Marty Callner, Director of Iconic Aerosmith Music Video, Dead at 78

If you spent any time glued to MTV in the 1980s, chances are you’ve seen Marty Callner’s work. He was the mastermind behind some of the most unforgettable and over-the-top rock music videos of that decade—and his legacy is still felt today. Callner passed away on March 17 at the age of 78 from natural causes at his home in Malibu, his family confirmed to Rolling Stone.
From iconic music videos to groundbreaking comedy specials, Callner had a career full of bold moves, big ideas, and a whole lot of attitude.

The Man Behind the Hair, Heels, and Hype

Callner helped define the look and energy of ‘80s rock. He directed legendary music videos for Whitesnake (“Here I Go Again”), Cher (“If I Could Turn Back Time”), Aerosmith (“Love in an Elevator,” “Dude Looks Like a Lady,” and the Alicia Silverstone trilogy), Poison (“Every Rose Has Its Thorn”), and many more.

Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider said it best:

“The more over the top you were, the better it was for MTV, and Marty had that sense of bombast and blowing everything up. He made commercials for rock & roll and that lifestyle, and he was selling it to the world.”

Callner didn’t just direct videos—he brought them to life with flair. Snider recalled one wild idea:

“At one point, he got it into his mind that I was going to knock out an elephant like with the horse in Blazing Saddles. His production manager came over to me and said, ‘Try to get him to take the elephant off the board — it’s too expensive!’ I sat Marty down and he sadly pulled it off the wall. But he wanted everything to be over the top.”

From Celtics Games to Comedy Gold

Before Callner shook up the music world, he cut his teeth directing Boston Celtics games and commercials. He later helped launch the stand-up comedy boom on HBO with 1975’s An Evening with Robert Klein.

“Nobody had ever really done standup on TV before,” Callner said. “I had come from directing Boston Celtics games, so I did it like it was a sporting event. It was crude, there weren’t enough closeups, but it worked.” He added, “At the time it was kind of revolutionary that someone could actually come out and say shit on TV.”

That special sparked a wave of comedy specials, including breakout moments for Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, Steve Martin, and a young Jerry Seinfeld. Callner also played a key role in bringing Paul Reubens (a.k.a. Pee-wee Herman) into the spotlight.

The Rock Video Revolution

Callner’s sports director instincts translated perfectly into the chaotic energy of ‘80s music videos. “There are no rules in rock video,” he said in 1987. “You can experiment and play with film and have a good time. You can get as weird as you want.”

He leaned into that weirdness and added his signature touch of glam, sex appeal, and humor. “That’s what I think rock & roll is all about,” Callner once said. “That’s what kids relate to. Hopefully we’re not gratuitous about it. I’m not really the Russ Meyer of rock videos. I don’t want you to think it’s sex for sex’s sake—although it is and it isn’t, if you know what I mean. It’s not a lot of skin; it’s all attitude.”

Still, that attitude occasionally got him in trouble. In 1989, MTV started restricting airplay for some of his risqué videos, including Aerosmith’s “Love in an Elevator” and Cher’s “If I Could Turn Back Time.” Callner didn’t hold back:

“It creates censorship in art around the country. We don’t know what the line really is. I really feel that five years ago I had more creative freedom and expression than I do now.”

Callner’s Lasting Legacy

In later years, Callner and his company, Cream Cheese Films, transitioned to directing concert films for everyone from Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks to Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake. He earned 12 Emmy nominations—including one for Will Ferrell’s You’re Welcome America: A Final Night With George W. Bush—and two Grammy nods.

Marty Callner was a trailblazer with a wild eye and an even wilder imagination. Whether he was shaking up comedy or blowing minds with rock videos, he made sure you remembered his work.