As mentioned in my review, the Motion Picture Academy really blew it by not including Stanley Donen in its IN MEMORIAM section. The man was a titan in the industry. He never won an Oscar for directing because he directed commercial hits and not sweeping epics. But many of his pictures were classics, including SINGING IN THE RAIN.
I got a chance to meet him once. He had a movie idea, which he took to writer Larry Gelbart. Larry was too busy working on other projects but suggested me and my partner, David Isaacs. We then went to lunch with Mr. Donen (both completely star-struck). He could not have been nicer and more charming. Ultimately the project never got off the ground but that lunch was a career highlight.
In 1997 the Oscars gave him a lifetime achievement Academy Award. Here's the intro, by Martin Scorsese and his delightful acceptance speech.
A couple of things: You'll notice he mentions Larry Gelbart by name. Also, when they cut away to the crowd notice all the STARS. Real stars. Sean Connery, Gregory Peck, Jack Lemmon, Robin Williams, Robert Duvall, Warren Beatty. Today we get Alex Rodriguez.
Anyway, here's Stanley Donen.
from By Ken Levine
I got a chance to meet him once. He had a movie idea, which he took to writer Larry Gelbart. Larry was too busy working on other projects but suggested me and my partner, David Isaacs. We then went to lunch with Mr. Donen (both completely star-struck). He could not have been nicer and more charming. Ultimately the project never got off the ground but that lunch was a career highlight.
In 1997 the Oscars gave him a lifetime achievement Academy Award. Here's the intro, by Martin Scorsese and his delightful acceptance speech.
A couple of things: You'll notice he mentions Larry Gelbart by name. Also, when they cut away to the crowd notice all the STARS. Real stars. Sean Connery, Gregory Peck, Jack Lemmon, Robin Williams, Robert Duvall, Warren Beatty. Today we get Alex Rodriguez.
Anyway, here's Stanley Donen.
from By Ken Levine
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