# William Asher
**William Asher** (William Milton Asher, August 8, 1921 – July 16, 2012) was an American television and film director, producer, and writer who directed 100 episodes of *I Love Lucy* (1952–57) and 131 episodes of *Bewitched* (1964–72), more than any other director on either series.[1](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2012/jul/20/william-asher) *Bewitched* was created by Sol Saks, and Asher produced and directed the series for his then-wife, [Elizabeth Montgomery](https://www.edgepedia.org/elizabeth-montgomery), winning a Primetime Emmy for directing it.[2](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/obituaries-of-note-william-asher-rajesh-khanna-sixten-jernberg-priscilla-dewey-houghton/2012/07/18/gJQAlfjcuW_story.html) • [11](https://www.televisionacademy.com/features/news/news/sol-saks-creator-bewitched-and-writer-many-comedy-series)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born / died | August 8, 1921, New York City; July 16, 2012, Palm Desert, California, of complications from Alzheimer's disease[3](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bill-asher-i-love-lucy-director-dies-at-90/) |
| *I Love Lucy* | Directed 100 of the show's 181 episodes between 1952 and 1957, including "Job Switching"[3](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bill-asher-i-love-lucy-director-dies-at-90/) • [4](https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/news/remembering-william-asher) |
| *Bewitched* | Sol Saks created Bewitched; William Asher produced and directed the series for Elizabeth Montgomery; directed 131 of its episodes from 1964 to 1972[1](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2012/jul/20/william-asher) • [4](https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/news/remembering-william-asher) • [11](https://www.televisionacademy.com/features/news/news/sol-saks-creator-bewitched-and-writer-many-comedy-series) |
| Emmy | Four Primetime Emmy nominations, all for *Bewitched*; won Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy (the Academy database dates the win 1966)[5](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/william-asher) |
| Beach films | Directed *Beach Party* (1963), *Muscle Beach Party* and *Bikini Beach* (1964), and *Beach Blanket Bingo* and *How to Stuff a Wild Bikini* (1965), starring Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello[1](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2012/jul/20/william-asher) |
| Other series | Co-created *The Patty Duke Show* with Sidney Sheldon; directed *Gidget*, *Alice*, and *The Dukes of Hazzard*, among others[4](https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/news/remembering-william-asher) • [6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/william_asher) |
## Early career
Asher was born in New York, the son of Lillian Bonner, an actor, and Ephraim M. Asher, a movie producer known mainly for horror films at Universal.[1](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2012/jul/20/william-asher) He started in the industry in the mailroom at Universal Studios, and after military service in the Army Signal Corps returned to Universal as an assistant cameraman and editor.[7](https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/interviews/william-asher) • [1](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2012/jul/20/william-asher) In 1948, with Richard Quine, he co-produced and co-directed the low-budget boxing melodrama *Leather Gloves*, starring Cameron Mitchell.[1](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2012/jul/20/william-asher)
His move into television came through writing short stories for a filmed anthology series, *Invitation Playhouse*, which he also directed.[7](https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/interviews/william-asher) In 1952 he was hired to direct the pilot of *Our Miss Brooks*, the television adaptation of a long-running radio comedy, and the assignment led directly to *I Love Lucy*. "Lucy and Desi and everybody wanted me to come on and do their show," he recalled in a 2000 Archive of American Television interview; he directed the first ten episodes under contract while breaking in [Sheldon Leonard](https://www.edgepedia.org/sheldon-leonard) as a director.[4](https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/news/remembering-william-asher)
## I Love Lucy and the multi-camera sitcom
Asher stayed with *I Love Lucy*, shot before a live audience, for five years, directing [Lucille Ball](https://www.edgepedia.org/lucille-ball) and [Desi Arnaz](https://www.edgepedia.org/desi-arnaz) for 100 of the show's 181 episodes between 1952 and 1957.[1](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2012/jul/20/william-asher) • [3](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bill-asher-i-love-lucy-director-dies-at-90/) The Guardian's obituary credits him with giving the sitcom genre fresh impetus by using a [multiple-camera setup](https://www.edgepedia.org/multiple-camera-setup) on the series, which let him shoot the action simultaneously from different viewpoints and select the best shots; earlier sitcoms were broadcast live and recorded on kinescopes, or not recorded at all.[1](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2012/jul/20/william-asher)
**"Job Switching."** The episode he considered one of his most memorable was the first he directed for the series: Lucy and Ethel working in a chocolate factory.[8](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-xpm-2012-jul-18-la-me-william-asher-20120718-story.html) In his own account, the episode cross-cut between the women ruining the candy-dipping line and Ricky and Fred making a wreck of housework and dinner at home, with both parties returning exhausted before everything was patched up.[4](https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/news/remembering-william-asher) He also directed episodes featuring guest stars [William Holden](https://www.edgepedia.org/william-holden) and [Harpo Marx](https://www.edgepedia.org/harpo-marx), and the episode in which the real pregnancy of Lucille Ball was written into the story.[7](https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/interviews/william-asher) • [4](https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/news/remembering-william-asher)
During this period he also directed three B-movies: *Mobs, Inc.* (1956), *The Shadow on the Window* (1957), and the cold war science-fiction drama *The 27th Day* (1957).[1](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2012/jul/20/william-asher)
## Bewitched
After *I Love Lucy*, Asher produced and directed sitcoms including *Fibber McGee and Molly* (1959) and episodes of *The Danny Thomas Show*, and co-created *The Patty Duke Show* with writer [Sidney Sheldon](https://www.edgepedia.org/sidney-sheldon).[1](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2012/jul/20/william-asher) • [4](https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/news/remembering-william-asher) He married Elizabeth Montgomery in 1963, while directing *Johnny Cool*, in which she appeared; she was ready to give up acting to be a homemaker. "She was too good to quit," he said. "I suggested we do a television show together."[2](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/obituaries-of-note-william-asher-rajesh-khanna-sixten-jernberg-priscilla-dewey-houghton/2012/07/18/gJQAlfjcuW_story.html)
The result was *Bewitched*, starring Montgomery as Samantha, a witch married to a mortal, which ran on ABC from 1964 to 1972.[2](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/obituaries-of-note-william-asher-rajesh-khanna-sixten-jernberg-priscilla-dewey-houghton/2012/07/18/gJQAlfjcuW_story.html) As producer and director, Asher had a strong influence on the show's content. In his Archive interview he described how he rejected a darker, more overtly witchy script from Columbia in favor of a girl-next-door conception, and how Samantha's trademark nose twitch originated in a gesture he had seen Montgomery make; she initially denied ever doing it until he caught her repeating it the night before taping.[4](https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/news/remembering-william-asher)
Asher received four Primetime Emmy nominations, all for *Bewitched*, and won once for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy. The Television Academy's awards database dates the win to 1966,[5](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/william-asher) while the Academy's 2012 obituary news item says he won in 1964.[9](https://www.televisionacademy.com/features/news/news/william-asher-director-classic-series-i-love-lucy-and-bewitched) He and Montgomery divorced in 1973, around the time the series ended.[2](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/obituaries-of-note-william-asher-rajesh-khanna-sixten-jernberg-priscilla-dewey-houghton/2012/07/18/gJQAlfjcuW_story.html)
## Beach Party films and later work
In the early 1960s Asher devised the Beach Party films for [American International Pictures](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-international-pictures), beginning with *Beach Party* (1963) and continuing through *Muscle Beach Party* (1964), *Bikini Beach* (1964), *Beach Blanket Bingo* (1965), and *How to Stuff a Wild Bikini* (1965), all starring [Frankie Avalon](https://www.edgepedia.org/frankie-avalon) and [Annette Funicello](https://www.edgepedia.org/annette-funicello).[1](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2012/jul/20/william-asher) He described the films as carefree fantasies of the youth he wished he had had, and late in life said they gave him the most pleasure of his career.[1](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2012/jul/20/william-asher) He also brought Sally Field to television in *Gidget*.[3](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bill-asher-i-love-lucy-director-dies-at-90/)
Outside entertainment, he directed [John F. Kennedy](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-f-kennedy)'s Inaugural Ball and the President's Birthday Special featuring [Marilyn Monroe](https://www.edgepedia.org/marilyn-monroe).[9](https://www.televisionacademy.com/features/news/news/william-asher-director-classic-series-i-love-lucy-and-bewitched)
After *Bewitched* ended, Asher returned to episodic television, directing series including *[Alice](https://www.edgepedia.org/alice-american-tv-series)* (1976–85) and *The Dukes of Hazzard* (1979–85), as well as later sitcom spin-offs such as *The Bad News Bears* and *Private Benjamin*.[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/william_asher) • [1](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2012/jul/20/william-asher) He retired in 1990 and settled in [Palm Desert, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/palm-desert-california).[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/william_asher)
## Personal life and death
Asher was married four times, finally to Meredith Coffin in 1996, who was at his side at his death.[10](https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/legacyremembers/william-asher-obituary?id=19219888) His children include daughters Liane Sears and Rebecca Asher and sons Brian, Bill Jr., Robert, and John; he and Montgomery had three children together.[3](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bill-asher-i-love-lucy-director-dies-at-90/) He died on July 16, 2012, at a home-care facility in Palm Desert of complications from Alzheimer's disease, at the age of 90.[3](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bill-asher-i-love-lucy-director-dies-at-90/) • [2](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/obituaries-of-note-william-asher-rajesh-khanna-sixten-jernberg-priscilla-dewey-houghton/2012/07/18/gJQAlfjcuW_story.html)
## References
1. [William Asher obituary, The Guardian (Ronald Bergan, 20 July 2012)](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2012/jul/20/william-asher)
2. [Obituaries of note: William Asher, The Washington Post (18 July 2012)](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/obituaries-of-note-william-asher-rajesh-khanna-sixten-jernberg-priscilla-dewey-houghton/2012/07/18/gJQAlfjcuW_story.html)
3. [Bill Asher, "I Love Lucy" director, dies at 90, CBS News/AP (17 July 2012)](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bill-asher-i-love-lucy-director-dies-at-90/)
4. [Remembering William Asher, Television Academy Interviews (17 July 2012)](https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/news/remembering-william-asher)
5. [William Asher, Emmy Awards and Nominations, Television Academy](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/william-asher)
6. [William Asher, Rotten Tomatoes celebrity profile](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/william_asher)
7. [William Asher, Television Academy Interviews (2000 Archive interview)](https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/interviews/william-asher)
8. [William Asher dies at 90; 'I Love Lucy,' 'Bewitched' director, Los Angeles Times (Dennis McLellan, 18 July 2012)](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-xpm-2012-jul-18-la-me-william-asher-20120718-story.html)
9. [William Asher, Director of Classic Series I Love Lucy and Bewitched, Television Academy (15 August 2012)](https://www.televisionacademy.com/features/news/news/william-asher-director-classic-series-i-love-lucy-and-bewitched)
10. [William Asher Obituary (1921–2012), Legacy Remembers](https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/legacyremembers/william-asher-obituary?id=19219888)
11. [Sol Saks, Creator of Bewitched and Writer for Many Comedy Series](https://www.televisionacademy.com/features/news/news/sol-saks-creator-bewitched-and-writer-many-comedy-series)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Producers, studio executives, and showrunners › Television producers and showrunners › Comedy and sitcom creators*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license