Don Mischer, Emmy-winning director and live-TV virtuoso, dies at 85

Don Mischer, a 15-time Emmy recipient and Peabody Award honoree, produced immoderate of the biggest star-studded events successful unrecorded tv — masterminding broadcasts of the opening ceremonies of 2 Olympics, six Super Bowl halftime shows and the inaugural solemnisation of President Obama.

Mischer, regarded arsenic 1 of the astir talented directors and producers of unrecorded tv shows, died Friday successful Los Angeles, according to his publicist Annett Wolf. He was 85.

“Don was simply iconic,” Lesli Linka Glatter, president of the Directors Guild of America, said successful a statement. “His mastery of directing unrecorded events was a fast-paced symphony of meticulous readying combined with on-the-spot decision-making that elevated our nation’s top taste events, ever capturing the quality tone down them. From the Oscars to the Super Bowl halftime show, to the opening ceremonies of the Olympics, governmental conventions and inaugurations, Don’s accomplishment arsenic a Director elevated the emotions, excitement and value of these unrecorded worldwide moments, creating lifelong memories for audiences astir the world.”

From a humble upbringing successful southbound Texas, Mischer developed an involvement successful unrecorded tv portion studying astatine the University of Texas successful Austin. He aboriginal worked astatine the university’s nationalist broadcast transmission aft graduation. He would spell connected to nutrient immoderate of the astir iconic tv broadcasts successful American history.

Among the astir notable of Mischer‘s unrecorded productions were Super Bowl halftime performances with Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, Tom Petty and, possibly the astir memorable of each time, a rain-drenched show by Prince successful 2007. The 12-minute performance turned into a cinematic experience, featuring a breathtaking rendition of “Purple Rain” amid violet lighting and an unexpected downpour.

Mischer worked arsenic a behind-the-scenes emcee for Hollywood’s astir celebrated events, serving arsenic enforcement shaper for the Primetime Emmy Awards and manager for Academy Awards ceremonies. He was honored successful 2014 with a prima connected the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Mischer besides delivered immoderate of the astir historical unrecorded broadcasts of the governmental stage, including the 2009 inaugural solemnisation for Barack Obama, which featured performances by Beyoncé and Bruce Springsteen.

In the moments earlier airing a blockbuster TV premier — a concern others mightiness find anxiety-inducing — Mischer said helium recovered his peace.

“There’s thing similar that feeling that the timepiece is ticking down and you’re sitting successful the truck, and past abruptly it’s time, and everybody gets quiet,” helium told the Los Angeles Times successful 2010. “That’s erstwhile I get calm.”

Mischer is survived by his wife, Suzan; 4 children, Heather, Jennifer, Charlie and Lily; and 2 grandchildren, Everly and Tallulah.