Bruce Kessler, ‘The Monkees’ Director & Race Car Driver, Dies at 88

Bruce Kessler, a racing driver who moved into film and television following retirement, with credits including The Monkees and The A-Team, has died. He was 88.

As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Kessler passed away on Thursday, April 4, at his home in Marina del Rey following a brief illness, according to his brother, author and columnist Stephen Kessler.

Born on March 23, 1936, in Seattle, Washington, Kessler moved with his family to Beverly Hills, California, at an early age. He developed a love for cars and began participating in the Sports Car Club of America races at 16 years old. He was also a team driver with Chuck Daigh for the Scarab race cars built by his close friend Lance Reventlow in the late 1950s.

Through racing, Kessler became friends with actors James Dean and Steve McQueen. Kessler was one of the last people to speak to Dean before his tragic death on September 30, 1955; the pair were scheduled to meet up in Paso Robles, California, before Dean’s fatal car crash.

Kessler himself suffered serious injuries after a crash in 1958 when he was driving a Ferrari in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. A year later, he ended up in a coma following a racing accident in Pomona, California. After another crash in 1962, Kessler retired from racing.

Bruce Kessler (left) with actor Steve McQueen before a 1959 race in Pomona, California; Photo by CBS via Getty Images

He transitioned into film and television, directing and producing the 1962 documentary The Sound of Speed about the Scarab race car. This would lead to further work, often as a technical advisor on racing and chase sequences for action movies.

In 1966, Kessler directed four episodes of the hit sitcom The Monkees. This would lead to more TV directing work, with credits including The Flying Nun, It Takes a Thief, Marcus Welby, M.D., The Rockford Files, McCloud, CHiPs, The Greatest American Hero, Mike Hammer, The Commish, and Hunter.

He also directed the movies Angels From Hell (1968), Killers Three (1968), The Gay Deceivers (1969), King of the Witches (1971), and several TV movies, including Murder in Peyton Place (1977).

His last directing credit came on the 1990s syndicated police drama Renegade.

Outside of his directing work, Kessler helped design the first recreational motor yacht for the company Delta Marine alongside naval architect Steve Seaton. The vessel launched in 1985.

He is survived by his wife of 33 years, retired actress Joan Freeman, and his brothers, Stephen and Rick Kessler.