An American film and television director known for social dramas. He won four consecutive Emmy Awards in the 1990s for the television movies Against the Wall, The Burning Season, Andersonville and George Wallace, which also received a Golden Globe award. He was considered one of the last remaining directors who insisted on having complete control over all elements of production, making his style unique in Hollywood. His 30 feature films and over 50 plays for television were notable for their influence on contemporary thought. He became a pioneer of the modern-day political thriller, having begun his career at the peak of the Cold War. Among his credits were The Manchurian Candidate (1962), Birdman of Alcatraz (1962), The Train (1964), Seven Days in May (1964), Black Sunday (1977) and Ronin (1998).