baɪ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti sˈɪks hiː wʌz sˈɜːvɪŋ æz ɐsˈɪstənt dᵻɹˈɛktɚ, ɔnðə fˈɪlm lˈiːdbɛli, stˈɑːɹɹɪŋ mˈædʒ sˈɪŋklɛɹ ænd ˈælbɚt hˈɔːl, ænd æz fˈɜːst ɐsˈɪstənt dᵻɹˈɛktɚɹ ɔnðə tˈɛlᵻvˌɪʒən sˈɪɹiz dˈaɪnɐsti ænd tˈiː.dʒˈeɪ. hˈʊkɚ.
By 1976 he was serving as assistant director, on the film Leadbelly, starring Madge Sinclair and Albert Hall, and as first assistant director on the television series Dynasty and T.J. Hooker.