Sidney Salkow; Film Director Helped Shape CSUN Program

Sidney Salkow, who directed more than 50 motion pictures and a number of television programs, and later headed the film program at Cal State Northridge, has died.

Salkow died Oct. 18 at his home in Valley Village. He was 89. Born to Hungarian parents in New York City, Salkow first worked as a child actor in theater. He later attended City College of New York, and received a master’s degree from Columbia University, his widow, Patricia, said Tuesday. At 19, Salkow was admitted to Harvard Law School, “but the lure of the stage drew him away from that,” Patricia Salkow said.

He directed two plays on Broadway, then signed a contract in the early 1930s with Paramount Studios. Early in his career, he directed films starring the Three Stooges and Bing Crosby.

Salkow wasn’t the only member of his family to find his calling in Hollywood. His brothers, Lester and Irving, became successful agents. Their father, Louis, was a tailor for Western Costume, a major outfitter to the film industry.

At the beginning of World War II, Salkow joined the Marines, rising to the rank of major. He suffered shrapnel injuries to his back when Japanese planes attacked an aircraft carrier, where he was part of a film unit documenting the war.

After the war, Salkow returned to his film career and directed and wrote many films, including “Faithful in My Fashion” (1946), “Sitting Bull” (1954), “Twice-Told Tales” (1963) and “Last Man on Earth” (1964). He also directed episodes of the TV shows “The Addams Family” and “Lassie.”

In the early 1970s, Salkow began teaching film at Northridge, where he became a professor emeritus and headed the film side of the Radio, Television and Film Department. At 62, Salkow returned to college and earned a master’s of fine arts at USC.

“He really put our film program together,” said Karen Kearns, a Northridge professor. Salkow mobilized his studio contacts to secure donations for film equipment for the fledgling program, she said.

During about 20 years at Northridge, Salkow was a popular if demanding film production teacher, Kearns said.

“He taught kids if they wanted to succeed in the film industry they had to meet deadlines,” Kearns said. “This business is so young-oriented. It was good for him to come and teach because that kept him young.”

In addition to his wife, he is survived by six children, eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.