Peter H. Hunt, Director of 1776, Dies at 81

BroadwayWorld is saddened to report that Peter H. Hunt, director and lighting designer for the theatre, has died. He was 81 years old. Hunt was best known as the director of both the stage and screen versions of the musical 1776. The Los Angeles Times confirmed the director's passing on Tuesday.

Hunt began his career as a lighting designer at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in 1958. He served as Artistic Director in 1989 until 1995. In 1969, he helmed the Broadway musical 1776, winning the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for his efforts. Following 1776, he directed Georgy, which closed after just 4 performances.

In 1975, Hunt received his second Tony nomination for Goodtime Charley. His most recent Broadway credit was The Scarlet Pimpernel in 1997. He has gone on to direct multiple benefit shows for the Actors Fund, including staged readings of Sunset Boulevard and Casablanca.

In addition to the screen adaptation of 1776, he worked on the film Give 'em Hell, Harry! Hunt has directed multiple movies made for television, including four based on the Hart to Hart series, Dead Man's Island, and episodes of Baywatch, Baywatch Nights, and Touched by an Angel. He was producer-director of four of the feature adaptations in the Mark Twain Series on PBS.