Jerome Courtland

Hailing from Tennessee, Jerome Courtland is an actor, director, and producer, but earned his first credit as a singer for the title track of the 1950 musical "When You're Smiling." In 1954, he made his television debut as an actor on "The United States Steel Hour." In 1957, he landed the role of Andy Burnett in "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color" mini-series "The Saga of Andy Burnett," and he went on to appear in a number of pioneer / western programs throughout the '50s and '60s including "The Rifleman," "Death Valley Days," and "The Virginian."

However, by the late '60s, Courtland had begun to pursue producing, working first as an assistant to the producer on the family drama "Follow Me, Boys!" and on "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color" mini-series "Gallagher Goes West." By 1968, he was working as an associate producer on TV's "Here Come the Brides" and "The Flying Nun," and was also exploring directing on the latter. Through the '70s he produced a string of Disney movies like "Escape to Witch Mountain," "Pete's Dragon," and "Return From Witch Mountain," and directed a number of episodes of "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color." In the '80s, he helmed a number of popular programs like the primetime soap operas "Dynasty," "Falcon Crest," and "Knots Landing." He retired from show business in 1993.