Having finally found acclaim as a writer/director with critical successes like The Defiant Ones (1958) after a brief period serving as a producer for others at Columbia on films such as Death of a Salesman (1951), The Juggler (1953), and The Wild One (1953), Stanley Kramer took it upon himself to follow-up his politically controversial nuclear war drama On the Beach (1959) with yet another topically contentious production – Inherit The Wind. Based on the stage play of the same name written by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee, the film fictionalizes the famed 1925 Scopes “Monkey” Trial, in which a high school teacher named John Scopes was accused of violating Tennessee’s Butler Act, which made it unlawful to teach Darwin’s Theory of Evolution in any state-funded school. Riding high on the creation/evolution controversy, as well as a genius ploy to exploit the witch hunt narrative to discuss the dangers of McCarthyism, which had previously seen Nedrick Young,...
- 1/13/2015
- by Jordan M. Smith
- IONCINEMA.com
Don Keefer, a versatile character actor for six decades who starred in the original 1949 Broadway production of Death of a Salesman and made an indelible impression as “a bad man, a very bad man” on The Twilight Zone, has died. He was 98. Keefer, a founding member of the legendary Actors Studio in New York, died Sept. 7 of natural causes in his Sherman Oaks home, his son, Don M. Keefer, told The Hollywood Reporter. Keefer is perhaps best known to audiences as the terrorized, Perry Como-starved man who can't help but think “bad thoughts” during his birthday
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- 9/25/2014
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Kevin McCarthy‘s name might be familiar in Hollywood — his home state is California — and thanks to House of Cards, the job he just left is known to many more Americans than it once was. But the new No. 2 in the U.S. House of Representatives is definitely not a man of Hollywood. He’s not the strong-jawed actor who appeared in about 100 movies, including Death of A Salesman and Invasion Of The Body Snatchers. That Kevin McCarthy died in 2010 at 96. No, this Kevin McCarthy is a Bakersfield Republican, whose conservative Central Valley district is big on oil, agriculture and defense. His 23rd District includes the far northern Los Angeles […]...
- 6/20/2014
- Deadline
A newly restored version of Death of a Salesman will be the first in a series of films shown as part of a centennial celebration of the life and work of postwar American cinema director-producer Stanley Kramer, who would have been 100 years old on Sept. 29. Kramer died in 2001 but many of his movies have survived the test of time. He was a champion of social issues and was oftentimes called "the moral compass of Hollywood." The series is fittingly named Champion: The Stanley Kramer Centennial. Among the films being screened at the Billy Wilder Theater
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- 8/8/2013
- by Bryn Elise Sandberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A celebration of legendary filmmaker Stanley Kramer will kick off Friday, Aug. 9 with a newly restored print of “Death of a Salesman" at the Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer Museum in Westwood, Calif. It is the first of 15 of Kramer’s films that will be presented over the coming weeks as part of the series "Champion: The Stanley Kramer Centennial,” running through Sept. 29—Kramer’s 100th birthday. The celebration is presented by the UCLA Film & Television Archive and the Hugh M. Hefner Classic American Film Program and will include guest appearances by Louis Gossett Jr., Tippi Hedren, and Fred Willard, among many others. Some of the fims screening include the Oscar-winners “High Noon,” “The Defiant Ones,” and “Cyrano de Bergerac.” A full schedule is available here. As a director and producer, Kramer was responsible for 35 films, many of which made stars of unknowns and were often viewed as...
- 8/7/2013
- backstage.com
Linda Darnell, Ann Sothern, Jeanne Crain, A Letter to Three Wives DGA Awards vs. Academy Awards Pt.2: Foreign, Small, Controversial Movies Have Better Luck at the Oscars Since pre-1970 Directors Guild Award finalists often consisted of more than five directors, it was impossible to get an exact match for the DGA's and the Academy's lists of nominees. In the list below, the years before 1970 include DGA finalists (DGA) who didn't receive an Academy Award nod and, if applicable, those Academy Award-nominated directors (AMPAS) not found in the — usually much lengthier — DGA list. The label "DGA/AMPAS" means the directors in question received nominations for both the DGA Award and the Academy Award. The DGA Awards vs. Academy Awards list below goes from 1948 (the DGA Awards' first year) to 1952. Follow-up posts will cover the ensuing decades. The number in parentheses next to "DGA" indicates that year's number of DGA finalists if other than five.
- 1/10/2012
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Here's some sad news to report for you film fans: notable character actor Kevin McCarthy passed away over the weekend. He was 96 years old. Although most well known for his lead role in the original The Invasion of the Body Snatchers, McCarthy led a lengthy career, working steadily even in recent years. After starting his career on Broadway, he transitioned into film where he quickly made a name for himself, earning an Oscar nomination for Death of a Salesman. He worked with directors as varied as John Huston, Robert Altman, and Joe Dante, providing solid performances in each film he appeared. Funny enough, I think the first film I remember seeing him in was the Weird Al Yankovic vehicle Uhf and it's probably one of my most remembered roles of his. He's so over-the-top as the villain of the film and you can tell he's having fun with the material.
- 9/14/2010
- by Aaron
- FilmJunk
We remember the classic performance of veteran actor Kevin McCarthy in the 1956 classic Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, who sadly passed away at the weekend.
We're sad to report the passing of one of Us cinema's great actors, Kevin McCarthy.
The star of classic 50s sci-fi Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, McCarthy was a veteran of dozens of stage and screen productions, and memorably starred alongside Marilyn Monroe in The Misfits, her last film appearance before her death in 1962.
McCarthy won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his turn in the 1951 adaptation of Death Of A Salesman, and later made memorable appearances in Twilight Zone: The Movie, as well as Joe Dante's The Howling and Innerspace.
It was his role as Dr Miles Bennell in Don Siegel's Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, however, that has proved the most enduring, and it's rightly regarded as a genre classic.
We're sad to report the passing of one of Us cinema's great actors, Kevin McCarthy.
The star of classic 50s sci-fi Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, McCarthy was a veteran of dozens of stage and screen productions, and memorably starred alongside Marilyn Monroe in The Misfits, her last film appearance before her death in 1962.
McCarthy won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his turn in the 1951 adaptation of Death Of A Salesman, and later made memorable appearances in Twilight Zone: The Movie, as well as Joe Dante's The Howling and Innerspace.
It was his role as Dr Miles Bennell in Don Siegel's Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, however, that has proved the most enduring, and it's rightly regarded as a genre classic.
- 9/14/2010
- Den of Geek
Prolific actor and Oscar nominee Kevin McCarthy passed away on Saturday in a Cape Cod hospital at the age of 96.
McCarthy quickly left an indelible footprint on Hollywood's long history. After establishing himself on the Broadway stage, the 30-something actor found his big Hollywood break. Elia Kazan cast him as Biff in a London production of 'Death of a Salesman,' which led to a cinematic version that earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. (The role did win him a Golden Globe for "Most Promising Newcomer.") However, though he quickly made a splash in Hollywood, it was his work some five years later -- in a film the AFI calls one of the Top Ten science fiction films of all time -- where he truly left his mark, starring as Dr. Miles Bennell in 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers.'
Filed under: Obits
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McCarthy quickly left an indelible footprint on Hollywood's long history. After establishing himself on the Broadway stage, the 30-something actor found his big Hollywood break. Elia Kazan cast him as Biff in a London production of 'Death of a Salesman,' which led to a cinematic version that earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. (The role did win him a Golden Globe for "Most Promising Newcomer.") However, though he quickly made a splash in Hollywood, it was his work some five years later -- in a film the AFI calls one of the Top Ten science fiction films of all time -- where he truly left his mark, starring as Dr. Miles Bennell in 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers.'
Filed under: Obits
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- 9/13/2010
- by Monika Bartyzel
- Cinematical
The world of horror and science fiction movies lost one of its totemic actors on Saturday when, according to the Los Angeles Times, Kevin McCarthy died at the age of 96. McCarthy was never really a household name, but he starred in a raft of genre classics including 1978′s Piranha, 1981′s The Howling, and most famously, the seminal 1956 sci-fi movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers, in which aliens attempt to turn the human race into emotionless “pod people.” He was a hugely talented character actor who made whatever he appeared in watchable and could help elevate good material into the realm of the truly great.
- 9/13/2010
- by Clark Collis
- EW.com - PopWatch
(Sorry about the ad at the end here, but the picture quality on this one beats all the other versions I could find.)
"Kevin McCarthy, the veteran stage and screen actor best known for his starring role as the panicked doctor who tried to warn the world about the alien 'pod people' who were taking over in the 1956 science-fiction suspense classic Invasion of the Body Snatchers, died Saturday," reports Dennis McLellan for the Los Angeles Times. "During a career that spanned more than 70 years, beginning on stage in New York in the late 1930s, McCarthy played Biff Loman opposite Paul Muni's Willy in the 1949 London production of Death of a Salesman. Reprising his role in the 1951 film version opposite Fredric March, he earned a supporting-actor Oscar nomination and won a Golden Globe as most promising male newcomer."...
"Kevin McCarthy, the veteran stage and screen actor best known for his starring role as the panicked doctor who tried to warn the world about the alien 'pod people' who were taking over in the 1956 science-fiction suspense classic Invasion of the Body Snatchers, died Saturday," reports Dennis McLellan for the Los Angeles Times. "During a career that spanned more than 70 years, beginning on stage in New York in the late 1930s, McCarthy played Biff Loman opposite Paul Muni's Willy in the 1949 London production of Death of a Salesman. Reprising his role in the 1951 film version opposite Fredric March, he earned a supporting-actor Oscar nomination and won a Golden Globe as most promising male newcomer."...
- 9/13/2010
- MUBI
"Can't you see, everyone?! They're here already! You're next!" Kevin McCarthy, who issued that frantic warning in the 1950s sci-fi classic Invasion of the Body Snatchers, died Saturday, it was reported today. He was 96. McCarthy was nominated for a 1951 Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Death of a Salesman, and employed in enough TV shows and movies to leave behind one of IMDb.com's lengthier pages. But no single screen credit of McCarthy's left a greater legacy than Body Snatchers. The low-budget, low-tech, black-and-white flick, in which McCarthy reaches the unbelievable conclusion that his small-town friends and neighbors have been coopted by space aliens...
- 9/13/2010
- E! Online
Actor Kevin McCarthy died aged 96 years old at Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, Massachusetts yesterday, it has been announced.
McCarthy cemented his status in Don Siegel’s original Invasion of the Body Snatchers in 1956. He mouthed one of the most famous lines in sci-fi cinema: “They’re already here. You’re next!”
Much has been made since its release of the political subtext, but McCarthy rubbished such intentions and stated back in 1997:
“There was no assignment of political points of view when we were making the film. People began to think of McCarthyism later. I thought it was really about the onset of a kind of life where the corporate people are trying to tell you how to live, what to do, how to behave.”
McCarthy was an Oscar-nominated star (Death of A Salesman, 1951) who acted alongside Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable in The Misfits.
He reprised his most...
McCarthy cemented his status in Don Siegel’s original Invasion of the Body Snatchers in 1956. He mouthed one of the most famous lines in sci-fi cinema: “They’re already here. You’re next!”
Much has been made since its release of the political subtext, but McCarthy rubbished such intentions and stated back in 1997:
“There was no assignment of political points of view when we were making the film. People began to think of McCarthyism later. I thought it was really about the onset of a kind of life where the corporate people are trying to tell you how to live, what to do, how to behave.”
McCarthy was an Oscar-nominated star (Death of A Salesman, 1951) who acted alongside Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable in The Misfits.
He reprised his most...
- 9/12/2010
- by Martyn Conterio
- FilmShaft.com
If we could kiss, cuddle, and embrace Shout! Factory until we both weep, I think that we would. After reading the following news, we're fairly certain you'll want to join in on our video induced love fest.
From the Press Release
Just when you thought it was safe to take a dip in the water again…they’re baaaack! This summer rediscover two enduring Roger Corman underwater thrillers filled with unstoppable action and edge-of-your-seat suspense as Joe Dante’s Piranha and Humanoids from the Deep, directed by Barbara Peters, debut August 3, 2010 for the first time on Special Edition Blu-ray and DVD from Shout! Factory, in association with New Horizons Picture Corporation. These two definitive Special Edition home entertainment releases from Roger Corman’s Cult Classics are sure to cause a feeding frenzy among thrill seekers and loyal fans of Roger Corman and Joe Dante. Piranha Special Edition offers two highly...
From the Press Release
Just when you thought it was safe to take a dip in the water again…they’re baaaack! This summer rediscover two enduring Roger Corman underwater thrillers filled with unstoppable action and edge-of-your-seat suspense as Joe Dante’s Piranha and Humanoids from the Deep, directed by Barbara Peters, debut August 3, 2010 for the first time on Special Edition Blu-ray and DVD from Shout! Factory, in association with New Horizons Picture Corporation. These two definitive Special Edition home entertainment releases from Roger Corman’s Cult Classics are sure to cause a feeding frenzy among thrill seekers and loyal fans of Roger Corman and Joe Dante. Piranha Special Edition offers two highly...
- 5/26/2010
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
The following is a list of Los Angeles-area stage and film acting schools, teachers, and acoaches organized by category and alphabetically.Each of the entries contains the following information, if applicable: name of teacher or school; address; phone and fax numbers; email address and/or website; average number of students per class; whether beginning, intermediate, or advanced students are taught; whether auditing is permitted; whether classes are ongoing or by sessions; any special emphasis used in classes or coaching; whether a work/study program is offered. Descriptions of the class, schoool, or coaching are provided by the instructor or institutions and edited by Back Stage.Schools or teachers who have been omitted may contact, in writing, Listings, c/o Back Stage, 5055 Wilshire Blvd., 6th floor, Los Angeles, CA 90036, so that we may include you in our next list.Acting Technique/Scene StudyAARON McPherson STUDIOWest Hollywood, CA aaron@aaronmcphersonstudio.comwww.aaronmcphersonstudio.
- 3/25/2010
- backstage.com
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