We will probably never see a motion picture phenomenon like George Lucas' "Star Wars" ever again. The United States was still shaking off its Vietnam War hangover in the mid-1970s, and while the top filmmakers of the New Hollywood were mostly attracted to edgy material that explored its characters' damaged psyches, audiences were in the mood to escape. Steven Spielberg's "Jaws" offered emphatic proof of this mindset during the summer of 1975 when it briefly became the highest-grossing movie in U.S. box office history.
Lucas' space opera was an altogether different kind of sensation. The briskly paced yarn about a young farm boy who discovers he might be the galaxy's savior ignited the imaginations of kids the world over, and Lucas deepened the viewer's immersion by employing an array of pioneering special effects and wildly inventive creature/production designs. "Star Wars" was world-building on a scale that matched "The Wizard of Oz,...
Lucas' space opera was an altogether different kind of sensation. The briskly paced yarn about a young farm boy who discovers he might be the galaxy's savior ignited the imaginations of kids the world over, and Lucas deepened the viewer's immersion by employing an array of pioneering special effects and wildly inventive creature/production designs. "Star Wars" was world-building on a scale that matched "The Wizard of Oz,...
- 12/2/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Jerome Hellman, an Oscar-winning producer of films such as “Midnight Cowboy” and “Coming Home,” has died. He was 92.
Hellman’s wife, Elizabeth Empleton Hellman, first told Deadline that he died on May 26, saying, “We will miss him terribly.” No cause of death was given. Hellman’s widow did not return TheWrap’s request for comment.
Jerome Hellman was a producer on seven films throughout his career between the 1960s and 1980s, and those movies earned a total of 17 Oscar nominations and six wins. He himself won an Oscar in 1969 when “Midnight Cowboy,” John Schlesinger’s X-rated drama starring Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight, won Best Picture. The film was considered a long shot at the Oscars, considering its bleak subject matter of crime, prostitution and homosexuality, and he once told the Los Angeles Times that he was so certain they would lose that he hadn’t even prepared a speech.
Hellman’s wife, Elizabeth Empleton Hellman, first told Deadline that he died on May 26, saying, “We will miss him terribly.” No cause of death was given. Hellman’s widow did not return TheWrap’s request for comment.
Jerome Hellman was a producer on seven films throughout his career between the 1960s and 1980s, and those movies earned a total of 17 Oscar nominations and six wins. He himself won an Oscar in 1969 when “Midnight Cowboy,” John Schlesinger’s X-rated drama starring Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight, won Best Picture. The film was considered a long shot at the Oscars, considering its bleak subject matter of crime, prostitution and homosexuality, and he once told the Los Angeles Times that he was so certain they would lose that he hadn’t even prepared a speech.
- 5/28/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Jerome Hellman, the producer behind “Midnight Cowboy” and “Coming Home,” died on Wednesday, his wife Elizabeth Empleton Hellman confirmed. He was 92.
His work on landmark films helped define the new Hollywood of the 1970s. From 1964 to 1986, Hellman collaborated with notable directors including John Schlesinger on “The Day of the Locust” and “Midnight Cowboy,” Irvin Kershner on “A Fine Madness,” Hal Ashby on “Coming Home,” Peter Weir on “The Mosquito Coast” and George Roy Hill on “The World of Henry Orient.”
On the 1969 best picture winner “Midnight Cowboy,” Hellman was known to have advocated for Dustin Hoffman despite Schlesinger’s wishes. The film, which was X-rated, broke ground by portraying homosexuality, prostitution and nudity on the big screen.
In 1979, Hellman was set to team up with Schlesinger again for “Promises in the Dark,” but when the director dropped out, Hellman took the reins and made the film his directorial debut.
That same year,...
His work on landmark films helped define the new Hollywood of the 1970s. From 1964 to 1986, Hellman collaborated with notable directors including John Schlesinger on “The Day of the Locust” and “Midnight Cowboy,” Irvin Kershner on “A Fine Madness,” Hal Ashby on “Coming Home,” Peter Weir on “The Mosquito Coast” and George Roy Hill on “The World of Henry Orient.”
On the 1969 best picture winner “Midnight Cowboy,” Hellman was known to have advocated for Dustin Hoffman despite Schlesinger’s wishes. The film, which was X-rated, broke ground by portraying homosexuality, prostitution and nudity on the big screen.
In 1979, Hellman was set to team up with Schlesinger again for “Promises in the Dark,” but when the director dropped out, Hellman took the reins and made the film his directorial debut.
That same year,...
- 5/28/2021
- by Ethan Shanfeld
- Variety Film + TV
Jerome Hellman, the producer of landmark films such as Midnight Cowboy and Coming Home has died. The Oscar winner’s wife, Elizabeth Empleton Hellman, confirmed Hellman’s May 26 passing saying simply, “we will miss him terribly.” He was 92.
Hellman’s films helped define the “New Hollywood” of the 1970s. He tended to work repeatedly with a circle of top-notch collaborators and the films Hellman produced came from iconic directors such as John Schlesinger, Hal Ashby, George Roy Hill, Irvin Kershner and Peter Weir.
That Hellman would win Best Picture for Schlesinger’s Midnight Cowboy in 1970 was, at the very least, improbable. Hellman was going through a tough divorce. The film was based on a little-known novel. Schlesinger didn’t think Dustin Hoffman was right to play Ratso Rizzo. But Hellman fought for the Graduate actor. Also, the film was X-rated and dealt with homosexuality, prostitution and a gritty slice of...
Hellman’s films helped define the “New Hollywood” of the 1970s. He tended to work repeatedly with a circle of top-notch collaborators and the films Hellman produced came from iconic directors such as John Schlesinger, Hal Ashby, George Roy Hill, Irvin Kershner and Peter Weir.
That Hellman would win Best Picture for Schlesinger’s Midnight Cowboy in 1970 was, at the very least, improbable. Hellman was going through a tough divorce. The film was based on a little-known novel. Schlesinger didn’t think Dustin Hoffman was right to play Ratso Rizzo. But Hellman fought for the Graduate actor. Also, the film was X-rated and dealt with homosexuality, prostitution and a gritty slice of...
- 5/28/2021
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Jerome Hellman, who won an Oscar for producing the only X-rated movie to ever win best picture, John Schlesinger’s Midnight Cowboy, has died. He was 92.
Hellman died Wednesday at his home in South Egremont, Massachusetts, after a long illness, his wife, Elizabeth Hellman, told The Hollywood Reporter. He suffered a stroke 12 years ago, she said.
Hellman also received another best picture Oscar nom for producing Hal Ashby’s Coming Home (1978), winner of three Academy Awards.
He produced seven features during his career, also including George Roy Hill’s The World of Henry Orient (1964), Irvin Kershner’s A Fine Madness (1966),...
Hellman died Wednesday at his home in South Egremont, Massachusetts, after a long illness, his wife, Elizabeth Hellman, told The Hollywood Reporter. He suffered a stroke 12 years ago, she said.
Hellman also received another best picture Oscar nom for producing Hal Ashby’s Coming Home (1978), winner of three Academy Awards.
He produced seven features during his career, also including George Roy Hill’s The World of Henry Orient (1964), Irvin Kershner’s A Fine Madness (1966),...
- 5/28/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Jerome Hellman, who won an Oscar for producing the only X-rated movie to ever win best picture, John Schlesinger’s Midnight Cowboy, has died. He was 92.
Hellman died Wednesday at his home in South Egremont, Massachusetts, after a long illness, his wife, Elizabeth Hellman, told The Hollywood Reporter. He suffered a stroke 12 years ago, she said.
Hellman also received another best picture Oscar nom for producing Hal Ashby’s Coming Home (1978), winner of three Academy Awards.
He produced seven features during his career, also including George Roy Hill’s The World of Henry Orient (1964), Irvin Kershner’s A Fine Madness (1966),...
Hellman died Wednesday at his home in South Egremont, Massachusetts, after a long illness, his wife, Elizabeth Hellman, told The Hollywood Reporter. He suffered a stroke 12 years ago, she said.
Hellman also received another best picture Oscar nom for producing Hal Ashby’s Coming Home (1978), winner of three Academy Awards.
He produced seven features during his career, also including George Roy Hill’s The World of Henry Orient (1964), Irvin Kershner’s A Fine Madness (1966),...
- 5/28/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
He felt angry. He felt exploited. He was no fan of James Bond.
Amidst all the tributes to Sean Connery published this week, none of them captured the fiercely intense character I encountered in November 1966. Having completed his fourth Bond, Thunderball, Connery had abruptly changed course by playing a hard-drinking failed poet in a small movie appropriately titled A Fine Madness. Most important, he was determined to sign off on the Bond franchise and prepare to direct his first play.
He had set up our meeting through a producer, who was a mutual friend, but, sitting down, he announced: “This is not an interview.“ I told him that was fine by me, but I was not sure exactly what “it” was then.
“A conversation,” he replied. “The personal publicity thing has lost all sense of balance,” he explained. “Actors utter these inanities. A magazine would ask me to pose for photos in a mockup kitchen.
Amidst all the tributes to Sean Connery published this week, none of them captured the fiercely intense character I encountered in November 1966. Having completed his fourth Bond, Thunderball, Connery had abruptly changed course by playing a hard-drinking failed poet in a small movie appropriately titled A Fine Madness. Most important, he was determined to sign off on the Bond franchise and prepare to direct his first play.
He had set up our meeting through a producer, who was a mutual friend, but, sitting down, he announced: “This is not an interview.“ I told him that was fine by me, but I was not sure exactly what “it” was then.
“A conversation,” he replied. “The personal publicity thing has lost all sense of balance,” he explained. “Actors utter these inanities. A magazine would ask me to pose for photos in a mockup kitchen.
- 11/4/2020
- by Peter Bart
- Deadline Film + TV
By Lee Pfeiffer
Sir Sean Connery has passed away at age 90. One of the few remaining genuine legends of the film industry, Connery's passing will seem surrealistic to his legions of international fans, as he somehow seemed immortal. Connery overcame a humble upbringing in Edinburgh, Scotland to emerge as a cinematic icon. As young man, he entered the Royal Navy but his stint was short-lived, as he was released from service due to health issues. He later dabbled in weight lifting and was Scotland's candidate in the Mr. Universe contest. Connery drifted into acting quite by chance after someone suggested he audition for a chorus role in a London stage production of "South Pacific". He got the part and the acting bug got the better of him and he became determined to make it his profession. Connery secured bit roles in low-budget British films without making much of an impact,...
Sir Sean Connery has passed away at age 90. One of the few remaining genuine legends of the film industry, Connery's passing will seem surrealistic to his legions of international fans, as he somehow seemed immortal. Connery overcame a humble upbringing in Edinburgh, Scotland to emerge as a cinematic icon. As young man, he entered the Royal Navy but his stint was short-lived, as he was released from service due to health issues. He later dabbled in weight lifting and was Scotland's candidate in the Mr. Universe contest. Connery drifted into acting quite by chance after someone suggested he audition for a chorus role in a London stage production of "South Pacific". He got the part and the acting bug got the better of him and he became determined to make it his profession. Connery secured bit roles in low-budget British films without making much of an impact,...
- 10/31/2020
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Sean Connery, the Scottish-born actor who rocketed to fame as James Bond and became one of the franchise’s most popular and enduring international stars, has died. He was 90.
Connery, long regarded as one of the best actors to have portrayed the iconic spy, was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000 and marked his 90th birthday in August. His death was confirmed by his family, who said that the actor “died peacefully in his sleep surrounded by family” in the Bahamas. It’s believed he had been unwell for some time. His last acting role had been in Stephen Norrington’s “The League of Extraordinary Gentleman” (2003).
Connery was an audience favorite for more than 40 years and one of the screen’s most reliable and distinctive leading men. The actor was recently voted the best James Bond actor in an August Radio Times poll in the U.K. More than 14,000 voted...
Connery, long regarded as one of the best actors to have portrayed the iconic spy, was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000 and marked his 90th birthday in August. His death was confirmed by his family, who said that the actor “died peacefully in his sleep surrounded by family” in the Bahamas. It’s believed he had been unwell for some time. His last acting role had been in Stephen Norrington’s “The League of Extraordinary Gentleman” (2003).
Connery was an audience favorite for more than 40 years and one of the screen’s most reliable and distinctive leading men. The actor was recently voted the best James Bond actor in an August Radio Times poll in the U.K. More than 14,000 voted...
- 10/31/2020
- by Richard Natale and Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
Personal Shopper and Twilight actress Kristen Stewart has been cast in the independent political thriller, Against All Enemies, in the role of Saint Joan actress Jean Seberg.
Stewart joins Anthony Mackie, who will portray a civil rights activist and Jack O’Connell who has been cast as an FBI agent assigned to surveil the actress. Margaret Qualley and Colm Meaney will also star. Una director, Benedict Andrews will take the helm on a script by Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse.
Also in the news – Madonna set to direct feature adaptation Taking Flight
The story will focus on attempts by the FBI to discredit Seberg through its Cointelpro program in retaliation for her support of the Black Panther Party. Those efforts included creating a false story in 1970 that the child Seberg was carrying was not fathered by her husband, but by a member of the Black Panther Party.
Seberg, whose career...
Stewart joins Anthony Mackie, who will portray a civil rights activist and Jack O’Connell who has been cast as an FBI agent assigned to surveil the actress. Margaret Qualley and Colm Meaney will also star. Una director, Benedict Andrews will take the helm on a script by Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse.
Also in the news – Madonna set to direct feature adaptation Taking Flight
The story will focus on attempts by the FBI to discredit Seberg through its Cointelpro program in retaliation for her support of the Black Panther Party. Those efforts included creating a false story in 1970 that the child Seberg was carrying was not fathered by her husband, but by a member of the Black Panther Party.
Seberg, whose career...
- 3/15/2018
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
With a title like this you know it has to be good. Irvin Kershner got his start directing on this small-scale tale of kids and crime. Jonathan Haze and Abby Dalton are standouts in the cast, while the uncredited executive producer who put up the cash is said to have been Roger Corman. It's a beautiful widescreen transfer -- the film was one of the first features shot by Haskell Wexler, who is also uncredited. Stakeout on Dope Street DVD-r The Warner Archive Collection 1958 / B&W / 1:85 widescreen / 83 min. / Street Date June 22, 2016 / available through the WBshop / 21.99 Starring Yale Wexler, Jonathon Haze, Morris Miller (Stever Marlo), Abby Dalton, Allen Kramer, Herman Rudin, Philip Mansour, Andrew J. Fenady, Herschel Bernardi, Coleman Francis. Cinematography Mark Jeffrey (Haskell Wexler) Film Editor Melvin Sloan Original Music Richard Markowitz Story and Screenplay by Andrew J. Fenady, Irvin Kershner, Irvin Schwartz Produced by Andrew J. Fenady Directed...
- 9/25/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
By the time Mad Men ends next year – the final season, which debuts on Sunday April 13th on AMC, will be split into two Breaking Bad-style runs – there will have been 92 episodes of unmatched TV, covering the entirety of the 1960s. Though the series has focused on an advertising agency and the people who work there, according to Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner, the show has always been more about the lessons of that era, from the British Invasion through the crashing of the counterculture wave with the election of Richard Nixon.
- 4/8/2014
- Rollingstone.com
Joanne Woodward on TCM: Rachel, Rachel; Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams Schedule (Et) and synopses from the TCM website: 6:00 Am Count Three And Pray (1955) A Westerner turns preacher to overcome his shady past. Dir: George Sherman. Cast: Van Heflin, Joanne Woodward, Phil Carey. C-102 mins. 7:45 Am Rally Round The Flag, Boys! (1958) The arrival of an Army missile base shatters the peaceful life of a suburban town. Dir: Leo McCarey. Cast: Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Joan Collins. C-107 mins, Letterbox Format. 9:45 Am Paris Blues (1961) Two jazz musicians deal with romantic problems in Paris. Dir: Martin Ritt. Cast: Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Sidney Poitier. C-99 mins, Letterbox Format. 11:30 Am Signpost To Murder (1964) A convicted murderer, who escaped from a mental institution, hides out in the home of a woman whose husband is missing. Dir: George Englund. Cast: Joanne Woodward, Stuart Whitman, Edward Mulhare. Bw-77 mins, Letterbox Format. 1:00 Pm...
- 8/16/2011
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Even Mel Gibson and a puppet that talks like Ray Winstone can't lift unmitigated misery into big-screen magic
Is it faintly conceivable that "a hopelessly depressed individual" would outsource his psyche to a garrulous glove puppet to distance himself from "the negative aspects of his personality"? Not really. Depression isn't like that.
The Beaver gets it right in its first few minutes, when Mel Gibson's Walter has yet to place his trust in rodent therapy. Then, all he does is stare vacantly at the ceiling from the marital bed or lie comatose on a lilo or a couch. That's pretty convincing. For depression doesn't prompt weird and imaginative behaviour; its manifestations are as dreary as its impact on the lives of its victims.
We frequently hear the complaint that cinema perpetuates "myths and stereotypes" about mental illness. Its "pervasive negative portrayals" are accused of having "harmful effects". Well, the...
Is it faintly conceivable that "a hopelessly depressed individual" would outsource his psyche to a garrulous glove puppet to distance himself from "the negative aspects of his personality"? Not really. Depression isn't like that.
The Beaver gets it right in its first few minutes, when Mel Gibson's Walter has yet to place his trust in rodent therapy. Then, all he does is stare vacantly at the ceiling from the marital bed or lie comatose on a lilo or a couch. That's pretty convincing. For depression doesn't prompt weird and imaginative behaviour; its manifestations are as dreary as its impact on the lives of its victims.
We frequently hear the complaint that cinema perpetuates "myths and stereotypes" about mental illness. Its "pervasive negative portrayals" are accused of having "harmful effects". Well, the...
- 6/20/2011
- by David Cox
- The Guardian - Film News
Chosen to direct The Empire Strikes Back, he turned in one of the best sequels – and highest box-office earners – of all time
The film director Irvin Kershner, who has died aged 87, was known in the trade as a hired gun. His most famous film, The Empire Strikes Back (1980), the fifth episode in the Star Wars saga, is most commonly linked to its executive producer, George Lucas. Never Say Never Again (1983) is celebrated as the film in which Sean Connery made his comeback as James Bond after 12 years away from the role, the director merely providing the vehicle. Kershner's first feature, Stakeout On Dope Street (1958), was made under the aegis of Roger Corman, who usually gained the main credit for the films he produced. Yet, eclectic as Kershner seemed, his best films reveal a visual flair, with an eye for the telling detail and a sympathy for the rebel.
The Philadelphia...
The film director Irvin Kershner, who has died aged 87, was known in the trade as a hired gun. His most famous film, The Empire Strikes Back (1980), the fifth episode in the Star Wars saga, is most commonly linked to its executive producer, George Lucas. Never Say Never Again (1983) is celebrated as the film in which Sean Connery made his comeback as James Bond after 12 years away from the role, the director merely providing the vehicle. Kershner's first feature, Stakeout On Dope Street (1958), was made under the aegis of Roger Corman, who usually gained the main credit for the films he produced. Yet, eclectic as Kershner seemed, his best films reveal a visual flair, with an eye for the telling detail and a sympathy for the rebel.
The Philadelphia...
- 11/30/2010
- by Ronald Bergan
- The Guardian - Film News
There was another death in the world of cinema yesterday, as director Irvin Kershner (1923 -2010) passed away at the age of 87 on November 27th, after a long illness.Kershner first started in the industry when Roger Corman hired him to directed “Stakeout on Dope Street”, in 1958. He later would direct a number of films, including “A Fine Madness” with Sean Connery in 1966, and “Up the Sandbox”...
- 11/30/2010
- by Anthony T
Filmmaker Irvin Kershner died at age 87 Saturday after a three year battle with lung cancer. Kershner began making documentaries for the U.S. Information Service in the early ’50s. After working in television, he co-scripted and directed his first feature, the crime drama Stakeout on Dope Street, for executive producer Roger Corman. Kershner started to make a name for himself in the mid ’60s with the Brian Moore adaptation The Luck of Ginger Coffey, the romantic satire A Fine Madness, and the marital-crisis drama Loving. However the director is best known for his big-budget action and adventure films such as The Empire Strikes Back, the James Bond film Never Say Never Again, and RoboCop II.
Star Wars creator/producer/director George Lucas issued a touching statement in memory of Kershner.
The statement was released on StarWars.com:
“The world has lost a great director and one of the most genuine...
Star Wars creator/producer/director George Lucas issued a touching statement in memory of Kershner.
The statement was released on StarWars.com:
“The world has lost a great director and one of the most genuine...
- 11/30/2010
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Director Irvin Kershner has died at the age of 87. The American moviemaker, best known for directing "Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back", passed away at his home in Los Angeles after a long illness. The news was confirmed by his goddaughter Adriana Santini on Monday, November 29.
Kershner began his career teaching photography at the University of Southern California, before stepping behind the camera to work on a number of TV shows and small screen movie "Stakeout On Dope Street" in 1958. His film career took off in the 1960s and he went on to direct a number of movies including "A Fine Madness" with Sean Connery in 1966, "Up the Sandbox" starring Barbra Streisand in 1972 and "The Return of a Man Called Horse" with Richard Harris in 1976.
He remains most famous for stepping behind the camera for the second "Star Wars" installment in 1980. After stepping away from the sci-fi franchise,...
Kershner began his career teaching photography at the University of Southern California, before stepping behind the camera to work on a number of TV shows and small screen movie "Stakeout On Dope Street" in 1958. His film career took off in the 1960s and he went on to direct a number of movies including "A Fine Madness" with Sean Connery in 1966, "Up the Sandbox" starring Barbra Streisand in 1972 and "The Return of a Man Called Horse" with Richard Harris in 1976.
He remains most famous for stepping behind the camera for the second "Star Wars" installment in 1980. After stepping away from the sci-fi franchise,...
- 11/30/2010
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
George Lucas will always be known as the genius behind Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Darth Vader. But it was Irvin Kershner, a professorial and genteel man of the old school, who directed the film most Star Wars aficionados consider the greatest chapter in the saga, 1980′s The Empire Strikes Back. It was to Kershner’s credit that he never jockeyed for the limelight or clawed for the credit. He was a quiet craftsman who believed in letting the images he put on screen speak for him. The news that Kershner passed away earlier today leaves a giant black hole...
- 11/29/2010
- by Chris Nashawaty
- EW.com - PopWatch
After a long illness, director Irving Kershner has died at his home at the age of 87, his goddaughter Adriana Santini informed Afp. Born in Philadelphia in 1923, Kershner started his career making documentaries before embarking on his directorial debut with 1958's Stakeout on Dope Street for producer Roger Corman. Kershner went on to direct 1966's A Fine Madness with actor Sean Connery and the 1990 sequel Robocop 2, but he is best known for directing 1980's Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back for writer-producer George Lucas. Lucas took notice of Kershner after he directed the 1978 thriller The Eyes of Laura Mars, which was written by horror director John Carpenter.
Next Showing:
Link | Posted 11/29/2010 by reelz
Irvin Kershner | Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back...
Next Showing:
Link | Posted 11/29/2010 by reelz
Irvin Kershner | Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back...
- 11/29/2010
- by reelz reelz
- Reelzchannel.com
The filmmaker, who also helmed the Bond flick 'Never Say Never Again' and 'Robocop 2,' passed away in Los Angeles.
By Tom Dichiara
Irvin Kershner
Photo: Jean-Christophe Verhaegen/ Afp/ Getty Images
Irvin Kershner, best known for directing the "Star Wars" sequel "The Empire Strikes Back," has died at the age of 87.
The filmmaker passed away at his Los Angeles home after a long bout with an unspecified illness, his goddaughter Adriana Santini told French news service Afp on Monday.
Born in 1923 in Philadelphia, Kershner studied music, painting and photography before turning his focus to filmmaking in the early 1950s. He got his start directing documentaries in Iran, Greece and Turkey for the United States Information Service, then returned to the States to develop the TV series "Confidential File" and "The Rebel."
Kershner made his feature directorial debut with "Stakeout on Dope Street" in 1958 and went on to direct a number of well-known films,...
By Tom Dichiara
Irvin Kershner
Photo: Jean-Christophe Verhaegen/ Afp/ Getty Images
Irvin Kershner, best known for directing the "Star Wars" sequel "The Empire Strikes Back," has died at the age of 87.
The filmmaker passed away at his Los Angeles home after a long bout with an unspecified illness, his goddaughter Adriana Santini told French news service Afp on Monday.
Born in 1923 in Philadelphia, Kershner studied music, painting and photography before turning his focus to filmmaking in the early 1950s. He got his start directing documentaries in Iran, Greece and Turkey for the United States Information Service, then returned to the States to develop the TV series "Confidential File" and "The Rebel."
Kershner made his feature directorial debut with "Stakeout on Dope Street" in 1958 and went on to direct a number of well-known films,...
- 11/29/2010
- MTV Movie News
The filmmaker, who also helmed the Bond flick 'Never Say Never Again' and 'Robocop 2,' passed away in Los Angeles.
By Tom Dichiara
Irvin Kershner
Photo: Jean-Christophe Verhaegen/ Afp/ Getty Images
Irvin Kershner, best known for directing the "Star Wars" sequel "The Empire Strikes Back," has died at the age of 87.
The filmmaker passed away at his Los Angeles home after a long bout with an unspecified illness, his goddaughter Adriana Santini told French news service Afp on Monday.
Born in 1923 in Philadelphia, Kershner studied music, painting and photography before turning his focus to filmmaking in the early 1950s. He got his start directing documentaries in Iran, Greece and Turkey for the United States Information Service, then returned to the States to develop the TV series "Confidential File" and "The Rebel."
Kershner made his feature directorial debut with "Stakeout on Dope Street" in 1958 and went on to direct a number of well-known films,...
By Tom Dichiara
Irvin Kershner
Photo: Jean-Christophe Verhaegen/ Afp/ Getty Images
Irvin Kershner, best known for directing the "Star Wars" sequel "The Empire Strikes Back," has died at the age of 87.
The filmmaker passed away at his Los Angeles home after a long bout with an unspecified illness, his goddaughter Adriana Santini told French news service Afp on Monday.
Born in 1923 in Philadelphia, Kershner studied music, painting and photography before turning his focus to filmmaking in the early 1950s. He got his start directing documentaries in Iran, Greece and Turkey for the United States Information Service, then returned to the States to develop the TV series "Confidential File" and "The Rebel."
Kershner made his feature directorial debut with "Stakeout on Dope Street" in 1958 and went on to direct a number of well-known films,...
- 11/29/2010
- MTV Music News
1926 – 2010
Veteran comic actor Leslie Nielsen, star of Airplane! and The Naked Gun, has died at the age of 84.
He died in hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he was being treated for pneumonia, his agent John S Kelly said.
Canadian-born Nielsen started out as a serious actor but in 1980, his role as a hapless doctor in the disaster spoof film Airplane! made him a comic star.
In all, he appeared in more than 100 films and had a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.
1923 – 2010
Irvin Kershner, director of Star Wars film The Empire Strikes Back, has died in Los Angeles aged 87, his agent has confirmed.
Kershner - who also directed James Bond film Never Say Never Again - died at home after a long illness, according to his goddaughter Adriana Santini.
Born in Philadelphia in 1923, Kershner trained as a musician before making documentaries and then features.
His other credits include Robocop...
Veteran comic actor Leslie Nielsen, star of Airplane! and The Naked Gun, has died at the age of 84.
He died in hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he was being treated for pneumonia, his agent John S Kelly said.
Canadian-born Nielsen started out as a serious actor but in 1980, his role as a hapless doctor in the disaster spoof film Airplane! made him a comic star.
In all, he appeared in more than 100 films and had a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.
1923 – 2010
Irvin Kershner, director of Star Wars film The Empire Strikes Back, has died in Los Angeles aged 87, his agent has confirmed.
Kershner - who also directed James Bond film Never Say Never Again - died at home after a long illness, according to his goddaughter Adriana Santini.
Born in Philadelphia in 1923, Kershner trained as a musician before making documentaries and then features.
His other credits include Robocop...
- 11/29/2010
- by noreply@blogger.com (Flicks News)
- FlicksNews.net
Irvin Kershner, who directed The Empire Strikes Back, has died at age 87. Many Star Wars fans consider this to be the high point of the series and bemoan the fact that Kershner never directed another film in the franchise. Kershner, who also dabbled in acting, made relatively few films for a man with a resume extending back to the 1950s. Among his movies: Up the Sandbox, The Eyes of Laura Mars, Robocop 2, Return of a Man Called Horse, A Fine Madness, The Luck of Ginger Coffee and The Flim-Flam Man. In 1983 he also directed the troubled James Bond remake of Thunderball titled Never Say Never Again which brought Sean Connery back to the role of 007 for one last time after a 12 year absence. For more and to view trailers for Nsna and Empire, as well as a link to a recent Vanity Fair interview with Kershner, click here...
- 11/29/2010
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Man behind arguably the best Star Wars adventure has died at the age of 87 after a long illness
Irvin Kershner, the Hollywood journeyman who directed the darkest – and arguably best – Star Wars adventure of them all has died after a long illness. He was 87.
Born in Philadelphia in 1923, Kershner made his feature debut with the 1958 teen thriller Stakeout on Dope Street. He worked steadily throughout the 1960s and 70s until George Lucas, impressed by his work on the Faye Dunaway thriller Eyes of Laura Mars, hired him to direct 1980's The Empire Strikes Back. While the director was seen by some as an unlikely choice to oversee the second instalment of the Star Wars franchise, Kershner's sombre, character-driven approach paid handsome dividends. "I like to fill up the frame with the characters' faces," he once explained. "There's nothing more interesting than the landscape of the human face."
Following the success of The Empire Strikes Back,...
Irvin Kershner, the Hollywood journeyman who directed the darkest – and arguably best – Star Wars adventure of them all has died after a long illness. He was 87.
Born in Philadelphia in 1923, Kershner made his feature debut with the 1958 teen thriller Stakeout on Dope Street. He worked steadily throughout the 1960s and 70s until George Lucas, impressed by his work on the Faye Dunaway thriller Eyes of Laura Mars, hired him to direct 1980's The Empire Strikes Back. While the director was seen by some as an unlikely choice to oversee the second instalment of the Star Wars franchise, Kershner's sombre, character-driven approach paid handsome dividends. "I like to fill up the frame with the characters' faces," he once explained. "There's nothing more interesting than the landscape of the human face."
Following the success of The Empire Strikes Back,...
- 11/29/2010
- by Xan Brooks
- The Guardian - Film News
Director Irvin Kershner has died at the age of 87.
The American moviemaker, best known for directing Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, passed away at his home in Los Angeles after a long illness.
The news was confirmed by his goddaughter Adriana Santini on Monday.
Kershner began his career teaching photography at the University of Southern California, before stepping behind the camera to work on a number of TV shows and small screen movie Stakeout On Dope Street in 1958.
His film career took off in the 1960s and he went on to direct a number of movies including A Fine Madness with Sean Connery in 1966, Up The Sandbox starring Barbra Streisand in 1972 and The Return Of A Man Called Horse with Richard Harris in 1976.
He remains most famous for stepping behind the camera for the second Star Wars installment in 1980.
After stepping away from the sci-fi franchise, Kershner directed Connery again in 1983's unofficial James Bond film Never Say Never Again and took the helm of RoboCop 2 in 1990.
The American moviemaker, best known for directing Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, passed away at his home in Los Angeles after a long illness.
The news was confirmed by his goddaughter Adriana Santini on Monday.
Kershner began his career teaching photography at the University of Southern California, before stepping behind the camera to work on a number of TV shows and small screen movie Stakeout On Dope Street in 1958.
His film career took off in the 1960s and he went on to direct a number of movies including A Fine Madness with Sean Connery in 1966, Up The Sandbox starring Barbra Streisand in 1972 and The Return Of A Man Called Horse with Richard Harris in 1976.
He remains most famous for stepping behind the camera for the second Star Wars installment in 1980.
After stepping away from the sci-fi franchise, Kershner directed Connery again in 1983's unofficial James Bond film Never Say Never Again and took the helm of RoboCop 2 in 1990.
- 11/29/2010
- WENN
Today was a sad one in the world of entertainment, and one passing was particularly poignant for film geeks. Irvin Kershner, the director of “The Empire Strikes Back” passed away today at the age of 87.
Kershner had a varied and interesting career that wasn’t filled with Hollywood blockbusters. He studied music and photography, and became a documentary director under the United States Information Service. He also developed a number of television shows and directed several feature films, including “The Return of a Man Called Horse,” “A Fine Madness,” and “Hoodlum Priest.”
But he is best known for directing “The Empire Strikes Back”, a job he nearly didn’t take.
Kershner was one of George Lucas’ former professors at USC School of Cinema-Television, and was apparently a little dismayed his student was trying to recapture the success of “Star Wars” in a sequel. He was even more surprised that Lucas...
Kershner had a varied and interesting career that wasn’t filled with Hollywood blockbusters. He studied music and photography, and became a documentary director under the United States Information Service. He also developed a number of television shows and directed several feature films, including “The Return of a Man Called Horse,” “A Fine Madness,” and “Hoodlum Priest.”
But he is best known for directing “The Empire Strikes Back”, a job he nearly didn’t take.
Kershner was one of George Lucas’ former professors at USC School of Cinema-Television, and was apparently a little dismayed his student was trying to recapture the success of “Star Wars” in a sequel. He was even more surprised that Lucas...
- 11/29/2010
- by Elisabeth Rappe
- NextMovie
Irvin Kershner - the man who gave us some of the most indelible moments in cinema history with The Empire Strikes Back - has died. He was 87.Kersh, as he was fondly known, died at his home following a long illness.He was, of course, best known for directing The Empire Strikes Back, arguably the greatest chapter in the Star Wars saga (and which celebrates its thirtieth anniversary this year). But Kershner also made contributions to other franchises, directing RoboCop 2 and Sean Connery's last appearance as James Bond in the 'unofficial' 007 flick, Never Say Never Again.Having fought in World War II, Kershner began his career by teaching film at the University of Southern California, but quickly made the move behind the camera via a detour as a stills photographer and TV director, calling the shots on Stakeout On Dope Street in 1958.A decent career followed, in which he...
- 11/29/2010
- EmpireOnline
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.