---
name: "Robert Mandel"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/robert-mandel"
fi1m_id: "robert-mandel"
imdb_id: "nm0541677"
tmdb_id: 43786
wikidata_id: "Q3091066"
roles: ["Director"]
born: "1 January 1945"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_fi1m_score: 78
average_as: "director"
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-09-23T14:05:10.184224+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Robert Mandel

## Identity

Robert Mandel

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/robert-mandel
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** robert-mandel
- **IMDb ID:** nm0541677
- **TMDB ID:** 43786
- **Wikidata ID:** Q3091066
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Mandel, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3091066, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0541677/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/43786

Director. Born 1 January 1945 in Oakland, California, U.S..

## Details

- **Work:** Director
- **Born:** 1 January 1945, Oakland, California, U.S.
- **Active:** 1993–2005
- **Frequently works with:** [Kevin Hooks](https://film.one/person/kevin-hooks.md), [Bobby Roth](https://film.one/person/bobby-roth.md), [Bryan Spicer](https://film.one/person/bryan-spicer.md), [Dwight H. Little](https://film.one/person/dwight-h-little.md), [Eric Laneuville](https://film.one/person/eric-laneuville.md), [Fred Gerber](https://film.one/person/fred-gerber.md), [Graham Roland](https://film.one/person/graham-roland.md), [Greg Yaitanes](https://film.one/person/greg-yaitanes.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 78, as director, over 3 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 84 (1), 2000s 74 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 78 to 65 across 3 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Genres:** Action & Adventure 2, Crime 2, Drama 2, Mystery 2, Sci-Fi & Fantasy 1
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Mandel, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3091066, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0541677/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/43786

## Streaming the US now

- **Disney+:** [*The X-Files*](https://film.one/tv/the-x-files.md) (84), [*Lost*](https://film.one/tv/lost.md) (81), [*Prison Break*](https://film.one/tv/prison-break.md) (68)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Robert Mandel is an American film and television director and producer. Born in Oakland, California, in 1945, he began his career directing theatre before moving into film.

He directed the pilot episode of *The X-Files* (1993) as well as episodes of *Lost* (2004), *Prison Break* (2005), *Nash Bridges* (1996) and *The Practice* (1997). His feature films include *F/X* (1986), *School Ties* (1992) and *The Substitute* (1996). *School Ties* included early film roles for Brendan Fraser, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Cole Hauser and Chris O'Donnell.

Mandel served as dean of the AFI Conservatory from 2005 to 2014.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (3)

- *Prison Break* (2005), Fi1m 68, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/prison-break.md)
- *Lost* (2004), Fi1m 81, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/lost.md)
- *The X-Files* (1993), Fi1m 84, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-x-files.md)

## Complete filmography (28)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Game of Silence* (2016), series, Director
- *Prison Break* (2005), series, Director — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/tv/prison-break.md)
- *Lost* (2004), series, Director — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/lost.md)
- *The Secret Life of Zoey* (2002), Director
- *A Season on the Brink* (2002), Director
- *Hysteria: The Def Leppard Story* (2001), Director
- *WW3* (2001), Director
- *The District* (2000), series, Director
- *Thin Air* (2000), Director
- *The Practice* (1997), series, Director
- *The Substitute* (1996), Director
- *Nash Bridges* (1996), series, Director
- *Special Report: Journey to Mars* (1996), Director, Co-Executive Producer
- *Kansas* (1995), Director
- *The X-Files* (1993), series, Director — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-x-files.md)
- *School Ties* (1992), Director
- *The Haunted* (1991), Director
- *Perfect Witness* (1989), Director
- *Hard Time on Planet Earth* (1989), series, Director
- *Big Shots* (1987), Director
- *Touch and Go* (1986), Director
- *F/X* (1986), Director
- *Welcome Home, Jellybean* (1984), Director
- *CBS Schoolbreak Special* (1984), series, Director
- *Andrea's Story: A Hitchhiking Tragedy* (1983), Director
- *Independence Day* (1983), Director
- *Nights at O'Rears* (1980), Director, Producer
- *ABC Afterschool Special* (1972), series, Director

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/robert-mandel