If the veteran director/producer, who died Oct. 31 at age 77, hadn't been hired to save the Oscars from the Rob Lowe-Snow White debacle, then the show might not have ever hired Billy Crystal, who, in February, will be back to rescue the telecast from the back-to-back James Franco-Brett Ratner messes. Fortunately, it all worked out. For the Oscars. For Cates. For movie fans.