Biography
In many cases, music video directors try to leverage their success into opportunities to oversee big-budget Hollywood comedies or action movies. But Marty Callner has largely stuck to the worlds of concert and comedy performance, with great success. He has been Emmy nominated over the years for his film showcasing of such talents as Chris Rock, Bette Midler, Will Ferrell (as George Bush on Broadway), Jerry Seinfeld, and Robin Williams. In all, he earned 10 Emmy nominations but, amazingly, no wins. However, his reputation has been well-established in his working fields. Callner is the closest thing to an HBO house director, with a resume that spans virtually every high-profile concert and comedy special broadcast by the pay cable network. The logistics of filming a live performance in a theater are very specific, and Callner has continuously proven his ability to make these sorts of claustrophobic confines seem dynamic. In 2011, he shot Pee-Wee Herman's Broadway show for HBO. Marty Callner died on March 17, 2025 in Malibu, CA at the age of 78.
