“Filmmaking is a chance to live many lifetimes.”
—Robert Altman
If you have watched television in the past five decades, you likely are being influenced by the work of Robert Altman. From big budget movies, to TV shows that are a part of television history like M*A*S*H, Altman is truly a legendary Missourian and an American icon.
Robert Bernard Altman was born on February 20, 1925, in Kansas City. He was the first-born child of a well-to-do family, who allowed Robert to attend private schools for most of his life. Robert bounced around various Catholic schools before landing at the prestigious Rockhurst High School.
He also spent time at Southwest High School and Wentworth Military Academy in Lexington, where he remained through his first few years of college. After finishing his studies at Wentworth, Altman shipped off to become a B-24 pilot in the Air Force.
Even at the age of 20, Altman was already writing stories and screenplays. His military service put his pursuit of a career in film on hold for a few years, but he was soon back in Kansas City working for the Calvin Film Company around 1950. The company was started by his grandfather, which provided Robert a training ground for which to develop his skills.
He left for California but then returned to Calvin Films numerous times throughout his life. While working in Kansas City, Altman directed a number of films for local companies and a few feature films as well. His first feature was The Delinquents, followed later the same year by The James Dean Story.
His next step in California was a big one when he was chosen by Alfred Hitchcock to direct a few episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. That opportunity opened more doors for the young director, including TV series like The Millionaire, Combat!, and Bonanza. He also started his own production firm in 1963. Altman was proving that he had a big career ahead of him.
In 1969, Hollywood writers were circulating a movie script about a Korean War medical unit. More than a dozen directors had rejected the story, but the dark humor of the script interested Altman. He decided to take the project and turned the movie (which became known as M*A*S*H) into a huge box office success. The film won awards at the Cannes Film Festival, was nominated for five Academy Awards, and even won an Oscar.
He followed the success of M*A*S*H with Brewster McCloud and a Western called McCabe and Mrs. Miller. Actors bought into his philosophy of directing, which earned him the reputation as an “actor’s director.” That reputation allowed him to assemble a large ensemble cast for his next commercially successful film, Nashville, in 1975. Nashville won two Oscars and was nominated for three others, including Best Director and Best Picture.
Altman produced nearly a dozen more movies for the big and small screens in the 1980s. His legacy was further cemented in 1992, when he reached what some say is the pinnacle of his directing career with The Player.
The Player took a critical look at Hollywood and the hypocrisy of the movie industry. It was a box office success and a big hit with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The movie was nominated for three Oscars, including yet another nod for Best Director.
Altman died in 2007 from leukemia, with an amazing 38 feature films under his direction.
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