Career Highlights: Bye Bye Blues, Evil Roy Slade, A Fine Mess
First Major Screen Credit: The Gamblers (1969)
Biography
Stuart Margolin was a published writer and off-Broadway playwright before he was old enough to vote. The pinch-faced, curly-headed Margolin began showing up in character parts in 1966, in films like Women of a Prehistoric Planet and TV series like Occasional Wife. He was a staff writer and member of the acting ensemble on the popular sitcom anthology Love American Style, which ran from 1969 through 1974. In 1971, Margolin co-starred on the western series Nichols, launching his long friendship and professional association with actor James Garner. He went on to win two Emmy awards for his portrayal of mildly larcenous Angel Martin on Garner's long-running (1974-80) series The Rockford Files; played Philo Sandine on the 1981 retro Garner TV vehicle Bret Maverick; and guest-starred on the first episode of Garner's short-lived "dramedy" Man of the People (1991). Stuart Margolin turned to directing in the 1980s, beginning with (inevitably) a brace of James Garner TV movies, The Long Summer of George Adams (1982) and The Glitter Dome (1984)); he has since helmed two theatrical features, Paramedics and Donna d'Onore (both 1990). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Margolin has been directing TV shows since the early 1970s, including episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Magnum P.I., Bret Maverick, Quantum Leap, and Northern Exposure. He has appeared in a number of Canadian television series including some produced by Doug McLeod. He won the 1996 DGA Award for children's programming for directing the film Salt Water Moose, and he was nominated again for the same award for directing the 1998 film The Sweetest Gift. Margolin was also nominated for a DGA Award for drama series direction for a 1991 episode of Northern Exposure entitled "Goodbye to All That".[4]
Other
Margolin has authored several songs for and with long time friend and singer-songwriter Jerry Riopelle that have appeared on Riopelle's albums since 1967. He was in the bands The Parade and Shango, and co-wrote Shango's 1969 novelty record "Day After Day (It's Slippin' Away)".[5] He also released an album in 1980 entitled And the Angel Sings.
Since 2004 he has been a regular participant in the theatre program of the Chautauqua Institution.[6]
Margolin is sometimes erroneously identified as the brother of actress Janet Margolin.[7][8]