Mel Stuart, an award-winning documentarian and producer, died Thursday night at the age of 83. In addition to making documentaries like The Making of the President 1960 (which won and Emmy) and Four Days in November, he directed the 1971 classic Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Odds are you saw Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory when you were far too young to understand that someone had directed it-- when you're a kid you accept the reality of a film for what it is, and figure that if anyone is in charge, it's got to be Willy Wonka. But Stuart pulled off the amazing feat of handing over a film to a character as wild and unpredictable as Gene Wilder's Wonka, but telling the story of the five kids who enter his factory anyway, especially Charlie. Willy Wonka maintains the dark whimsy of Roald Dahl's book, but also one-ups...
- 8/10/2012
- cinemablend.com
Mel Stuart, an award-winning documentarian and producer, died Thursday night at the age of 83. In addition to making documentaries like The Making of the President 1960 (which won and Emmy) and Four Days in November, he directed the 1971 classic Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Odds are you saw Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory when you were far too young to understand that someone had directed it-- when you're a kid you accept the reality of a film for what it is, and figure that if anyone is in charge, it's got to be Willy Wonka. But Stuart pulled off the amazing feat of handing over a film to a character as wild and unpredictable as Gene Wilder's Wonka, but telling the story of the five kids who enter his factory anyway, especially Charlie. Willy Wonka maintains the dark whimsy of Roald Dahl's book, but also one-ups...
- 8/10/2012
- cinemablend.com
Though Bob Hoskins retiring due to being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease was certainly some sad news, this hits just as close to my childhood heart. The Washington Post reports director Mel Stuart, responsible for the musical adaptation of Roald Dahl's classic book Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, has passed away at 83-years old after battling with cancer. In addition to directing that childhood favorite of mine, Stuart also leaves behind the legacy of documentary films such as The Making of the President 1960 (which won an Emmy) and the Academy Award nominated Four Days in November. More below. Stuart also followed presidential campaigns with a documentarian's eye on the campaigns from 1964 and 1968, in addition to lensing Wattstax, following the music festival of the same name and the aftermath of riots in the community in 1965. Other documentary features included work for PBS as part of their "American Masters" ...
- 8/10/2012
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
New York — Mel Stuart, an award-winning documentarian who also directed "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory," has died. He was 83.
His daughter, Madeline Stuart, said he died Thursday night of cancer at his home in Los Angeles.
Stuart's documentaries include "The Making of the President 1960," for which he won an Emmy, as well as subsequent explorations of the 1964 and `68 campaigns. Other programs were "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" and the Oscar-nominated "Four Days in November."
His groundbreaking 1973 film "Wattstax" focused on the Wattstax music festival of the previous year and Los Angeles' Watts community in the aftermath of the 1965 riots.
But while Stuart's documentaries won acclaim and cemented his reputation, he won a special sort of following with the 1971 musical fantasy "Willy Wonka."
That film was his response to a young reader of the Roald Dahl children's classic "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory": Stuart's daughter Madeline...
His daughter, Madeline Stuart, said he died Thursday night of cancer at his home in Los Angeles.
Stuart's documentaries include "The Making of the President 1960," for which he won an Emmy, as well as subsequent explorations of the 1964 and `68 campaigns. Other programs were "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" and the Oscar-nominated "Four Days in November."
His groundbreaking 1973 film "Wattstax" focused on the Wattstax music festival of the previous year and Los Angeles' Watts community in the aftermath of the 1965 riots.
But while Stuart's documentaries won acclaim and cemented his reputation, he won a special sort of following with the 1971 musical fantasy "Willy Wonka."
That film was his response to a young reader of the Roald Dahl children's classic "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory": Stuart's daughter Madeline...
- 8/10/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Filmmaker Mel Stuart, best known for directing Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, died last night in Beverly Hills, his daughter announced today. He was 83. Stuart spent most of his career producing and directing documentaries, and he was nominated for an Oscar in 1965 for his film Four Days in November. He won an Emmy in 1964 for producing The Making of the President 1960, and was nominated four more times over the course of his career. Stuart produced more than 50 films and TV shows, and his most recent work was 2005's PBS Pov special The Hobart Shakespeareans.
- 8/10/2012
- by Margaret Lyons
- Vulture
David L. Wolper, producer of the timeless miniseries "Roots," and the children's classic "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," has died at his home in Beverly Hills.
According to spokesman Dave Olson, Wolper Tuesday from congestive heart failure and complications from Parkinson's disease. He was 82.
Wolper is best known for producing the epic 1977 miniseries "Roots," for which he won an Emmy, and the sequel "Roots: The Next Generation," for which he also won an Emmy.
Other masterpieces by Wolper included "The Thorn Birds;" the documentary "The Making of the President 1960," and the children's favorite "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory."...
According to spokesman Dave Olson, Wolper Tuesday from congestive heart failure and complications from Parkinson's disease. He was 82.
Wolper is best known for producing the epic 1977 miniseries "Roots," for which he won an Emmy, and the sequel "Roots: The Next Generation," for which he also won an Emmy.
Other masterpieces by Wolper included "The Thorn Birds;" the documentary "The Making of the President 1960," and the children's favorite "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory."...
- 8/12/2010
- icelebz.com
David L. Wolper, producer of the timeless miniseries "Roots," and the children's classic "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," has died at his home in Beverly Hills.
According to spokesman Dave Olson, Wolper Tuesday from congestive heart failure and complications from Parkinson's disease. He was 82.
Wolper is best known for producing the epic 1977 miniseries "Roots," for which he won an Emmy, and the sequel "Roots: The Next Generation," for which he also won an Emmy.
Other masterpieces by Wolper included "The Thorn Birds;" the documentary "The Making of the President 1960," and the children's favorite "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory."...
According to spokesman Dave Olson, Wolper Tuesday from congestive heart failure and complications from Parkinson's disease. He was 82.
Wolper is best known for producing the epic 1977 miniseries "Roots," for which he won an Emmy, and the sequel "Roots: The Next Generation," for which he also won an Emmy.
Other masterpieces by Wolper included "The Thorn Birds;" the documentary "The Making of the President 1960," and the children's favorite "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory."...
- 8/12/2010
- icelebz.com
Beloved American television and film producer David L. Wolper has died, aged 82. Wolper, the creator of hit 1977 miniseries "Roots", died of congestive heart disease and complications of Parkinson's disease on Tuesday evening, August 10. He passed away peacefully at his Beverly Hills home while watching television with his wife Gloria, according to his spokesman, Dale Olson.
Wolper also produced the 1971 children's classic "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" but was best-known for his TV work. "Roots", which chronicled the life of an enslaved West African sold in America, won high honors, including nine Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award.
His credits also include Emmy-winning TV documentary "The Making of the President 1960", National Geographic special "The World of Jacques-Yves Cousteau", docudrama "The Trial of Lt. Calley", sitcom hits including "Welcome Back", "Kotter" and "Chico and the Man", and Oscar-winning film "L.A. Confidential".
He produced the opening and closing ceremonies for...
Wolper also produced the 1971 children's classic "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" but was best-known for his TV work. "Roots", which chronicled the life of an enslaved West African sold in America, won high honors, including nine Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award.
His credits also include Emmy-winning TV documentary "The Making of the President 1960", National Geographic special "The World of Jacques-Yves Cousteau", docudrama "The Trial of Lt. Calley", sitcom hits including "Welcome Back", "Kotter" and "Chico and the Man", and Oscar-winning film "L.A. Confidential".
He produced the opening and closing ceremonies for...
- 8/12/2010
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
Emmy-winning Producer Wolper Dies
Beloved American television and film producer David L. Wolper has died, aged 82.
Wolper, the creator of hit 1977 miniseries Roots, died of congestive heart disease and complications of Parkinson's disease on Tuesday evening.
He passed away peacefully at his Beverly Hills home while watching television with his wife Gloria, according to his spokesman, Dale Olson.
Wolper also produced the 1971 children's classic Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory but was best-known for his TV work.
Roots, which chronicled the life of an enslaved West African sold in America, won high honours, including nine Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award.
His credits also include Emmy-winning TV documentary The Making of the President 1960, National Geographic special The World of Jacques-Yves Cousteau, docudrama The Trial of Lt. Calley, sitcom hits including Welcome Back, Kotter and Chico and the Man, and Oscar-winning film L.A. Confidential.
He produced the opening and closing ceremonies for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and New York's 1986 extravaganza celebrating the centennial of the Statue of Liberty.
In 2003, Wolper reflected on his decades-long career, releasing a memoir simply titled Producer.
Wolper, the creator of hit 1977 miniseries Roots, died of congestive heart disease and complications of Parkinson's disease on Tuesday evening.
He passed away peacefully at his Beverly Hills home while watching television with his wife Gloria, according to his spokesman, Dale Olson.
Wolper also produced the 1971 children's classic Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory but was best-known for his TV work.
Roots, which chronicled the life of an enslaved West African sold in America, won high honours, including nine Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award.
His credits also include Emmy-winning TV documentary The Making of the President 1960, National Geographic special The World of Jacques-Yves Cousteau, docudrama The Trial of Lt. Calley, sitcom hits including Welcome Back, Kotter and Chico and the Man, and Oscar-winning film L.A. Confidential.
He produced the opening and closing ceremonies for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and New York's 1986 extravaganza celebrating the centennial of the Statue of Liberty.
In 2003, Wolper reflected on his decades-long career, releasing a memoir simply titled Producer.
- 8/11/2010
- WENN
One of the true pioneers of TV miniseries and documentaries, Wolper died Tuesday night from congestive heart failure at age 82. Wolper transformed the miniseries into event programming, particularly when he was the executive producer of Roots, the eight-segment ABC miniseries adaptation of the Alex Haley book that smashed ratings record and had half the country watching in early 1977. Wolper also produced the opening and closing ceremonies for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles; and he produced such game-changing documentaries as the Mike Wallace-narrated 1958 The Race for Space (which was Oscar-nominated), The Making of the President 1960 and The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau specials. His programs won 50 Emmys and two Academy Awards, along with five Peabody Awards. Wolper grew up in New York and after attending USC, really got his producing career off the ground with the space documentary, which he self-syndicated because networks were reluctant to bite. Wolper...
- 8/11/2010
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
One of the true pioneers of TV miniseries and documentaries, Wolper died Tuesday night from congestive heart failure at age 82. Wolper transformed the miniseries into event programming, particularly when he was the executive producer of Roots, the eight-segment ABC miniseries adaptation of the Alex Haley book that smashed ratings record and had half the country watching in early 1977. Wolper also produced the opening and closing ceremonies for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles; and he produced such game-changing documentaries as the Mike Wallace-narrated 1958 The Race for Space (which was Oscar-nominated), The Making of the President 1960 and The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau specials. His programs won 50 Emmys and two Academy Awards, along with five Peabody Awards. Wolper grew up in New York and after attending USC, really got his producing career off the ground with the space documentary, which he self-syndicated because networks were reluctant to bite. Wolper...
- 8/11/2010
- by Nikki Finke
- Deadline Hollywood
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