Robert Altman

Robert Bernard Altman (February 20, 1925 – November 20, 2006) was an American movie director. He was born in Kansas City, Missouri and died of leukemia in Los Angeles, California. In 2006, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognized his body of work with an Academy Honorary Award.

His movies MASH (1970), McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971), and Nashville (1975) have been selected to keep in the United States National Film Registry.

Personal life
In the 1960s, Altman lived for nine years with his second wife in Mandeville Canyon in Brentwood, California.Peter Biskind, Easy Riders, Raging Bulls, New York: Touchstone Books, 1998 He moved to Malibu but in 1981 sold that home and the Lion's Gate production company.  "I had no choice", he told the New York Times. "Nobody was answering the phone" after the flop of Popeye. He moved his family and business headquarters to New York. Eventually he moved back to Malibu, where he lived until his death.

In November 2000, he said he would move to Paris if George W. Bush were elected. He joked that he had meant Paris, Texas when Bush became president. Altman was an outspoken marijuana user. He was a member of the NORML advisory board. He was against the 2003 invasion of Iraq."20 Questions, 2 Choices", The Birmingham News, June 3, 2005

Death
Altman died on November 20, 2006, at age 81 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He died of complications from leukemia.

Altman is survived by his wife, Kathryn Reed Altman; six children, Christine Westphal, Michael Altman, Stephen Altman (his production designer of choice for many movies), Connie Corriere, Robert Reed Altman, and Matthew Altman; 12 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

The movie director Paul Thomas Anderson dedicated his 2007 movie There Will Be Blood to Altman.

Filmography
Shorts

 Year Film Notes 1949 Honeymoon for Harriet Short Industrial Film: International Harvester 1951 Modern Football Short Industrial Film: Official Sports Film Service The Dirty Look Short Industrial Film: Gulf Oil 1952 The Last Mile Short Industrial Film: Caterpillar Tractor Company The Sound of Bells Short Industrial Film: Goodrich Corporation King Basketball Short Industrial Film: Official Sports Film Service 1953 Modern Baseball Short Industrial Film: Official Sports Film Service 1954 The Builders Short Industrial Film: Wire Reinforcement Institute Better Football Short Industrial Film: Official Sports Film Service The Perfect Crime Short Industrial Film: Caterpillar Tractor Company 1955 The Magic Bond Short Industrial Film: Veterans of Foreign Wars 1965 The Katherine Reed Story Short Documentary Pot au feu Short 1966 Girl Talk ColorSonics Short The Party ColorSonics Short Speak Low ColorSonics Short Ebb Tide ColorSonics Short

Motion pictures
 Year Film Notes 1957 The Delinquents The James Dean Story Documentaryco-dir: George W. George 1968 Countdown 1969 That Cold Day in the Park 1970 MASH Palme d'OrKansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best DirectorNominated – Academy Award for Directing Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best DirectionNominated – Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing - Feature FilmNominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Director Brewster McCloud 1971 McCabe & Mrs. Miller Nominated – Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay 1972 Images Nominated – Palme d'OrNominated – Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay 1973 The Long Goodbye 1974 Thieves Like Us Nominated – Palme d'Or California Split 1975 Nashville Bodil Award for Best Non-European FilmKansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best DirectorNational Board of Review Award for Best DirectorNational Society of Film Critics Award for Best DirectorNominated – Academy Award for DirectingNominated – César Award for Best Foreign FilmNominated – Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing - Feature FilmNominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Director 1976 Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson Golden Bear at Berlin 1977 3 Women Nominated – Palme d'Or 1978 A Wedding Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best DirectionNominated – BAFTA Award for Best Original ScreenplayNominated – César Award for Best Foreign FilmNominated – Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay 1979 Quintet A Perfect Couple 1980 HealtH Popeye 1982 Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean 1983 Streamers DVD released in 2010 by Shout! Factory 1984 Secret Honor O.C. & Stiggs Released in 1987 1985 Fool for Love Troia International Film Festival Golden DolphinNominated – Palme d'Or 1987 Beyond Therapy Aria Segment: Les BoréadesNominated – Palme d'Or 1990 Vincent & Theo 1992 The Player BAFTA Award for Best DirectionBodil Award for Best Non-European FilmPrix de la mise en scèneItalian National Syndicate of Film Journalists Award for Best Foreign DirectorLondon Film Critics Circle Award for Best DirectorNew York Film Critics Circle Award for Best DirectorSoutheastern Film Critics Association Award for Best DirectorNominated – Academy Award for DirectingNominated – BAFTA Award for Best FilmNominated – Palme d'OrNominated – César Award for Best Foreign FilmNominated – Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing - Feature FilmNominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Director 1993 Short Cuts Independent Spirit Award for Best FilmIndependent Spirit Award for Best ScreenplayBodil Award for Best American FilmBoston Society of Film Critics Award for Best ScreenplayItalian National Syndicate of Film Journalists Award for Best Foreign DirectorGolden LionNominated – Academy Award for DirectingNominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay Nominated – César Award for Best Foreign Film 1994 Prêt-à-Porter Also released as Ready to Wear 1996 Kansas City Nominated – Palme d'Or 1998 The Gingerbread Man 1999 Cookie's Fortune Nominated – Independent Spirit Award for Best Film 2000 Dr. T & the Women Nominated – Golden Lion 2001 Gosford Park American Film Institute Director of the YearBAFTA Award for Best British FilmEvening Standard British Film Award for Best FilmGolden Globe Award for Best DirectorItalian National Syndicate of Film Journalists Award for Best Foreign DirectorDirectorNew York Film Critics Circle Award for Best DirectorRobert Award for Best American Film of the YearNominated – BAFTA Award for Best DirectionNominated – Academy Award for DirectingNominated – Bodil Award for Best American FilmNominated – Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best FilmNominated – César Award for Best European Union FilmNominated – Goya Award for Best European Film 2003 The Company 2006 A Prairie Home Companion Also released as The Last ShowHochi Film Award for Best International FilmNominated – Independent Spirit Award for Best DirectorNominated – Bodil Award for Best American Film

Television work
Television movies and miniseries
 Nightmare in Chicago (1964) [previously "Once Upon a Savage Night" in Kraft Suspense Theater]
 Precious Blood (1982) – Television film written by Frank South
 Rattlesnake in a Cooler (1982) – Television film written by Frank South
 Secret Honor (1984)
 The Laundromat (1985) (60 min.)
 Basements (1987) – two one-act plays by Harold Pinter: The Dumb Waiter and The Room (the former was released to video as its own feature by Prism Entertainment)
 Tanner '88 (1988) – six-hour mini-series for HBO
 The Caine Mutiny Court Martial (1988) – Television film based on the play by Herman Wouk
 Vincent & Theo (1990) – British Mini-series in 4 parts, later released in edited form worldwide as feature movie.
 McTeague (1992) – an opera for PBS
 The Real McTeague (1993) – making of "McTeague", also for PBS
 Black and Blue (1993) – an Emmy nominated filmed play which aired on PBS' "Great Performances"
 Robert Altman's Jazz '34 (1996) – PBS special about the music from Kansas City
 Tanner on Tanner (2004) – two-hour mini-series for the Sundance Channel, a follow-up to Tanner '88

Television episodes
 Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1957–58)
 ep. 3–9: "The Young One"  (air-date December 1, 1957)
 ep. 3–15: "Together"  (a.d. January 12, 1958)
 M Squad (1958) ep. 1–21: "Lover's Lane Killing" (a.d. February 14, 1958)
 The Millionaire aka If You Had A Million (1958–59)
 directed by Altman
 ep No. 148 / 5–14: "Pete Hopper: Afraid of the Dark" (a.d. December 10, 1958)
 ep No. 162 / 5–28: "Henry Banning: The Show Off" (a.d. April 1, 1959)
 ep No. 185 / 6–14: "Jackson Greene: The Beatnik" (a.d. December 22, 1959)
 written by Altman
 ep No. 160 / 5–26: "Alicia Osante: Beauty and the Sailor" (a.d. March 18, 1959)
 ep No. 174 / 6-3: "Lorraine Dagget: The Beach Story" [story] (a.d. September 29, 1959)
 ep No. 183 / 6–12: "Andrew C. Cooley: Andy and Clara" (a.d. December 8, 1959)
 Whirlybirds (1958–59)
 ep. No. 71 / 2–32: "The Midnight Show" (a.d. December 8, 1958)
 ep. No. 79 / 3-1: "Guilty of Old Age" (a.d. April 13, 1959)
 ep. No. 80 / 3-2: "A Matter of Trust" (a.d. April 6, 1959)
 ep. No. 81 / 3-3: "Christmas in June" (a.d. April 20, 1959)
 ep. No. 82 / 3–4: "Til Death Do Us Part" (unknown air-date, probably April 27, 1959)
 ep. No. 83 / 3–5: "Time Limit" (a.d. May 4, 1959)
 ep. No. 84 / 3–6: "Experiment X-74" (a.d. May 11, 1959)
 ep. No. 87 / 3–9: "The Challenge" (a.d. June 1, 1959)
 ep. No. 88 / 3–10: "The Big Lie" (a.d. June 8, 1959)
 ep. No. 91 / 3–13: "The Perfect Crime" (a.d. June 29, 1959)
 ep. No. 92 / 3–14: "The Unknown Soldier" (a.d. July 6, 1959)
 ep. No. 93 / 3–15: "Two of a Kind" (a.d. July 13, 1959)
 ep. No. 94 / 3–16: "In Ways Mysterious" (a.d. July 20, 1959)
 ep. No. 97 / 3–19: "The Black Maria" (a.d. August 10, 1959)
 ep. No. 98 / 3–20: "The Sitting Duck" (a.d. August 17, 1959)
 U.S. Marshal (original title: Sheriff of Cochise) (1959)
 verified
 ep. 4–17: "The Triple Cross"
 ep. 4–23: "Shortcut to Hell"
 ep. 4–25: "R.I.P." (a.d. June 6, 1959)
 uncertain; some sources cite Altman on these episodes; no known source cites anybody else
 ep. 4–18: "The Third Miracle"
 ep. 4–31: "Kill or Be Killed"
 ep. 4–32: "Backfire"
 ep. "Tapes For Murder"
 ep. "Special Delivery"
 ep. "Paper Bullets"
 ep. "Tarnished Star"
 Troubleshooters (1959) (13 episodes)
 Hawaiian Eye (1959) ep. 8: "Three Tickets to Lani" (a.d. November 25, 1959)
 Sugarfoot (1959–60)
 ep. No. 47 / 3–7: "Apollo With A Gun" (a.d. December 8, 1959)
 ep. No. 50 / 3–10: "The Highbinder" (a.d. January 19, 1960)
 Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (1960)
 ep. "The Sound of Murder" (a.d. January 1, 1960)
 ep. "Death of a Dream"
 The Gale Storm Show aka Oh! Susanna (1960) ep. No. 125 / 4–25: "It's Magic" (a.d. March 17, 1960)
 Bronco (1960) ep No. 41 / 3-1: "The Mustangers" (a.d. October 17, 1960)
 Maverick (1960) ep. #90: "Bolt From the Blue" (a.d. November 27, 1960)
 The Roaring '20s (1960–61)
 ep. 1–5: "The Prairie Flower" (a.d. November 12, 1960)
 ep. 1–6: "Brother's Keeper" (a.d. November 19, 1960)
 ep. 1–8: "White Carnation" (a.d. December 3, 1960)
 ep. 1–12: "Dance Marathon" (a.d. January 14, 1961)
 ep. 1–15: "Two a Day" (a.d. February 4, 1961)
 ep. 1–28&29: "Right Off the Boat" Parts 1 & 2 (a.d. May 13/20, 1961)
 ep. 1–31: "Royal Tour" (a.d. June 3, 1961)
 ep. 2–4: "Standing Room Only" (a.d. October 28, 1961)
 Bonanza (1960–61)
 ep. 2–13: "Silent Thunder" (a.d. December 10, 1960)
 ep. 2–19: "Bank Run" (a.d. January 28, 1961)
 ep. 2–25: "The Duke" (a.d. March 11, 1961)
 ep. 2–28: "The Rival" (a.d. April 15, 1961)
 ep. 2–31: "The Secret" (a.d. May 6, 1961)
 ep. 2–32 "The Dream Riders" (a.d. May 20, 1961)
 ep. 2–34: "Sam Hill" (a.d. June 3, 1961)
 ep. 3–7: "The Many Faces of Gideon Finch" (a.d. November 5, 1961)
 Lawman (1961) ep. No. 92 / 3–16: "The Robbery" (a.d. January 1, 1961)
 Surfside 6 (1961) ep. 1–18: "Thieves Among Honor" (a.d. Jan 30, 1961)
 Peter Gunn (1958) ep. 3–28: "The Murder Bond" (a.d. April 24, 1961)
 Bus Stop (1961–62)
 ep. 4: "The Covering Darkness" (a.d. October 22, 1961)
 ep. 5: "Portrait of a Hero" (a.d. October 29, 1961)
 ep. 8: "Accessory By Consent" (a.d. November 19, 1961)
 ep. 10: "A Lion Walks Among Us" (a.d. December 3, 1961)
 ep. 12: "... And the Pursuit of Evil" (a.d. December 17, 1961)
 ep. 15: "Summer Lightning" (a.d. January 7, 1962)
 ep. 23: "Door Without a Key" (a.d. March 4, 1962)
 ep. 25: "County General" [possibly failed pilot] (a.d. March 18, 1962)
 Route 66 (1961)
 ep. #40/2-10: "Some of the People, Some of the Time' (a.d. December 1, 61)
 ep. 3–17: "A Gift For A Warrior" (a.d. January 18, 1963) – often incorrectly cited, Altman did not direct this
 The Gallant Men (1962) pilot: "Battle Zone" (a.d. October 5, 1962)
 Combat! (1962–63)
 ep. 1-1: "Forgotten Front" (a.d. October 2, 1962)
 ep. 1–2: "Rear Echelon Commandos" (a.d. October 9, 1962)
 ep. 1–4: "Any Second Now" (a.d. October 23, 1962)
 ep. 1–7: "Escape to Nowhere" (a.d. December 20, 1962)
 ep. 1–9: "Cat and Mouse" (a.d. December 4, 1962)
 ep. 1–10: "I Swear By Apollo" (a.d. December 11, 1962)
 ep. 1–12: "The Prisoner" (a.d. December 25, 1962)
 ep. 1–16: "The Volunteer" (a.d. January 22, 1963)
 ep. 1–20: "Off Limits" (a.d. February 19, 1963)
 ep. 1–23: "Survival" (a.d. March 12, 1963)
 Kraft Suspense Theatre (1963)
 ep 1–8: "The Long Lost Life of Edward Smalley" (also writer) (a.d. December 12, 1963)
 ep 1–9: "The Hunt" (also writer) (a.d. December 19, 1963)
 ep 1–21: "Once Upon a Savage Night"
 released as Television film Nightmare in Chicago in 1964
 The Long Hot Summer (1965) pilot
 Nightwatch (1968) pilot: "The Suitcase"
 Premiere (1968) ep. "Walk in the Sky" (a.d. July 15, 1968)
 Saturday Night Live (1977) ep. No. 39 / 2–16 "h: Sissy Spacek", seg. "Sissy's Roles" (a.d. March 12, 1977)
 Gun (aka Robert Altman's Gun) (1997) ep. 4: "All the President's Women" (a.d. May 10, 1997)
 this episode, along with another, was released on DVD as Gun: Fatal Betrayal; subsequently, the entire six-episode series was released

Awards and nominations
Academy Awards:
 1971: Best Director (MASH, nominated)
 1976: Best Picture (Nashville, nominated)
 1976: Best Director (Nashville, nominated)
 1993: Best Director (The Player, nominated)
 1994: Best Director (Short Cuts, nominated)
 2002: Best Picture (Gosford Park, nominated)
 2002: Best Director (Gosford Park, nominated)
 2006: Honorary Oscar (won)

BAFTA Awards:
 1971: Best Direction (MASH, nominated)
 1979: Best Direction (A Wedding, nominated)
 1979: Best Screenplay (A Wedding, nominated)
 1993: Best Film (The Player, nominated)
 1993: Best Direction (The Player, won)
 2002: Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film (Gosford Park, won)
 2002: David Lean Award for Direction (Gosford Park, nominated)

Berlin International Film Festival:
 1976: Golden Berlin Bear (Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson, won)
 1985: FIPRESCI Prize – Forum of New Cinema (Secret Honor, won)
 1999: Golden Berlin Bear (Cookie's Fortune, nominated)
 1999: Prize of the Guild of German Art House Cinemas (Cookie's Fortune, won)
 2002: Honorary Golden Berlin Bear (won)
 2006: Golden Berlin Bear (A Prairie Home Companion, nominated)
 2006: Reader Jury of the "Berliner Morgenpost" (A Prairie Home Companion, won)

Cannes Film Festival:
 1970: Golden Palm (MASH, won)
 1972: Golden Palm (Images, nominated)
 1977: Golden Palm (3 Women, nominated)
 1986: Golden Palm (Fool for Love, nominated)
 1987: Golden Palm (Aria, nominated)
 1992: Golden Palm (The Player, nominated)
 1992: Best Director (The Player, won)
 1996: Golden Palm (Kansas City, nominated)

Directors Guild of America Awards:
 1971: Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures (MASH, nominated)
 1976: Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures (Nashville, nominated)
 1993: Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures (The Player, nominated)
 1994: Lifetime Achievement Award (won)
 2005: Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television (Tanner on Tanner, nominated)

Emmy Awards:
 1989: Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series (Tanner '88, won)
 1993: Outstanding Directing in a Variety or Music Program (Great Performances – Black and Blue, nominated)

Golden Globe Awards:
 1971: Best Director (MASH, nominated)
 1976: Best Director (Nashville, nominated)
 1993: Best Director (The Player, nominated)
 1994: Best Screenplay (Short Cuts, nominated)
 2002: Best Director (Gosford Park, won)

Independent Spirit Awards:
 1994: Best Director (Short Cuts, won)
 1994: Best Screenplay (Short Cuts, won)
 1995: Best Feature (Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle, nominated)
 2000: Best Feature (Cookie's Fortune, nominated)
 2007: Best Director (A Prairie Home Companion, nominated)

Venice Film Festival:
 1993: Golden Lion (Short Cuts, won)
 1996: Career Golden Lion (won)
 2000: Golden Lion (Dr T and the Women, nominated)

References

 Other websites 


Category:Actors from Kansas City, Missouri
Category:American movie actors
Category:American television directors
Category:American television producers
Category:American television writers
Category:BAFTA Award winning directors
Category:Cancer deaths in Los Angeles
Category:Deaths from leukemia
Category:Emmy Award winning directors
Category:Golden Globe Award winning directors
Category:Movie directors from Missouri
Category:Movie producers from Missouri
Category:Screenwriters from Missouri
Category:1925 births
Category:2006 deaths