Born on April 29, 1923, in Philadelphia, he was an American film director and producer renowned for his work in the science fiction and action genres. He studied at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts and began his career in television. He gained fame for directing the critically acclaimed "The Empire Strikes Back," the second installment of the original Star Wars trilogy. His diverse filmography also includes "RoboCop 2" and "Never Say Never Again." He passed away on November 27, 2010.