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Science 2011-03-01 3 min read

78 year old TV Director and Author Don Lewis Barnhart opens up new vista entitled, "Embrace your Age".

Television director, Don Barnhart turned author, has begun a personal quest to be an example for folks in the autumn years to be living in the prime of their life.

LAS VEGAS, NV, March 01, 2011

Don Barnhart's latest quest to help those who might have uttered those discouraging words, "I give up, I'm too old". The main thrust is never let anyone stop your dreams, no matter what age you find yourself in.

At seventy-two, Mr. Barnhart is an energetic example of dedication to his craft and his dreams of still writing more novels and holding out for the opportunity to direct any one of his three books should a studio be interested in acquiring and funding the projects.

Don has just finished his third novel entitled 'Jack and the Jills', a fictional memoir 'based on a whole lotta truth' that plants it's location in the San Fernando Valley during the Golden Age of the fifties, "where I grew up and lived to tell about it".

Mr. Barnhart was a lover of hot rods, burgers and rock 'n roll and decided to write about it. It's a funny account as well as it should be. After all, he had the extraordinary opportunity of directing Robin Williams and Jonathan Winters at the same time, no less. Don has often said, "I should've learned something about funny, don't'cha think?"

His massive credits include over two hundred episodes of Saved by the Bell, a popular teenage comedy still in re-runs, Mork and Mindy, Benson, Full House, among many other hits he has directed over the years and has a ton of stories to tell during his lectures.

Mr. Barnhart still directs, the latest being the DGA's recent Meet the Nominees. Tom Hooper won this year's award for "The King's Speech".

For more information and a look-see into the three novel's content, please go to his website, donlewisbarnhart.com for full disclosure. His three works are available on Amazon, Kindle and all e-book outlets. Signed copies are available off his web, of course.

Mr. Barnhart has recently finished his third novel titled, 'Crooked Road, Straight'. His first novel, 'Jacks and the Jills' and his second novel, 'Our Father's Sons', were completed in 2007 and 2009. Three more are set to follow. He loves the writing process and has created a number of screenplays and television concepts. Don's movie company, MaxxaM Entertainment, is currently in the arduous task of securing funds to produce his original screenplay, 'Vegas Wedding Blues', which he is set to direct.

Prior to his current writing career, Mr. Barnhart has Directed, Assistant Directed and Stage Managed hundreds of Network television shows in all formats, including single and multiple cameras, on stage and on locations, featuring book shows, musicals and commercials.

His directing credits include, but not all, Mork & Mindy, Benson, Full House, Hardknocks, pilots; Here To Stay and The O'Brians. He also directed 85 episodes of the syndicated series, Comedy Break, multiple episodes of Down To Earth, Safe At Home, Rocky Road, Madam's Place and a three hour live Network show entitled Celebrate America.

He's also had the privilege of directing eight (8) seasons of the extremely popular NBC Network teen-age series, Saved By The Bell (over 200 hundred episodes seen here and in 85 countries during its hey-day and is currently still on the air!) Plus, three (3) seasons of California Dreams (over 40 episodes) to boot.

When 'SBTB' became a huge success, Mr. Barnhart directed the NBC Movie of the Week, "Saved By The Bell, Hawaiian Style' to huge ratings. Swapping a Speedo for snowshoes, he traveled to Montreal, Canada to direct multiple episodes of Fox's popular teen-age show, Student Bodies.

Don recently finished his ninth year of directing the annual "Meet The Nominees' for the Director's Guild of America and in 1996 received the prestigious Franklin J. Schaffner Award. He has also had the wild and unique experience of directing both Robin Williams and Jonathan Winters at the same time. No award for that, however, but he did learn some comedy.

If you're scoring, it's well over 350 directed shows.

Earlier, as an Assistant director, Don worked on many TV specials. Among them, the Johnny Cash, Frank Sinatra and Ringo Starr specials. He has logged over 1000 hours of the daytime drama, General Hospital and never called in sick. His additional film AD work includes, McCloud, The Bionic Woman and Beretta, where, in retrospect, maybe he should've made a call...