Who was Marty Callner? 'If I Could Turn Back Time' music video director dies at 78

Marty Callner, the director behind music videos, concert shows, and comedy specials and also the creator of HBO's reality sports documentary series Hard Knocks, was announced dead on Monday, March 17, 2025.

The announcement came from Marty's representative, and they confirmed that the director died of natural causes at his residence in Malibu. The nominee for the MTV Video Music Award began his journey working in the news department of Cincinnati’s WCPO-TV, and then there was no turning back for Marty.

Following the news of his passing, several people who worked with or knew Marty posted a Rest in Peace post and shared the good times they spent with the director.

Who was Marty Callner?

The renowned music director, best known for his work on the music video If I Could Turn Back Time, is well-known for its daring visuals. This video had Cher, also known as the Goddess of Pop, on a battleship. Marty's work in this video, from the creative striking to the memorable imagery, was widely acclaimed.

Marty Callner was also famous for his work on many live concert specials, which included directing shows for stars like Madonna and others from the 1990s and 2000s. Some of the shows he directed include The Girlie Show: Live Down Under, NSYNC's performance at Madison Square Garden, and Britney Spears' Live From Las Vegas.

Other than directing concert shows, Marty, in 1981 also directed The Pee-Wee Herman Show, which was a live stage performance show that combined music, comedy, and theater. After making a great name in directing comedy videos, Marty moved towards music videos, where he worked with several great stars.

He worked for Paul Simon, where he helped him with music videos and live performance specials, which took Simon's sound and stage presence to a wider audience. He also worked with Diana Ross and Liza Minnelli.

Marty Callner's other notable work includes the music video direction for the single We’re Not Gonna Take It by Twisted Sister, which was released in 1984; Here I Go Again, a song by the rock band Whitesnake; and the power ballad Every Rose Has Its Thorn by the glam metal band Poison.

After the news of his passing, this is what Dane Cook had to say about him in his X post:

''I don’t have all the words right now. I’m heartbroken. You had the astonishing ability to take the best of a creative person and highlight it, define it with them all the while capturing it with your stellar team.''

Despite being nominated for the Prime Emmy Awards several times, Marty Callner never won an award, but that didn't dim his shine. His work spoke for itself, and he became one of the significant behind-the-scenes figures in the entertainment industry.