He was most noted for his collaborations with actor Paul Newman, whom he directed in Cool Hand Luke (1967), WUSA (1970), Pocket Money (1972), and The Drowning Pool (1975).
[1] After advancing to film editor, he began directing with episodes of the television series Decoy (1957–1959), starring Beverly Garland as an undercover police woman.
Following the U.S.-German co-production Question 7 (1961), filmed in West Berlin, Rosenberg shot the 1965 TV movie Memorandum for a Spy and the 1966 telefilm Fame Is the Name of the Game, then made his major-studio debut with the Paul Newman hit Cool Hand Luke (1967).
Among his students were Todd Field, Darren Aronofsky, Mark Waters, Scott Silver, Doug Ellin and Rob Schmidt.
He was survived by his wife Margot Pohoryles, whom he had met at New York University; son Benjamin Rosenberg, a first assistant director; as well as four grandchildren.