of the popular "Doris Day Show". There were lowlights, as well, including directing the unsold pilot for "Inside O.U.T.", starring Farrah Fawcett and a chimp for Colombia/Screen Gems in 1971.
In the 1980s and 1990s, he directed episodes of Falcon Crest, Cagney and Lacey, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the episode "Out of Mind, Out of Sight"), Le Femme Nikita, Sliders and Baywatch.

Awards

On October 2008, Badiyi received the Lifetime Achievement Award (Persian Golden Lioness) in dramatic arts from The World Academy of Arts Literature and Media - WAALM
On May 2010, Badiyi was honored at UCLA for his 80th birthday and his 60th year in the entertainment industry.

Personal life

Badiyi was once married to actress and writer Barbara Turner and was thus for a time the stepfather of actress Jennifer Jason Leigh. He was the father of Mina Badie.

To see more of who died in 2011 click here