‘Friends’: The One Where a Former 1970s Teen Idol Directed
Many talented directors stood behind the camera to direct the cast of Friends throughout the series’ 10-season run. However, did you know that former 1970s teen idol Robby Benson helmed half a dozen episodes?
Robby Benson directed some of ‘Friends’ early episodes
Robby Benson was a wildly popular teen idol in the 1970s. In seasons one and three, Friends, Robby Benson also directed some of the series’ funniest episodes. Under his guidance, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow and the late Matthew Perry flourished.
The episodes were “The One With the Ick Factor.” He followed that up in season three with “The One With All the Jealousy,” “The One Where Monica and Richard are Just Friends,” “The One With Phoebe’s Ex-Partner,” “The One With the Hypnosis Tape,” and “The One With the Ultimate Fighting Champion.”
These episodes included legendary friends guest-stars, including Blue Bloods star Tom Selleck, who played Monica’s boyfriend Richard, and Twin Peaks star Sherilyn Finn. Also E.G. Daily (Rugrats), actor and filmmaker Jon Favreau, Giovanni Ribisi (Waco), and Debra Jo Rupp (That 70s Show).
The director said it was a ‘wonderful experience’ directing ‘Friends’
“Friends was a wonderful experience,” Robby Benson said in an interview with MediaVillage. “First, because of Marta Kauffman and David Crane, exceptional writers. That entire writer’s room understood what each character’s strengths was comedically, and it was one of the very few sitcoms where if a joke didn’t work, and the writer felt it was a good joke, it may go to another character. When you think about that, you can see where many shows go wrong.”
“[Another] character often wouldn’t say that line,” he continued. “Yet on Friends, they knew exactly the world each character lived in.”
Benson concluded, “That’s why the vision was so consistent. The actors were so brilliant, doing what they did best, and the writers would write for what they did best.”
” Watching Friends is almost like watching a perfect show because it’s comfort food. And at any time, in any generation, it’s about people.”
Who is Robby Benson?
Any teenager who grew up in the 1970s knew Robby Benson for his film work. He was regularly featured in teen magazines throughout the decade, where his good looks became wall art for teenage girls worldwide.
Benson was best known for his roles in the 1972 film Jory, in 1973’s Jeremy, and as Billy Joe McAllister in 1976’s Ode to Billy Joe. He also appeared in Death Be Not Proud and Lucky Lady.
1977 Benson starred in One-on-One and the TV movie The Death of Richie. In 1978, he co-starred in The End and Ice Castles.
The early 80s found Benson as the star of Die Laughing and Tribute, and in 1981, he starred in The Chosen.
Benson is best known to Disney fans for voicing the character of Beast in the 1991 animated film Beauty and the Beast . He reprised the role for the film’s numerous sequels and spin-offs.
He has also been a professor of film production at several universities for over 20 years. At NYU’s famed Tisch School of the Arts in the Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film and Television, Benson received the honor of being nominated for both NYU’s Distinguished Teaching Award in 2006, and the David Payne-Carter Award for Teaching Excellence in 2010.
Robby Benson can be seen on Apple TV+ in Severance.
