“Forgotten Hollywood”- Passing Parade Claims Fine Director!
Manny P. here… 
Paul Mazursky was a noted film director, screenwriter, and actor. Acclaimed for his dramatic comedies, he was nominated for five Academy Awards: three times for Best Original Screenplay, for Best Adapted Screenplay, and once for Best Picture for An Unmarried Woman. Other fine motion pictures include Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, Harry and Tonto, Moscow on the Hudson, and Down and Out in Beverly Hills. PAUL MAZURSKY ->
Mazursky made his film debut as an actor in Stanley Kubrick’s initial feature, Fear and Desire, and later appeared as a juvenile delinquent in the 1955 flick The Blackboard Jungle. His acting career continued with television work in episodes of The Twilight Zone and The Rifleman. In addition to appearing in most of his own films, he had supporting roles in A Star Is Born, History of the World Part I, Punchline, and Carlito’s Way. He also performed the voice of the psychologist in Antz. In recent years, Mazursky had a small part in The Sopranos.
As his acting career blossomed, Mazursky became a writer and worked on The Danny Kaye Show in 1963. He collaborated with Larry Tucker in crafting the script of the original pilot of The Monkees television series, which they both also appeared in cameos. Mazursky’s debut as a film screenplay writer was the Peter Sellers comedy I Love You, Alice B. Toklas. Other movies made by the director include the autobiographical Next Stop, Greenwich Village, Blume in Love, Moon Over Parador, and Scenes from a Mall. He also appeared as himself in a number of documentaries.
In his autobiography Show Me the Magic, he recounts his experiences in filmmaking and with several well-known screen personalities, including Sellers. From 2011 until his passing, Mazursky also served as a film critic for Vanity Fair. Earlier this year, he received the Screen Laurel Award for lifetime achievement from Writers Guild of America. Comedian, filmmaker, and close friend Mel Brooks made the presentation.
Paul Mazursky was 84.
Until next time> “never forget”
This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 1st, 2014 at 2:05 pm and is filed under Blog by Manny Pacheco. You can follow any comments to this post through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.
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