William D. Russell was an American film and television director. Born in Indianapolis, Indiana on April 30, 1908, he began his Hollywood career with the 1945 film Hollywood Victory Caravan. His career in film ended with his last film, 1951's Best of the Badmen. In the early fifties he began directing for television with Screen Gems, and his many credits include episodes of Father Knows Best (he was with the show from 1954 to 1956), Dennis the Menace, Perry Mason, Hazel, Bewitched, the Farmer's D ...