Brian G. Hutton
Brian G. Hutton | |
|---|---|
| Born | Brian Geoffrey Hutton May 2, 1935 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | August 19, 2014 (aged 79) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Film Director, actor |
| Years active | 1954–2014 |
Brian Geoffrey Hutton (May 2, 1935[1] – August 19, 2014) was an American actor and film director whose notable credits include the World War II action films Where Eagles Dare (1968) and Kelly's Heroes (1970).
Acting career
[edit]Hutton was born in New York City and studied at the Actors Studio.[1] He had a brief acting career between 1954 and 1962, including an appearance as an army deserter in the episode "Custer" in Gunsmoke (series 2, 1956). He played a young gunslinger, Billy Benson in season 2, episode 4 of The Rifleman. He made two guest appearances on Perry Mason in 1957: as Rod Gleason in "The Case of the Sulky Girl" and as a parking attendant in "The Case of the Moth-Eaten Mink." His last television appearance was in the series Archer in 1975.[2]
In 1958, Hutton played a young gunfighter named The Kid in the episode "Yampa Crossing" of the western series Sugarfoot.[3][4] The following year, he portrayed a remorseful defendant on trial for causing a traffic death in Alfred Hitchcock Presents (the episode "Your Witness").[3] Hutton played twins in an episode of Have Gun Will Travel as Adam and Sam M.
Director
[edit]Hutton made his debut as a director in 1965 with Wild Seed starring Michael Parks.[5]
His first studio film was The Pad and How to Use It (1966) produced by Ross Hunter, shot in 19 days.[6]
Hutton then did Sol Madrid (1967) for producer Elliot Kastner. Kastner hired Hutton to direct Where Eagles Dare, from a screenplay by Alistair MacLean at MGM starring Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood. It was a huge success.[7]
MGM hired Hutton to direct Clint Eastwood again in Kelly's Heroes.[1]
He then directed Elizabeth Taylor in X Y & Zee (1972) and Night Watch (1973).[8] He was going to do Sleep is for the Rich for Kastner but it was never made.[9] In November 1972 Martin Poll announced he would direct The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing but he did not make the final movie.[10]
Retirement
[edit]After Night Watch came out in 1973, Hutton stopped making films for seven years because he lost his enthusiasm for it.[11]
It wasn’t something I wanted to do to begin with – not my life’s work... When I finished the second Elizabeth Taylor picture I thought, ‘Well, what am I wasting my life doing this for?' I mean, a gorilla could have made those movies. All I had to do was yell ‘Action’ and ‘Cut-Print’ because everybody was doing what they had to do anyway.[11]
— Brian G. Hutton
Temporary return to filmmaking
[edit]He came back at the behest of Elliot Kastner who needed a director to replace Roman Polanski on The First Deadly Sin (1980) with Frank Sinatra.[12] Hutton then made High Road to China (1983) with Tom Selleck.
Hutton retired from making films altogether in the 1980s and began working in real-estate.[1] He died in Los Angeles, California on August 19, 2014, at age 79, a week after suffering a heart attack. He was survived by his wife.[2][8]
Filmography
[edit]Director
[edit]- Wild Seed (1965)
- The Pad and How to Use It (1966)
- Sol Madrid (1968)
- Where Eagles Dare (1968)
- Kelly's Heroes (1970)
- X Y & Zee (1972)
- Night Watch (1973)
- The First Deadly Sin (1980)
- High Road to China (1983)
Actor
[edit]Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | Good Morning, Miss Dove | Student | Uncredited |
| 1957 | Fear Strikes Out | Bernie Sherwill | |
| Gunfight at the O.K. Corral | Rick | ||
| Carnival Rock | Stanley | ||
| 1958 | The Case Against Brooklyn | Jess Johnson | |
| King Creole | Sal | ||
| 1959 | Last Train from Gun Hill | Lee Smithers | |
| The Big Fisherman | John | ||
| 1962 | Geronimo | Indian scout | Uncredited |
| The Interns | Dr. Joe Parelli |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Episode |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Gunsmoke | Joe Trimble | "Custer" |
| 1957 | Official Detective | Branton | "The Wristwatch" |
| Perry Mason | Rod Gleason | "The Case of the Sulky Girl" | |
| 1958 | The Walter Winchell File | Jerry Milner | "The Bargain" |
| 1959 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Kenneth Jerome | "Your Witness" |
| 1961 | Rawhide | Chandler | "Incident on the Road Back" |
| 1962 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Mitch | "The Big Kick" |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Anthony (August 25, 2014). "Obituary". The Times. London.
- ^ a b "Brian G. Hutton, Director of 'Kelly's Heroes' and 'Where Eagles Dare', Dies at 79". Hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved 2014-08-20.
- ^ a b Brian G. Hutton at IMDb
- ^ ""Yampa Crossing", Sugarfoot, December 9, 1958". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
- ^ Obituary: Brian G Hutton: Director who created two great popular film classics - Kelly's Heroes and Where Eagles Dare Bergan, Ronald. The Guardian; London (UK) [London (UK)]09 Sep 2014: 39.
- ^ Martin, Betty (Oct 2, 1965). "Ross Gambling on Unknowns". Los Angeles Times. p. A9.
- ^ Preview: a young director and his $9 million cliff-hanger: 'Chat' pictures 'What's that?' 'Positive' alternatives By Roderick Nordell. The Christian Science Monitor 7 Mar 1969: 4.
- ^ a b Obituary, theguardian.co.uk; accessed August 25, 2014.
- ^ Drive, Gene Hackman Said: Drive, Gene Hackman Said By A. H. WEILER. New York Times 6 Feb 1972: D15.
- ^ Hutton for 'Cat' The Christian Science Monitor24 Nov 1972: 6.
- ^ a b "Brian G Hutton. Film Director. January 1, 1935 - August 19, 2014. Aged 79". Daily Express. 30 August 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
- ^ Brian G Hutton Pendreigh, Brian. The Herald; Glasgow (UK) [Glasgow (UK)]30 Aug 2014: 18.
External links
[edit]- Brian G. Hutton at IMDb
- Brian G. Hutton profile, allmovie.com; accessed August 25, 2014.
