Joseph “Joe” Dea, a music video director, reality TV director and four-time Emmy winner, died aged 71 on Sunday March 13 of glioblastoma, which is a form of brain cancer. The video pioneer has five entries in Rolling Stone Magazine’s All-Time Top 100 Videos and was integral to MTV's early success. His wife, Melissa Force confirmed the news on her Facebook writing simply: "Joe died today," alongside a picture of the couple smiling in happier times.The couple only married on January 29 this year afer 24 years together.

Tributes flooded in for the iconic directing legend. "Damn, so sorry to hear...funny and talented guy, we worked together in the '80s and recently would run into each other at TV Academy events. Shocked and sad, condolences to everyone," one wrote. "A wonderful spirit has left this place but will always be with us. We'll miss you Joe Dea," another penned. "So sad to hear this. My thoughts and prayers for his family. He was a very talented individual," a third chimed in.

"What a loss. An extremely talented guy whose work lives on. Two triple cheese side order of fries was brilliant," a fourth opined.

"Oh, that’s sad news! He was a remarkable human being, an artist, witty and imaginative. I feel lucky to have known him.He was always wonderful to work for and with. He was one of the good guys," a fifth commented.

"Oh no, I am so sorry to hear this. I had the pleasure of working with Joe many moons ago on numerous projects that he directed," a sixth shared.

Joe was founding member of the groundbreaking comedy, music video and alternative news production company Videowest. This led him to creating segments for magazine shows like USA’s TakeOFF and ABC’s Backstage Pass, to OnTV’s Rock ONTV and later segments for MTV’s music news.

As a music video director he was hands on conceptualising, designing and directing more than 30 clips, five of which are included in Rolling Stone Magazine’s All-Time Top 100 Videos.  Jeopardy and Happy Man by Greg Kihn are on the list along with Krokus’ Screaming in the Night, which was the first heavy metal video to air in prominent rotation on MTV.

His work on the video for Two Triple Cheese, Side Order of Fries for Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen in 1980 won an Emmy and earned the video a spot in Rolling Stone Magazine’s Music Video Hall of Fame and a place in the permanent collection of New York’s Museum of Modern Art.

In the late 1980s he made the move to prime time TV Dea where his directing credits include prime-time network specials for NBC and Fox such as Masters of Illusion: The Wizards of Special Effects and The World’s Greatest Stunts. He was also the senior director on TLC’s long-running hit, A Wedding Story.

He occassionally stepped out from behind the camera and Dappeared on-screen, co-hosting the History Channel’s What Went Down, and even did a stint as background talent on daytime soap The Young and the Restless. 

He is survied by his wife  stepdaughter Tamara Miller; stepson Dylan Miller and six step-grandchildren; and sisters Elaine Dea and Maureen Dea.