Charles Sanford

Charles Sanford
[[File:|200px]]
Role:	Second Assistant Director
BSG Universe:	Original Series and Galactica 1980
Date of Birth:	July 11, 1938
Date of Death:	March 02, 2015
Age at Death:	76
Nationality:	USA
[{{{site}}} Official Site]
IMDb profile

Charles Watson Sanford (July 11, 1938 – March 2, 2015), also known as Charles W. Sanford Jr., and often credited as Charles Sanford or Charles W. Sanford, was an American second assistant director, production manager, and director who worked extensively in television from the late 1970s through the 1990s. He served as second assistant director for the original Battlestar Galactica series during its 1978-1979 run on ABC, as well as on the sequel series Galactica 1980.

Early Life

Charles Watson Sanford was born on July 11, 1938, in Poughkeepsie, New York. He would go on to pursue a career in television production, specializing in assistant director work that required strong organizational skills, crew coordination, and the ability to manage complex shooting schedules.

Career

Battlestar Galactica

Sanford's most significant genre work came when he joined the production of the original Battlestar Galactica television series as second assistant director for the 1978-1979 season. He was credited as "Charles Sanford" throughout most of the series' run. Sanford worked on 14 episodes of the series, serving alongside first assistant director Bill Holbrook.

As second assistant director, Sanford's responsibilities included preparing daily call sheets, coordinating with various department heads, managing background actors and extras, and ensuring smooth transitions between scenes. His work on notable episodes included "Saga of a Star World," "Lost Planet of the Gods" (Parts 1 and 2), "The Lost Warrior," and "The Young Lords."

Galactica 1980 and Beyond

Following the original series, Sanford continued with the franchise by serving as second assistant director on Galactica 1980, the short-lived sequel series that aired in 1980.

Sanford worked on several other notable television Glen A. Larson productions during the same period. He served as second assistant director on The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo in 1979 and B.J. and the Bear in 1981.

Later Career

Later in his career, Sanford transitioned to production management and directing work. He served as production manager on Ragin' Cajun (1990), credited as Charles W. Sanford. This progression from assistant director to production manager reflected his accumulated expertise in managing television and film productions.

Personal Life

Charles Watson Sanford was married to Diane Herro on October 6, 1973, a union that lasted until his death in 2015. He was also previously married to Sue Anne Purcell. Sanford had two daughters, Brooke Young and Deidre Gilbert.

Charles Watson Sanford died on March 2, 2015, in Chicago, Illinois, from melanoma at the age of 76. His family requested that memorials be made to melanoma cancer research in lieu of flowers. Services and interment were private.

References