Don Scardino

Directing

Don Scardino

Born 1949-02-17 · New York City, New York, USA

Don Scardino (born February 17, 1948) is an American television director and producer and a former actor. Born in New York City, Scardino began his career as an actor. His first Broadway credit was as an understudy in The Playroom in 1965. Additional Broadway acting credits include Johnny No-Trump, Godspell, and King of Hearts. Off-Broadway he appeared in The Rimers of Eldritch, The Comedy of Errors, Moonchildren, and I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road, he was also the lead in a cult classic B horror movie titled Squirm in 1976. He served as Artistic Director at Playwrights Horizons from 1991-96. On television he appeared on the daytime soap operas The Guiding Light, All My Children, Love Is a Many Splendored Thing, and Another World and the primetime series The Ghost & Mrs. Muir and The Name of the Game. Feature film credits include Rip-off, Homer, Squirm and Cruising. Following his acting on the network soap operas, he began to direct them. He directed episodes of Another World, One Life to Live, and All My Children. He went on to direct plays on and off-Broadway, including the world premiere of Aaron Sorkin's A Few Good Men. He has directed extensively in television, most notably NBC's comedy 30 ROCK. Feature film directing work includes Me & Veronica (Venice Film Festival), and Advice From A Caterpillar, winner, best comedy, at Aspen Comedy Festival. Scardino was married to actress Pamela Blair from 1984 to 1991. He is currently married to painter Dana L. Williams.

Acting credits

Cruising poster
6.6

When New York is caught in the grip of a sadistic serial killer who preys on patrons of the city's underground bars, rookie cop Steve Burns infiltrates the S&M subculture to try and lure him out of the shadows.

Cruising

1980

Squirm poster
4.9

A violent electrical storm topples power lines into the rain soaked earth that is home for an aggressive breed of worms. The high voltage causes the worms to mutate into larger, hostile hordes of man-eating worms that lie in wait for the residents of Fly Creek.

Squirm

1976

He Knows You're Alone poster
5.2

A reluctant bride-to-be is stalked by a serial killer who only kills brides and the people around them. While her friends get whacked one by one, a hard-boiled renegade cop whose bride had been killed years before tries to hunt the killer down before it is too late.

He Knows You're Alone

1980

Homer poster
4.8

High school graduate Homer experiences the pains of the generation gap and the Vietnam War in the late 1960s, while growing up in Schomberg, Wisconsin.

Homer

1970

The History of 'Cruising' poster
7.7

Part one of the making of William Friedkin’s 1980 thriller "Cruising" and the controversies it created.

The History of 'Cruising'

2007

You Had to Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution... poster
NR

Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Gilda Radner, Victor Garber, Paul Shaffer, and other entertainment icons got their start in a 1972 Toronto production of the musical Godspell. Featuring interviews with the surviving cast members, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mike Myers, and more, the film recounts a pivotal moment in comedy history, in hilarious, moving, and inspiring detail. Executive produced by Judd Apatow.

You Had to Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution...

2026

The People Next Door poster
5.9

A married couple struggle with the realities of their imperfect marriage as they fight to save and rehabilitate their teenage daughter from a life of drug addiction and ultimate committal to a mental ward.

The People Next Door

1970

Our (Almost Completely True) Love Story poster
3.7

When a beautiful, tall, aging Hollywood star and a short, funny Jewish man try online dating, it's a disaster. But when they randomly meet at a bird store, what are the chances? He is immediately smitten, but she not so much. As he pursues the woman of his dreams, his charm, sense of humor, and multiple impressions win her over in their heartwarming (almost completely true) love story.

Our (Almost Completely True) Love Story

2023

Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders poster
NR

“Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders" peels back the layers of controversy surrounding the making of the 1980 thriller, "Cruising." Directed by William Friedkin, the film triggered fierce protests from the LGBTQ+ community for its portrayal of a serial killer targeting gay men in New York's leather bars. Friedkin drew inspiration from the brutal murder of Variety reporter Addison Verrill, blurring the boundaries between cinematic fiction and real-life tragedy.

Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders

2026

Exorcising 'Cruising' poster
6.5

Part two of the making of William Friedkin's 1980 thriller "Cruising" and the controversies it created.

Exorcising 'Cruising'

2007

Purlie poster
6.5

Purlie is a musical based on Ossie Davis' 1961 play Purlie Victorious. In the early days of the civil rights movement, a Southern plantation owner holds his sharecroppers in virtual slavery. Purlie comes home as a preacher who will shake things up and bring freedom to his people. This 1981 television adaptation won a CableACE Award.

Purlie

1981

Rip-Off poster
4.0

Best friends Michael, Steve, Cooly and Richie are seniors at a large Toronto high school. Foremost on their minds and that of many of their classmates are what they are going to do this upcoming summer and beyond. They don't want to waste away the summer much like they did this past summer. Mike is being pressured by his parents to go to university following graduation from high school, although Mike himself is unsure if that's what he wants to do. Other ideas they discuss are to tour with their band, Arctic Madness, or to start a commune on a five hundred acre parcel of wilderness property outside of Timmins that was deeded to Mike. As the end of the school year approaches and these successive ideas come and fall by the wayside, the four come to a realization of what their future together holds

Rip-Off

1971

No artwork available
NR

A squad of police department misfits are assigned to patrol Central Park without real guns.

The Rubber Gun Squad

1977

Behind the camera

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone poster
5.8

After breaking up with his longtime stage partner, a famous but jaded Vegas magician fights for relevance when a new, "hip" street magician appears on the scene.

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone

2013

Me and Veronica poster
3.3

Two sisters share a disturbing family secret.

Me and Veronica

1993

Tracey Ullman Takes on New York poster
6.2

Tracey Ullman and her wacky cast of characters take a bite out of the Big Apple.

Tracey Ullman Takes on New York

1993

Women and Wallace poster
10.0

After his mother kills herself, Wallace Kirkman struggles in his relationships with the women in his life.

Women and Wallace

1990

The Bitch Who Stole Christmas poster
4.7

A workaholic big-city fashion journalist is sent to a Christmas-obsessed small town to dig up a story when she finds herself in the middle of cut-throat housewives, a high-stakes “Winter Ball” competition, and a sinister plot that could destroy Christmas fore-evah!

The Bitch Who Stole Christmas

2021

Advice From a Caterpillar poster
4.2

When it comes to romance, Missy's attitude has always been whatever. After all, her artistic career is flourishing, her spacious New York City loft is fabulous and her relationship with a married man is totally uncomplicated. But then Missy meets Brat, who's sweet, genuine and shares her fondness for 70's sitcoms. Unfortunately, he's also dating her pal Spaz. When Missy and Brat unexpectedly fall for each other, will she lose her identity... and her best friend?

Advice From a Caterpillar

1999

Our (Almost Completely True) Love Story poster
3.7

When a beautiful, tall, aging Hollywood star and a short, funny Jewish man try online dating, it's a disaster. But when they randomly meet at a bird store, what are the chances? He is immediately smitten, but she not so much. As he pursues the woman of his dreams, his charm, sense of humor, and multiple impressions win her over in their heartwarming (almost completely true) love story.

Our (Almost Completely True) Love Story

2023

No artwork available
NR

After 10 years on the road, Jake returns home for his son’s funeral. Facing a family he doesn’t know, Jake decides to stay and take a job driving for a small local car service. One rainy night, he picks up singer Catriona Walsh at the airport and drives her to a gig. Jake and Catriona develop an unexpected friendship that forces them to face the lives they are running from, and chart a new path forward.

After All

The Deal poster
5.7

A big-idea farce about big, badass businessmen.

The Deal

1998

No artwork available
7.0

In order to boost his own cotton ginning business, Jake Meighan sets the local Syndicate Plantation ablaze. the superintendent of the Syndicate Plantation sends over 27 wagons full of cotton for ginning, and turns aside his suspicions that Jake is the arsonist in exchange for apparent sexual favors from Jake's wife, Flora.

27 Wagons Full of Cotton

1990

Browsers poster
6.6

Set in contemporary Manhattan, it follows four young people as they start their first jobs at a news website.

Browsers

2013

No artwork available
1.0

Set in 1962, the workplace ensemble examines what happens when a strong woman butts heads with a macho astronaut in the race to land on the moon.

Mission Control

A Break in the Rain poster
NR

After losing his wife and son to cancer, a man returns to his hometown to his daughter-in-law, who's family he has provided for in spite of his absence. Upon gaining a new job as a musician's limo driver, however, he finds himself increasingly pulled into the traveling life of a musician.

A Break in the Rain

2025