Jack Shea Dies at 87: Hollywood Icon and Director's Guild of America President Jack Shea Passes Away

Jack Shea has died. Shea, who was a Hollywood veteran who directed popular sitcoms such as "The Jeffersons" and "Sanford and Son," died Sunday. He was 84. A family spokesman said. in a statement that Shea's deat at a Tarzana care facility was caused by complications from Alzheimer's disease.

Shea was president of the Director's Guild of America three times. As president of the Directors Guild of America, Shea argued vehemently in support of minority hiring and local production.

John Francis Shea Jr. was born in New York City in 1928 to a travel agent father and a mother who was his bookkeeper. Shea earned a scholarship to study at New York's Regis High School, then and graduated from Fordham University with a bachelor's degree in history.

Shea's first TV directing gig came when he was just 27.  His break came when the director of the game show "Truth or Consequences" called in sick and Shea, a neophyte, was asked to cover for him. Shea went on to direct 110 episodes of "The Jeffersons," 91 of "Silver Spoons," 15 of "Sanford and Son" and episodes of many others programs, such as "Designing Women," "Growing Pains" and "The Waltons."

Shea is also noted for directing 10 Bob Hope Christmas specials, often rehearsing his exuberant casts aboard the airplanes that took them to U.S. military posts around the world. He earned two Emmy nominations for these.

Throughout his careers, Shea held leadership positions, most notably in the Directors Guild, where he served on the Board for over 35 years and as President for three terms. Shea also chaired the DGA Foundation. In 1992, Shea was honored with the Robert B. Aldrich Award for extraordinary service to the DGA. Guild president Taylor Hackford said of Shea ""He occupied a truly unique position in the history of the modern DGA. As the West Coast president of the Radio & Television Directors Guild in 1960, he was at the table sitting across from Frank Capra when the two guilds representing television and theatrical directors merged to form the modern Directors Guild of America."

Another significant group for Shea was Catholics in Media Associates, which he helped found. The group honors TV shows and films expressing Catholic values. He founded the organization with his wife, Patt Shea, a TV screenwriter who worked on "All in the Family" and other programs.