John Patterson director

John Tiffin Patterson (1940–2005) was a renowned television director known for his work on drama series and television films. He directed thirteen episodes of *The Sopranos*, including the first five season finales, and won the Directors Guild of America award in 2002 for his contributions to the show.

Born in Buffalo, New York, Patterson joined the United States Air Force at 19, navigating B-52 bombers. He later resumed his education, earning a bachelor's degree from the University at Buffalo and a master's from Stanford University in 1970, where he befriended *The Sopranos* creator David Chase.

Patterson's career included directing episodes for shows like *Providence*, *The Practice*, *Carnivàle*, *Family Law*, *Six Feet Under*, and *CSI*, as well as the pilot episode of *Law & Order*. He also directed over 12 television movies, including thrillers such as *A Deadly Silence* (1989) and *Seduced By Madness* (1996). His work earned him Emmy nominations in 2002 and 2003.

Patterson was married to Casey Kelley but later divorced; they had two children, Mary and Charlie. He passed away in Los Angeles in 2005 due to prostate cancer at the age of 64. An episode titled "Kaisha" from *The Sopranos* Season 6 was dedicated to him in his honor.