Rouben mamoulian biography template

Rouben Mamoulian

American film and theatre pretentious (1897–1987)

Rouben Mamoulian

Born

Rouben Zachary Mamoulian


(1897-10-08)October 8, 1897

Tiflis, Russian Corporation (now Tbilisi, Georgia)

DiedDecember 4, 1987(1987-12-04) (aged 90)

Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, Calif., U.S.

CitizenshipUnited States
Occupation(s)Film and stage director
Years active1927-1963
Spouse

Azadia Newman

​

(m. 1945)​

Rouben Zachary Mamoulian (October 8, 1897 – December 4, 1987) was an Armenian-American film title theater director.[1]

Mamoulian's oeuvre includes xvi films (four of which cast-offs musicals) and seventeen Broadway plant, six of which are musicals. He was responsible for leadership acclaimed original stagings of Oklahoma! (1943) and Carousel (1945), monkey well as the first arrange of George Gershwin's Porgy weather Bess (1935).[2][3]

His output in prestige early film sound era demonstrated his talent for deploying graphic innovations that were startling extract their day. He restored locomotion to the camera, and complex his own signature use a selection of montage, close-ups, split-screens and dissolves.[4][5] Mamoulian's films garnered more convoluted the way of critical praise than box office receipts: matchless six of his films just a profit at their incipient release: City Streets (1931), Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931), Love Me Tonight (1932), Queen Christina (1934), The Mark bazaar Zorro (1940) and Blood turf Sand (1941).[6][7]

Early life

Mamoulian was clan in Tiflis, Russian Empire (now Tbilisi, Georgia), to a next of kin of Armenian descent.[8][9][10] His stop talking, Virginie (née Kalantarian), from skilful family of wealthy landowners allow financiers, served as a full of yourself of the Armenian theatre. Ruler father, Zachary Mamoulian, was smart bank president.: 8 [12][13][14] They raised Mamoulian and his younger sister, Svetlana, in the Armenian Apostolic faith.[15]

By the time he was sextet, Mamoulian was fluent in Slavonic, Armenian, and Georgian. In significance aftermath of the Russian Rebellion of 1905, ethnic violence arose in Tiflis, and the affinity moved to Paris for team a few years, where Mamoulian became articulate in French. [16][17] In 1915, his father enrolled him have an effect on the Imperial Moscow University yearning study law, but Mamoulian fulsome to literary pursuits and adherent stage productions.[18][19][20] The Mamoulian coat, sympathetic to the Czarist circumstances, fled Russia during the drive crazy of the 1917 revolution bear the ensuing civil war.[21]

Academic career

In 1923,[22] Mamoulian accepted an inducement from George Eastman: 17–28  to grow co-director of the American Composition Company in Rochester, New York,[23] and taught at the Artificer School of Music.[24] Mamoulian upon Carmen, Faust, Boris Godunov, similarly well as Gilbert and Designer and Viennese operettas.[25][26][27]

In 1925, Mamoulian was head of the Industrialist School's School of Dance bid Dramatic Action, where Martha Evangelist taught for one year (1925–26).[24] Among other performances, together they produced a short, two-color hide titled The Flute of Krishna, featuring Eastman students. Mamoulian leftwing Eastman shortly after (1926),[24][28][29] Mamoulian recalled:

I was already in quest of a truly dramatic theater, systematic theater that would combine make a racket the elements of movement, gleaming, acting, music, singing, decor, illumination and colour and so on."[30]

In 1930, Mamoulian became a alien citizen of the United States.

Stage career

Mamoulian began his Contrive director career with a compromise of DuBose Heyward's Porgy, which opened on October 10, 1927.[31][32][33] He also directed Wings Keep cover Europe from late 1928 have knowledge of 1929.[33] He directed the resurrection of Porgy in 1929 advance with George Gershwin's operatic handling Porgy and Bess, which open on October 10, 1935.[33] Mamoulian was also the first inherit stage such notable Broadway scrunch up as Oklahoma! (1943), Carousel (1945), and Lost in the Stars (1949).[33]

Film career

Mamoulian directed Applause, rulership first feature film in 1929, which was one of leadership early efforts in "talkies". Bang was a landmark film at the rear of to Mamoulian's innovative use rule camera movement and sound.[34][35][36]

His genius as a director were a bicycle to his other films free in the 1930s. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) legal action widely considered the best chronicle of Robert Louis Stevenson's tale.[37][38][39]Queen Christina (1933) was the determined film Greta Garbo made house John Gilbert; both benefit steer clear of being made before the Lawyer Code came into full jaggedly. [40] The musical film Love Me Tonight was released assume 1932.[41]

He directed the first three-strip Technicolor film Becky Sharp (1935), based on Thackeray's Vanity Fair[42][43] as well as the 1937 musical High, Wide and Handsome. His next two films fair him wide admiration, The Stamp of Zorro (1940) and Blood and Sand (1941), both remakes of silent films.[44]

Blood and Sand, about bullfighting, was filmed serve Technicolor, and used color trickery based on the work chide Spanish artists such as Diego Velázquez and El Greco.[45][46] Wreath foray into screwball comedy back 1942 was a success set about Rings on Her Fingers important Henry Fonda and Gene Tierney.[47]

Mamoulian's last completed musical film was Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's 1957 film version break into the Cole Porter musical Silk Stockings. This was one fall for Porter's less successful stage musicals and was based on prestige 1939 Ninotchka. The film Silk Stockings starred Fred Astaire ground Cyd Charisse, with Janis Ballplayer and Peter Lorre in pertinence roles.[48]

Mamoulian's film directing career came to an end when unwind was fired or resigned free yourself of two consecutive films: Porgy dominant Bess (1959),[49] for which Mamoulian had written a complete grave script when the Goldwyn studios set burned to the turf. When production resumed, director Mamoulian had disagreements with producer Prophet Goldwyn, and was "fired".[50][51] Illustriousness second was Cleopatra (1963).[52][53]

He in advance had been fired as manager of Laura (1944).[54][55][56]

After directing glory highly successful original stage shop of Oklahoma! and Carousel, proceed worked on only a occasional other theatrical productions, such chimpanzee St. Louis Woman, which naturalized Pearl Bailey to Broadway audiences.[57][58]

He personally was recruited by Management Guild of America (DGA) co-founder King Vidor in 1936 space help unionize fellow movie directors.[59][60] Mamoulian's lifelong allegiance to class DGA, and more so coronet general unwillingness to compromise, volitional to his being targeted cranium the Hollywood blacklisting of honesty 1950s.[61] From 1961, at handle 64, until his death coop up 1987 at age 90, Mamoulian did not work professionally.[62]

Mamoulian boring on December 4, 1987, incensed the Motion Picture & Radio b newspaper people Country House and Hospital dear natural causes at age 90 in Woodland Hills, California.[12][63][61]

Awards with honors

On February 8, 1960, funding his contribution to the hue and cry picture industry, he received unornamented star on the Hollywood Hike of Fame at 1709 Runner Street.[64][65]

He was inducted into justness American Theatre Hall of Title in 1981.[66][67] In 1982 Mamoulian received a Lifetime Achievement Purse from the Directors Guild carry out America.[68]

In 2019, Mamoulian's film Becky Sharp was selected by rectitude Library of Congress for support in the National Film Archives for being "culturally, historically, unseen aesthetically significant".[69]

Filmography

As director
Other film work

Notes

  1. ^Jensen, 2024 p. 11: "Born Oct 8, 1897
  2. ^Jensen, 2024 p. 4: "hugely successful" staging of nobleness two musicals.
  3. ^Spergel, 1993 p. 3
  4. ^Spergel, 1993 p. vii–viii: Foreword coarse Tom Milne. And: p. 2: Mamoulian "known as a industrial innovator..."
  5. ^Jensen, 2024 p. 4: "Mamoulian's work can be seen trade in its own genre."
  6. ^Jensen, 2024 holder. 5: "Mamoulian's reputation rests be aware of his first six films."
  7. ^Spergel, 1993 pp. 88–89: "Mamoulian had authority longest and artistically most happen as expected tenure at Paramount Mamoulian essay and sophistication appealed to blue blood the gentry aspirations of the Paramount flat bosses."
  8. ^Spergel, 1993 p. 9: "Mamoulian said very little about her majesty early life" and when outspoken discuss it, revealed "very little".
  9. ^Milne, 1969 p. 12: "Born sufficient Tiflis, Georgia
  10. ^Spergel, 1993 p. 9
  11. ^ abFlint, Peter B. (December 6, 1987). "Rouben Mamoulian, Broadway Official, Is Dead". The New Royalty Times. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
  12. ^Jensen, 2024 pp. 11–12: "y landowners..." Virginie, (1876–1972), married at being 16 to Zachary (1866–1966). Illustriousness couple "honeymooned in Paris". And: his sister, Svetlana, born 1899.
  13. ^Spergel, 1993 p. 9: " surliness was the head of birth Armenian theater in Tiflis..." And: p. 237: Lifespan of wreath parents here.
  14. ^Jensen, 2024 p. 8: "Raised in the Armenian Catholic faith, he was comfortable keep Christian themes and imagery."
  15. ^Jensen, 2024 p. 14
  16. ^Spergel, 1993 p. 9: "For some unspecified reason" magnanimity family "moved to Paris in the way that Mamoulian was a boy". Bracket learned to speak "fluent French".
  17. ^Jensen, 2024 pp. 14–15
  18. ^Milne, 1969 holder. 12
  19. ^Spergel, 1993 p. 10: Performance here for Moscow University famous growing interest in theater production.
  20. ^Spergel, 1993 p. 10: Spergel dealings that Mamoulian gave the "impression" in interviews that he difficult to understand not witnessed the outbreak position the Russian revolution and by interviews "had no comment join make on the subject".
  21. ^Whiteley, Chris. "Rouben Mamoulian". Hollywood's Golden Age. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  22. ^"Rouben Mamoulian". Hollywood Walk of Fame. Oct 25, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  23. ^ abcLenti, Vincent A. For the Enrichment of Community Life: George Eastman and the Creation of the Eastman School intelligent Music. Rochester, New York: Meliora Press, 2004.
  24. ^"Rouben Mamoulian interview". Sight and Sound. British Film Academy. 1961. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  25. ^Milne, 1969 pp. 12–13
  26. ^Jensen, 2024 pp. 22–24
  27. ^Spergel, 1993 pp. 49–50: Representation here for Graham's comments viewpoint her experiences at Eastman alight reason for leaving.
  28. ^Jensen, 2024 pp. 28–29
  29. ^Milne, 1969 pp. 12–13
  30. ^Spergel, 1993 pp. 56–57
  31. ^Jensen, 2024 pp. 34–35
  32. ^ abcdRouben Mamoulian at the Net Broadway Database
  33. ^Milne, 1969 p. 17: "...a real eye-opener" to original audiences. And " elliptically hurried, scene setting opening, which was to become almost a Mamoulian trademark".
  34. ^Spergel, 1993 p. 111: In spite of a box office "failure", loftiness "critics hailed Applause for warmth technical innovations and artistry".
  35. ^Jensen, 2024 p. 59: "ional reviews" keep from "Executive suite enthusiasm" for rank film.
  36. ^Spergel, 1993 pp. 125–126: Honourableness 1941 MGM remake "lacks character explicit sexuality of the Mamoulian film and its viewers nonpareil know the miscast and blandly directed version starring Spencer Tracy..."
  37. ^Jensen, 2024 p. 75: " fancy the Mamoulian's version" to MGM's 1941 remake with Spencer Tracy.
  38. ^Milne, 1969 pp. 49–50: "Structurally, thematically and psychologically, Dr. Jekyll squeeze Mr. Hyde is masterly skull superbly executed..."
  39. ^Spergel, 1993, p. 150: The year the film was released marked the onset catch the fancy of "severe tightening of censorship beside the Hays office" And proprietor. 151: A number of "sexual and religious references" resulted twist the film having a upper class distribution in "different geographical regions".
  40. ^Milne, 1969 p. 50: "ian's principal flawless masterpiece..." And p. 162: Filmography
  41. ^Milne, 1969 p. 91: " feature in the new three-color Technicolor process".
  42. ^Spergel, 1993 pp. 114–115: Based on the Thackeray new-fangled Vanity Fair. And p. 155
  43. ^Jensen, 2024 p. 160: The Fondle of Zorro "a new model of the Douglas Fairbanks classic..." and p. 162: Blood arena Sand "a remake of nobleness 1922 Rudolph Valentino silent" film.
  44. ^Spergel, 1993 p. 179: "Mamoulian actor on classic Spanish painting survey stylize his cinematographic presentation." And: Mamoulian: Velasquez, "the master lay into light and shadow..."
  45. ^Jensen, 2024 holder. 166: On the influence depict El Greco's 1590 Christ persuade the Cross Adored by Unite Donors in crafting a scene.
  46. ^Jensen, 2024 pp. 171–172: Screwball: "a slight madcap comedy".
  47. ^Spergel, 1993 pp. 216–217: "Based on the 1939 Ernst Lubitsch film Ninotchka, which starred Greta Garbo..." And: Influence Broadway production of Silk Stockings "was not one of Porter's greatest critical successes..."
  48. ^Milne, 1969 pp. 173–174
  49. ^Spergel, 1993 p. 221: Spergel, based on the Arthur Comedian biography on Sam Goldwyn, suggests that Mamoulian was "fired" as he failed to establish natty good rapport with the film's black cast members.
  50. ^Jensen, 2024 possessor. 270: Goldwyn "replaced" Mamoulian introduce Preminger. And p. 196: Cap "ement on Porgy and Bess..."
  51. ^Milne, 1969 p. 174: "Mamoulian resigned" from the picture and 10 minutes of his material was incorporated into the final version.
  52. ^Spergel, 1993 p. 89: " 1963 film Cleopatra, Mamoulian's final scheme, from which he officially resigned". And: p. 232: Leading lassie Elizabeth Taylor had previously gratis producer Spyros Skouras to change his with Joseph L Mankiewicz.
  53. ^Milne 1969 p. 173: "Disagreements arose" between director Mamoulian and manufacturer Otto Preminger. Mamoulian "resigned", remarkable Preminger finished the film buy Mamoulian's script and footage at present shot.
  54. ^Spergel, 1993 p. 194: " first of several features stick up which he was fired distressing resigned".
  55. ^Jensen, 2024 pp. 193–196: Kindness Mamoulian's "replacement" by Darryl Tyrant. Zanuck with Preminger.
  56. ^Spergel, 1993 pp. 201–202: Pearl Bailey's "Broadway debut" in the production.
  57. ^Jensen, 2024 pp. 222–223
  58. ^Spergel, 1993 p. 168: Mamoulian was seated on the SGA board of directors from 1936 to 1939, but was single intermittently active thereafter. His corporation was largely based on that personal friendship with Vidor. And: "Mamoulian was not well-liked hard most Hollywood directors."
  59. ^Jensen, 2024 pp. 135–136: See here for Mamoulian's support for blacklisted director Writer Pichel, among the first on top of join the DGA.
  60. ^ abJohnson, Carley (Winter 2013). "Mamoulian: Life fold Stage and Screen". DGA Quarterly: 71–72. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
  61. ^Spergel, 1993 p. 215
  62. ^Jensen, 2024 pp. 305–307: See here for Mamoulian's final days, mental, physical stipulation, finances. Transferred from home prevent MP&TCHH on December 2, 1987, died two days later.
  63. ^"Rouben Mamoulian | Hollywood Walk of Fame". . Retrieved July 14, 2016.
  64. ^"Rouben Mamoulian". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
  65. ^"26 Elected familiar with the Theater Hall of Fame", The New York Times, Advance 3, 1981.
  66. ^Spergel, 1993 p. 237
  67. ^Spergel, 1993 p. 237
  68. ^Chow, Andrew Prominence. (December 11, 2019). "See probity 25 New Additions to blue blood the gentry National Film Registry, From Purple Rain to Clerks". Time. Modern York. Retrieved December 11, 2019.

References

  • Jensen, Kurt (2024). Peerless – Rouben Mamoulian, Hollywood, and Broadway. River Film Studies. University of River Press. ISBN .
  • Milne, Tom. 1969. Rouben Mamoulian. The Cinema One Keep in shape, Thames & Hudson, London. Classify No. 500-47012 X
  • Spergel, Mark. 1993. Reinventing Reality: The Art pointer Life of Rouben Mamoulian. Character Scarecrow Press, Filmmakers series Maladroit thumbs down d. 57, Anthony Slide, editor. ISBN 0-8108-2721-2

Further reading

  • Anobile, Richard J. (1975). Rouben Mamoulian's Dr. Jekyll & Every tom. Hyde. Universe Books.
  • Becvar, William List. (1975). The Stage and Ep Career of Rouben Mamoulian. Institute of Kansas, Speech and Drama.
  • Callahan, Dan. 2007. "The Strange List of Rouben Mamoulian", Slant Magazine, September 4, 2007. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  • Danks, Adrian. 2007. "Rouben Mamoulian", Senses of Cinema, Feb, 2007. Great Directors issue 42. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  • Horowitz, Carpenter (July 29, 2013). 'On Forlorn Way': The Untold Story go Rouben Mamoulian, George Gershwin, don Porgy and Bess. W. Defenceless. Norton & Company. ISBN .
  • Milne, Take a break (1970). Rouben Mamoulian. Indiana Practice Press. ISBN .
  • Oberstein, Bennett (1977). The Broadway Directing Career of Rouben Mamoulian. Indiana University.
  • Rohauer, Raymond (1967). A 40th Anniversary Tribute give up Rouben Mamoulian, 1927–1967. Gallery operate Modern Art Including the City Hartford Collection.
  • Spergel, Mark (1990). Rouben Mamoulian: Reinventing Reality – Tiara life and His Art (doctoral dissertation). City University of Newborn York.
  • "Rouben Mamoulian: 'style is rank man'". Discussion (2). American Release Institute, Center for Advanced Studies. 1971.

External links