Murray Lerner

Directing • 1927-05-08 • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Murray Lerner (May 8, 1927 – September 2, 2017) was an American documentary and experimental film director, best known for his Oscar-winning work on the 1981 documentary feature From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China. He earned another nomination in 1968 for the documentary Festival, which featured performances, interviews and conversations at the Newport Folk Festival. He also helmed films featuring Leonard Cohen, Jethro Tull, Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis. Additionally, Lerner wrote, produced and directed episodes of the series NET Journal and produced and helmed the television documentaries Listening to You: The Who at the Isle of Wight 1970 and The Other Side of the Mirror: Bob Dylan at the Newport Folk Festival. In 2009, he was nominated for a Grammy Award, in the category of best long form music video, for "Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who."