John Francis " Jon" Cassar (born 27 April 1958) is a Maltese-Canadian television director and producer, known for his work on the first seven seasons of 24. In 2006, he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for his work on the episode "". In 2011, he produced and directed all episodes of the Canadian-American miniseries The Kennedys, for which he won the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Television Film and was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Miniseries or Movie.
Early life
Jon Francis Cassar was born in
Malta on 27 April 1958, and immigrated to
Canada in 1963 with his mother, Elda (née Segona), and father, Frank Cassar.
He has two younger siblings, Bernard Cassar and Kristine Palsis. Cassar is a graduate of Algonquin College in
Ottawa,
Ontario.
Career
After
La Femme Nikita ended, for which he directed 14 episodes, Cassar began working as director and executive producer on the FOX drama-thriller series
24. In 2006, he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for the episode "".
In addition, he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series four years in a row (2003–06), winning one in 2006.
He directed the spin-off feature film,
, in 2008. Following the completion of the seventh season of
24, Cassar left the series to focus on other projects. He joined the FOX science fiction series
Terra Nova in 2010, as a producer and director.
In 2012, Cassar won the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Television Film and the Directors Guild of Canada Award for Outstanding Direction – Television Movie/Miniseries for his work on the 2011 miniseries The Kennedys.
Personal life
Cassar is married to Kristina Kinderman with whom he has two children: photographer Zak Cassar and actor Alexis "Lex" Cassar.
Zak is married to singer
Betty Who and Lex's wife is actress
Sprague Grayden.
He is the co-founder of the Motion Picture Industry Charitable Alliance, which hosts an annual charity auction called "Lights, Camera, Auction".
Filmography
Director credits
Television
-
Rabbit Hole (2023; 1 episode)
-
(2023–2024; 2 episodes)
-
(2023–2025; 2 episodes)
-
FBI (2022–2025; 3 episodes)
-
(2018; first four episodes of the second season)
-
The Orville (2017–2019; 3 episodes)
-
(2017; 4 episodes)
-
(2017; 3 episodes)
-
Wicked City (2015; 8 episodes)
-
Between (2015; 2 episodes)
-
(2014; 6 episodes)
-
Nikita (2013; episode: "Reunion")
-
Revolution (2012–2013; 2 episodes)
-
Person of Interest (2012; episode: "Bad Code")
-
Continuum (2012; 2 episodes)
-
Touch (2012; episode: "Tessellations")
-
Terra Nova (2011; 5 episodes)
-
The Kennedys (2011; 8 episodes)
-
Human Target (2010; episode: "Lockdown")
-
Fringe (2009–2012; 2 episodes)
-
Washington Field (2009; unsold pilot)
-
Criminal Minds (2009; episode: "Haunted")
-
Company Man (2007; unsold pilot)
-
24 (2001–2009; 59 episodes)
-
The Dead Zone (2002; 2 episodes)
-
Mutant X (2001–2002; 3 episodes)
-
Sheena (2000–2001; 3 episodes)
-
Queen of Swords (2000; 2 episodes)
-
(2000; episode: "Death Trap")
-
(2000; episode: "GeoCore")
-
Profiler (1999; 2 episodes)
-
Amazon (1999; episode: "Fallen Angels")
-
La Femme Nikita (1997–2001; 14 episodes)
-
(1997; episode: "Medea")
-
Baywatch Nights (1996–1997; 4 episodes)
-
Due South (1996; episode: "Body Language")
-
The Hardy Boys (1995; 2 episodes)
-
Pointman (1995; 5 episodes)
-
Nancy Drew (1995; 4 episodes)
-
(1994–1996; 12 episodes)
-
Forever Knight (1992–1996; 7 episodes)
Film
-
When the Bough Breaks (2016)
-
Forsaken (2015)
-
(2008)
-
Danger Beneath the Sea (2001)
-
Assault on Death Mountain (1999)
-
CHiPs '99 (1998)
-
The Ultimate Weapon (1998)
-
Assault on Devil's Island (1997)
-
The Final Goal Part 2: Final Goalier (1996)
-
The Final Goal (1995)
Producer credits
-
The Orville (2019–present; 14 episodes; Executive producer from Season 2)
-
(2017; 12 episodes)
-
(2017; 4 episodes)
-
Wicked City (2015; 8 episodes)
-
Rio Heat (2015)
-
(2014; 12 episodes)
-
Terra Nova (2011; 13 episodes)
-
The Kennedys (2011; 8 episodes)
-
(2008)
-
(2007; 5 episodes)
-
24 (2002–2009; 147 episodes)
Camera credits
-
PCU (1994; camera operator)
-
Trapped in Paradise (1994; camera operator)
-
Clearcut (1992; Steadicam and camera operator)
-
The Cutting Edge (1992; camera operator)
-
Termini Station (1991; camera operator)
-
Millennium (1989; Steadicam operator)
-
The Dream Team (1989; Steadicam operator)
Awards and nominations
|
|
| 1998 | Gemini Awards | Best Direction in a Dramatic Series | La Femme Nikita | |
| 2003 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Drama Series | 24 | |
| 2004 | |
| Directors Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Television | |
| Outstanding Directing – Drama Series | |
| 2005 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Drama Series | |
| 2006 | |
| Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series | |
| Golden Nymph Awards | Best International Producer | |
| Producers Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama | |
| 2007 | |
| Directors Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Directing – Drama Series | |
| 2009 | Producers Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television | | |
| 2011 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Miniseries or Movie | The Kennedys | |
| 2012 | Directors Guild of Canada Awards | Outstanding Direction – Television Movie/Miniseries | |
| Outstanding Television Movie/Miniseries | |
| Producers Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television | |
| Directors Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Directing – Television Film | |
| 2013 | Gemini Awards | Best Direction in a Dramatic Series | Continuum | |
|
External links
