Celebrity Graveland

August 5, 1906 – August 28, 1987

John Marcellus Huston was an amateur boxer, painter, horseback rider, actor, writer, master of hounds and ballet dancer. He also dabbled in directing films.

One of the true “artists” in Hollywood history, Huston’s work as a director is a laundry list of some of the greatest cinematic treasures of all time: The Maltese Falcon, The African Queen, The Asphalt Jungle, The Misfits, Prizzi’s Honor and The Red Badge of Courage…just to name a few. Known as a sort of rebel in the industry, Huston relied heavily on his training and passion for painting to shape and meticulously compose gorgeous shots and stitch them together, with minimal editing, to create stunning masterpieces. He was nominated for 15 Oscars, winning twice – both for The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (writing and directing). Continue reading →

June 21, 1944 – August 19, 2012

Tony Scott was one of the biggest movie directors in Hollywood in the 1980s and ’90s. Following in the footsteps of his older brother, Ridley, Scott was part of the British infusion (please note…NOT “invasion”) of directors at the time. Like many of his contemporaries, he began working in advertising making popular, well-liked commercials. Once in America, his first feature, The Hunger – and an ad he made for Saab – caught the eye of producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Bruckheimer tapped Scott to direct 1986’s Top Gun. It was a massive hit and a string of successful action movies and thrillers followed. He went on to direct blockbusters like True Romance, Crimson Tide, Enemy of the State and Man on Fire among many others. He produced films and TV shows with his brother and frequently collaborated with stars like Denzel Washington and Brad Pitt. Continue reading →

August 12, 1881 – January 21, 1959

In the closing moments of Billy Wilder‘s 1950 masterpiece, Sunset Boulevard, a deranged Norma Desmond (played by Gloria Swanson,) believing she is making a triumphant return to film-making, utters one of the most memorable lines in all of moviedom: “Alright, Mr. DeMille. I’m ready for my close-up.” The iconic meta moment naturally featured director DeMille – THE name in filmmaking for decades – as himself aiding the charade from behind the camera. Cecil Blount de Mille was the first celebrity director in Hollywood. In fact, he was the first director AT ALL in Hollywood, choosing the previously-unremarkable neighborhood to shoot his films in when he migrated west from New York in 1913. DeMille parlayed his early career as a stage actor and relationships with his entrepreneurial friends (Jesse Lasky and Samuel Goldwyn) into a booming silent film production business. Continue reading →