Hal Ashby
Hal Ashby (born September 2, 1929 in Ogden , Utah , † December 27, 1988 in Malibu , California ) was an American film director and film editor .
life and work
Ashby's Mormon parents divorced early. He lived with his father, who then took his own life (Hal found his body). Ashby was divorced at 19 when he decided to move to California from Utah. Although he had no higher education, he still got a job in the press department at Universal . Having arrived in the film business, he soon worked as an assistant editor at several film studios.
His first independent work as a film editor was Cincinnati Kid by Norman Jewison . For the film In the Heat of the Night , also directed by Jewisons , Ashby received an Oscar in 1968 in the category of Best Editing .
Working with Jewison eventually led him to direct. He made his debut as a director in 1970 with the film The Homeowner , which made him one of the protagonists of New Hollywood . His second film, Harold and Maude , appeared to be a failure at first, but later became a classic. The love story of the deathly longing young Harold (played by Bud Cort ) and the defiant old lady Maude (played by Ruth Gordon ) still attracts viewers to the cinemas today.
In the 1980s Ashby could no longer build on his earlier successes. In 1987 he directed the pilot Beverly Hills Buntz , a spin-off from the Beverly Hills Blues series . The film was a flop.
Hal Ashby died in 1988 of complications from cancer.
Filmography (selection)
Director
- 1970: The homeowner (The Landlord)
- 1971: Harold and Maude (Harold and Maude)
- 1973: The Last Detail (The Last Detail)
- 1975: Shampoo (Shampoo)
- 1976: This Land is My Land (Bound for Glory)
- 1978: Coming Home - You are returning home (Coming Home)
- 1979: Welcome Mr. Chance (Being There)
- 1980: Second-Hand Hearts
- 1981: Rocks Off - The Rolling Stones US-Tour '81 (Let's Spend the Night Together)
- 1982: Two in the Ink (Lookin 'to Get Out)
- 1985: The Slugger's Wife
- 1986: 8 Million Ways to Die
cut
- 1965: Death in Hollywood (The Loved One)
- 1965: Cincinnati Kid (The Cincinnati Kid)
- 1966: The Russians are coming! The Russians are Coming! (The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming)
- 1967: In the Heat of the Night
- 1968: Thomas Crown is unbelievable (The Thomas Crown Affair)
- 1969: Gaily, Gaily (Gaily, Gaily)
Awards
- Oscar
- 1967 : nominated in the category Best Editing for The Russians are coming! The Russians are Coming!
- 1968 : Oscar for Best Editing for In the Heat of the Night
- 1979 : Nominated in the category Best Director for Coming Home - You are returning home
- 1976: Nominated in the category of best film - comedy or musical for Shampoo
- 1977: Nominated for Best Film - Drama and Best Director for This Land is My Country
- 1979: Nominated in the category of Best Film - Drama and Best Director for Coming Home - Sie kehren heim
- 1980: Nominated in the categories of Best Film - Comedy or Musical and Best Director for Willkommen Mr. Chance
- 1975: Nominated in the Best Film category for The Last Command
- 1981: Nominated in the Best Picture category for Welcome Mr. Chance
- further film awards
- 1974: Golden ear of the Semana Internacional de Cine de Valladolid for Harold and Maude
- 1978: Award of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association in the category Best Film for Coming Home - Coming Home
- 1979: Gilde Film Prize in gold for Coming Home - you are returning home
Web links
- Hal Ashby in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Biography on film-zeit.de
- English-language essay on the work of Hal Ashby
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Ashby, Hal |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American film director and editor |
| DATE OF BIRTH | September 2, 1929 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Ogden , Utah |
| DATE OF DEATH | December 27, 1988 |
| Place of death | Malibu , California |