PIONEER, Calif. — William Witney, a director of dozens of Westerns, movie serials and TV shows, died Sunday from complications following a series of strokes. He was 86.

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During a 40-year career, Witney worked on two dozen serials, including the popular "Lone Ranger," "Dick Tracy" and "Captain Marvel" shows. He directed more than 60 feature films, many of them 1940s and 1950s B-Westerns, along with hundreds of episodes of TV shows such as "Lassie," "Wagon Train" and "Bonanza." His last movie was "Darktown Strutters" in 1975.

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