Robert (M*A*S*H) Altman has died at 81 (1 Viewer)

[gaminerie]

http://my.earthlink.net/article/top?guid=20061121/456287d0_3421_1334520061121-1827039770

The film spawned the long-running TV sitcom starring Alan Alda, a show Altman would refer to with distaste as "that series." Unlike the social message of the film, the series was prompted by greed, Altman said.


"They made millions and millions of dollars by bringing an Asian war into Americans' homes every Sunday night," Altman said in 2001. "I thought that was the worst taste."

.................

Born Feb. 20, 1925, Altman hung out in his teen years at the jazz clubs of Kansas City, Mo., where his father was an insurance salesman.


Altman was a bomber pilot in World War II and studied engineering at the University of Missouri in Columbia before taking a job making industrial films in Kansas City. He moved into feature films with "The Delinquents" in 1957, then worked largely in television through the mid 1960s, directing episodes of such series as "Bonanza" and "Alfred Hitchcock Presents."

 

[SaintJ]

RIP. Some great movies from this guy.

 

[Pasty]

Altman was awesome. I see a DVD film festival in my future...

 

[saintanism]

M*A*S*H was a very funny movie. Still one of my favorites. M*A*S*H the TV show was also very funny until they gave the reins over to Alan Alda and he made it too preachy.

Please, someone correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Altman blacklisted for being a communist sympathizer during McCarthy hearings in the late 50's and early 60's?

 

[gaminerie]

M*A*S*H was a very funny movie. Still one of my favorites. M*A*S*H the TV show was also very funny until they gave the reins over to Alan Alda and he made it too preachy.

Please, someone correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Altman blacklisted for being a communist sympathizer during McCarthy hearings in the late 50's and early 60's?

Unlikely. he just didn't have enough of a career by that time. He worked plenty in television though.

Altman was known to have butted heads with Jack Warner.

i studied "McCabe and Mrs Miller" for an American Film as Literary Art class in college. but i i think personally, "Popeye" is my favorite Altman film.