He began his directing career at Columbia Pictures, where from 1946-49 he worked on "12-day wonders" ("B" pictures shot on a 12-day schedule). From there he moved on to MGM where for another six years he directed more "B" pictures, albeit on a larger budget. He established an independent production company in 1959, releasing through United Artists. From 1960-67 he worked under contract for United Artists. His first major hit was the western Giorno maledetto (1955) (a pet project of MGM production head Dore Schary), which he shot in just three weeks, wrapping up virtually every scene in a single take. His motto was, "Take one for spontaneity".
