In Memory of Character Actor and Director Noam Pitlik: 25 Years After His Tragic Death

Photo byimdb.com

He was a familiar face on camera and a respected director behind the scenes. His name was Noam Pitlik, and he died in Los Angeles in 1999 at only 66 years old from lung cancer. This is his story.

A Closer Look

A multi-talented Hollywood professional, Noam Pitlik was born on November 4, 1932, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Pitlik later made his acting debut in a local Western TV show in Philadelphia.

In 1951, Pitlik became interested in the behind-the-scenes artistic crafts associated with art and set design and construction crew for the Philadelphia Experimental Theater.

One year later, he was cast in the Summer Theater Guild's production of The Philadelphia Story, in Indiana, Pennsylvania.

By 1957, Pitlik was living in New York, where he starred in an Off-Broadway production of Kurt Weill's The Threepenny Opera.

Pitlik later transitions from acting in TV series like Mission: Impossible, Bewitched, Hogan’s Heroes, and The Bob Newhart Show to helming other shows such as Barney Miller, for which he won an Emmy.

Pitlik also performed in feature films including The Front Page, The Fortune Cookie, The Graduate, The Greatest Story Ever Told, and more.

Shortly before he died, Pitlik returned to acting as Mr. Schmalen in the post-Cheers Ted Danson series Becker.

However, it was behind the scenes were Pitlik received his highest accolades.

The Director Approach

As an Emmy-winning TV director, Noam Pitlik guided 100 episodes of Barney Miller. He also received the Directors Guild of America award and the George Foster Peabody Award for broadcasting for his work on the Hal Linden police sitcom.

Pitlik went on to guide over 200 other TV show episodes and pilots, including Laverne & Shirley, Taxi, Wings, One Day at a Time, and Mr. Belvedere.

Behind the Scenes

Off-screen, Noam Pitlik was wed three times; first to Jesse Blostein, then to Linda Hirsch, and finally to Susan Whittaker, with whom he remained married until his demise at Cedar-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Lasting Impression

Before he exited this world, Noam Pitlik, who was also a screenwriter, left an indelible mark in the world of entertainment, specifically in the category of beloved classic television programming.