Sunday, August 5, 2018

Burt Lancaster - L'Enfant Terrible

I'm reading a biography of Burt Lancaster, and just wanted to list all the people Lancaster abused or made angry while making movies:

  • Ten Tall Men (1951) -  Angry at Lancaster's obnoxious behavior, Director William Goldbeck walks off the set, and is replaced by Robert Parish
  • Crimson Pirate (1952) - Director Siodomak declares Lancaster a "megalomaniac", and "possibly mentally ill" after being disgusted by his "filthy language" and "abusive attitude". 
  • Separate Tables (1958)  - Olivier and Vivian Leigh quit after Lancaster demands to play the "John Malcolm" role in leiu of Spenser Tracy.  Director Delbert Mann refuses to work with Lancaster again, after the picture is cut to make Lancaster's part bigger and add a popular song.
  • Run Silent, Run Deep (1958)  Director Wise is annoyed when Lancaster and Hill constantly rewrite the script and later make the final cut without him.
  • Devil's Disciples (1959)  Lancaster fires Director Mackendrick 
  • The Unforgiven (1960)- John Huston and Lancaster don't get along. Later, Huston calls it the "only film of mine I disliked making"
  • Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) Maximilian Schell and Lancaster get in shouting match. Lancaster walks off Mike Wallace talk show when asked about it.  
  • The Young Savages (1961) - Lancaster dislikes Lee Grant - has her fired - after one day. Later, Shelly Winters and Lancaster get into a screaming match onset. 
  • Birdman of Alcatraz - (1962) - Lancaster fires Director Charles Chrichton 
  • The Train (1964) - Lancaster fires Director Arthur Penn after one week of shooting
  • The Swimmer - (1968) Director Perry clashes with Lancaster.  Lancaster and the Studio  reshoot much of the movie, only 1/2 of the Perry's footage is used.
  • Airport (1970) -  During production  Lancaster is cold and aloof.  Refuses to thank Ross Hunter for the role or promote the movie.  Publicly calls it "the biggest piece of Junk" right before the Oscars.  
  • Little Treasure (1985)  During rehearsal, Margot Kidder grabs Lancaster after being told not to. Lancaster responds by slapping her.  She starts kicking him and the two go down to the ground.  To forestall an assault and battery charge,  Lancaster apologizes.

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