Mark Rydell | |
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_3a.jpg) Rydell in 2008 | |
| Born | Mortimer H. Rydell (1929-03-23)March 23, 1929 (age 96) New York City, U.S. |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1952–present |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 3, includingChristopher Rydell |
Mark Rydell (bornMortimer H. Rydell; March 23, 1929)[1][2][3] is an Americanfilm director, producer andactor. He has directed severalAcademy Award-nominated films includingThe Fox (1967),The Reivers (1969),Cinderella Liberty (1973),The Rose (1979) andThe River (1984). He was nominated for anAcademy Award for Best Director forOn Golden Pond (1981).
Rydell initially trained in music.[4] As a youth, he wanted to be a conductor. He said he left music because of the proliferation of drugs among the musicians: "Heroin was the drug of choice," he said. "Knowing that I have an addict's personality in that a little is good but a lot is better, I knew I was in danger. So I went back to college and went to the Neighborhood Playhouse."[5] He studied acting atThe Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City. His first significant roles were as Walt Johnson onThe Edge of Night, and as Jeff Baker onAs the World Turns, which he played from December 12, 1956, to 1962. The role of Jeff was a particularly popular role with the audience.[6] During the series run he directedRoots off-Broadway in 1961.
In 1962, Rydell declined to sign another long-term contract atATWT, and producers had his character die in a car crash.[7][8] He later won plaudits for his role of violent Jewish mobkingpin Marty Augustine inRobert Altman'sThe Long Goodbye (1973). His most recent significant film role was inWoody Allen'sHollywood Ending (2002).
Rydell moved into directing television and soon became very successful. He did episodes ofMr. Novak;Ben Casey;The Reporter;Slattery's People;I Spy;The Wild Wild West;The Long, Hot Summer; andGunsmoke.[5] He said later: "I come from the school of sitting around the table for two weeks examining every detail of the material, working out relationships with the actors, so they know what they are doing, bringing them to locations, so they can get comfortable."[5]
Rydell's first feature as director wasThe Fox (1967) which was a box-office hit, in part due to its then-rare lesbian content. He signed a multi picture contract with the film's producer Raymond Stross, but disliked working with him. Rydell said he ended up paying out four times his fee for the picture to get out of the contract. Nonetheless, he credits Stross for starting his film career.[9] He directedSteve McQueen inThe Reivers (1969). Rydell and friendSydney Pollack, who had known each other since they were both actors, formed a company, Sanford Productions, and signed a six picture contract with theMirisch Brothers.[10] They planned to makeGood Luck, Miss Wyckoff, which was eventually made in 1979 by other filmmakers.[11][12]
Rydell directedJohn Wayne inThe Cowboys (1972). He made a romantic comedy,Cinderella Liberty (1973), withJames Caan andMarsha Mason. Around this time he said he did not want to make genre movies: "I want to create my own genre."[13] He was reunited with Caan onHarry and Walter Go to New York (1976) which was a box-office flop, and directed the pilot episode ofFamily (1976).[14]
Rydell directedThe Rose (1979), starringBette Midler, which was a huge hit.[15] So too wasOn Golden Pond (1981), starringHenry Fonda andKatharine Hepburn, for which Rydell received anOscar nomination asBest Director. "I'm this week's heat," he joked at the time.[16] He was going to make a film based on the playNuts but instead didThe River (1984), withMel Gibson andSissy Spacek.[17] It was not a commercial success. Neither was Rydell's next film,For the Boys (1991), with Caan and Midler.
Rydell made the television movieMcBride and Groom (1993) and the featureIntersection (1994). He directed the television moviesCrime of the Century (1996), which starredIsabella Rossellini andStephen Rea, andJames Dean (2001), which earned actorJames Franco aGolden Globe award. Rydell also acted in the movie, playingJack L. Warner (head of Warner Bros). He was credited as executive producer onAn Unfinished Life (2005).
In 2006, Rydell directed the movieEven Money. His last credit to date was an episode ofMasters of Science Fiction, "A Clean Escape".[18]
Three years later – working with actorMartin Landau and screenwriter/playwrightLyle Kessler – he produced an education seminar, The Total Picture Seminar. The two-day event covers the disciplines of acting, directing, and writing for film. The three have worked together as a team for many decades atThe Actors Studio teaching and coaching professional actors, writers, and directors. In 2010, Rydell joined the Advisory Board of Openfilm, an online video sharing site created to help aspiring independent filmmakers.
He executive produced the documentaryA Coup in Camelot (2015).
Mortimer H. Rydell was born on March 23, 1929[1][2] to a Jewish family in New York City.
Rydell married actressJoanne Linville in 1962. The couple had two children, Amy andChristopher, both actors. Rydell and Linville divorced in 1973. Rydell had another son, Alexander, from his second marriage to documentary producer Esther Rydell. That union ended in divorce in 2007.[citation needed]
| Year | Film | Academy Awards | BAFTAs | Golden Globes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominations | Wins | Nominations | Wins | Nominations | Wins | ||
| 1967 | The Fox | 1 | 4 | 1 | |||
| 1969 | The Reivers | 2 | 2 | ||||
| 1973 | Cinderella Liberty | 3 | 5 | 1 | |||
| 1979 | The Rose | 4 | 2 | 5 | 3 | ||
| 1981 | On Golden Pond | 10 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 3 |
| 1984 | The River | 5 | 1 | 2 | |||
| 1991 | For the Boys | 1 | 2 | 1 | |||
| Total | 26 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 26 | 9 | |
Directed Academy Award Performances
Under Rydell's direction, these actors have received Oscar nominations and wins for their performances of these respective roles.
| Year | Performer | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Actor Oscar | |||
| 1982 | Henry Fonda | On Golden Pond | Won |
| Best Actress Oscar | |||
| 1974 | Marsha Mason | Cinderella Liberty | Nominated |
| 1980 | Bette Midler | The Rose | Nominated |
| 1982 | Katharine Hepburn | On Golden Pond | Won |
| 1985 | Sissy Spacek | The River | Nominated |
| 1992 | Bette Midler | For the Boys | Nominated |
| Best Supporting Actor Oscar | |||
| 1970 | Rupert Crosse | The Reivers | Nominated |
| 1980 | Frederic Forrest | The Rose | Nominated |
| Best Supporting Actress Oscar | |||
| 1982 | Jane Fonda | On Golden Pond | Nominated |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Academics | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
| Other | |
