Melvin Damski (born July 21, 1946 in New York, New York) is an American director and producer of film and television. Mel Damski (born in New York, New York) is an American film director and film producer. Damski has Northern European Jewish heritage, one of four children of German refugee parents. Damski grew up in Roslyn, Long Island, New York and attended Colgate University on a football scholarship. He was a reporter for Long Island Newsday before moving to Los Angeles to attend the AFI Conservatory in 1972. Damski was the Producing-Director of Psych. In addition to his long directing career, including 29 movies and scores of episodes, he has taught film and television at NYU, USC and AFI. He is also President of Lyrique Wine Company, a small family owned winery.