Hollywood Mourns the Quiet Force Behind TV’s
1. Early Career
Michael Preece, who died at 88, began in early television as a script supervisor on classics
like True Grit and How the West Was Won.
He built his craft by learning “to listen more than he spoke”
and by quietly studying how moments came alive on screen.
2. Rise to Director
When he shifted to directing, that same quiet focus defined his work.
Colleagues recall that he was rarely the loudest on set, yet often the one who “saved the day.”
3. Television Legacy
Across Walker, Texas Ranger, Dallas, Baywatch, MacGyver, and more,
Preece was valued for his calm under pressure, patience,
and sharp story instincts, especially when “time and money were running out.”
4. Family and Influence
Beyond television, he devoted himself to a large multigenerational family who knew him
not as a TV legend but as “the steady center of their world.”
