Donald Siegel ( SEE-gəl; October 26, 1912 – April 20, 1991) was an American film and television director, producer, and editor. He was described by The New York Times as "a director of tough, cynical and forthright action-adventure films whose taut plots centered on individualistic loners". Siegel directed the science fiction horror film Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), as well as five films with Clint Eastwood, including the action thriller Dirty Harry (1971) and the prison thriller Escape from Alcatraz (1979). He also directed John Wayne's final film, the Western The Shootist (1976). Siegel's earlier film Riot in Cell Block 11 (1954) was noted as an influence on the development of auteur theory and the French New Wave. One critic described him as "Hollywood's greatest genre director." (Via Wikipedia)
