Robert M. Young (director)

Not to be confused with Robert Young (director).

Robert M. Young
Publicity Photo of Robert M. Young
Born
Robert Milton Young

(1924-11-22)November 22, 1924
New York City, U.S.
DiedFebruary 6, 2024(2024-02-06) (aged 99)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Other namesRobert M. Young
Alma materHarvard University (B.A., 1949)
Occupations
  • Director
  • screenwriter
  • producer
  • cinematographer

Robert Milton Young (November 22, 1924 – February 6, 2024) was an American film and television director, cinematographer, screenwriter, and producer.[1] Young was considered a trailblazer in the independent filmmaking sector[2] and for frequently casting Edward James Olmos in his movies, directing him in Alambrista! (1977), The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez (1982), Saving Grace (1986), Triumph of the Spirit (1989), Talent for the Game (1991), Roosters (1993), Slave of Dreams (1995), and Caught (1996). He produced Olmos's directorial debut, American Me (1992).

Early life and education

Robert Milton Young was born in New York City on November 22, 1924. His father was a cameraman who later owned a film laboratory. Robert began college at MIT to become a chemical engineer. He left after two years to join the U.S. Navy during World War II and served in the Pacific in New Guinea and in the Philippines. Upon returning to America after the war, he decided to study English literature at Harvard University.[3]

Young also developed an interest in filmmaking and graduated from Harvard in 1949.[4]

Career

After graduation, Young formed a cooperative partnership with two friends making educational films. In 1960, he worked for NBC making public affairs programs for NBC White Paper. In 1960, on behalf of NBC, he went to the American South to make the film Sit-In about the civil rights protests and sit-ins. The film won a Peabody Award.[3][5]

Young later left NBC to pursue narrative film work.[3]

Young won a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1975.[6]

In 1985 he was a member of the jury at the 14th Moscow International Film Festival.[7]

Death

Young died in Los Angeles on February 6, 2024, at the age of 99.[2][8][9]

Filmography

Filmmaking credits

Feature films

Title Year Director Producer Writer Notes
Nothing But a Man 1964 No Yes Yes
Short Eyes 1977 Yes Yes No Directorial Debut
Alambrista! 1977 Yes No Yes
Rich Kids 1979 Yes No No
One-Trick Pony 1980 Yes No No
The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez 1982 Yes No Yes
Saving Grace 1986 Yes No No
Extremities 1986 Yes No No
Dominick and Eugene 1988 Yes No No
The Plot Against Harry 1989 No Yes No Filming in 1969
Triumph of the Spirit 1989 Yes No No
Talent for the Game 1991 Yes No No
American Me 1992 No Yes No
Caught 1996 Yes No No
China: The Panda Adventure 2001 Yes No No IMAX film
Human Error 2004 Yes No No

Documentaries

Title Year Director Writer Notes
Secrets of the Reef 1956 Yes Yes
At the Winter Sea Ice Camp: Part 4 1967 Yes No Short film
The Eskimo: Fight for Life 1970 Yes Yes
Children of the Fields 1973 Yes No Short film
To Fly! 1976 No Yes IMAX short film
Children of Fate: Life and Death in a Sicilian Family 1993 Yes No
William Kurelek's The Maze 2011 Yes No Co-directed with David Grubin

Cancelled film: Cortile Cascino (1962)[10]

Television

Title Year Director Producer Writer Notes
World Wide '60 1960 Yes No No Television series (episode "The Living End")
Sit-In 1960 Yes No No Episode of TV series 'NBC White Paper'
Angola: Journey to a War 1961 Yes No No Episode of TV series 'NBC White Paper')
J.T. 1969 Yes No No Television film
National Geographic Specials 1972–1976 Yes No No Television documentary series (4 episodes)
Amanda Fallon 1973 No No Creator Unsold pilot
Special Treat 1978 Yes No No Television series (episode "Snowbound")
We Are the Children 1987 Yes No No Television film
Solomon & Sheba 1995 Yes No No Television film
Slave of Dreams 1995 Yes No No Television film
Caught 1996 Yes No No Television film
Nothing Sacred 1997–1998 Yes No No Television series (2 episodes)
Battlestar Galactica 2004–2009 Yes No No Television series (5 episodes)
Walkout 2006 No Co-Executive No Television film

Technical credits

Feature films

Title Year Cinematographer Camera operator
Nothing But a Man 1964 Yes
Namu, the Killer Whale 1966 Yes
Alambrista! 1977 Yes
The Plot Against Harry 1989 Yes
American Me 1992 Yes
Berkeley 2005 Yes

Documentaries and other

Title Year Cinematographer Sound Editor Notes
Secrets of the Reef 1956 Yes
Stalking Seal on the Spring Ice 1967 Yes Short series in 2 films
Jigging for Lake Trout 1967 Yes
Group Hunting on the Spring Ice 1967 Yes Short series in 3 films
Fishing at the Stone Weir 1967 Yes Short series in 2 films
Building a Kayak 1967 Yes Short series in 2 films
At the Winter Sea Ice Camp 1967 Yes Short series in 4 films
At the Spring Sea Ice Camp 1967 Yes Short series in 3 films
At the Caribou Crossing Place 1967 Yes Short series in 2 films
At the Autumn River Camp 1967 Yes Short series (onlty part 2)
The Eskimo: Fight for Life 1970 Yes
Deal 1977 Yes
Out on a Limb: An Introduction to Jack Hodgins 1981 Yes Short film
Imperfect Union: Canadian Labour and the Left, Part 2: Born of Hard Times 1989 Yes
Children of Fate: Life and Death in a Sicilian Family 1993 Yes Yes
The Last Winter 2002 Yes Short film
William Kurelek's The Maze 2011 Yes

Television

Title Year Cinematographer Second unit director Notes
High Adventure with Lowell Thomas 1957 Yes Television documentary series
National Geographic Specials 1972–1976 Yes Television documentary series (4 episodes)
Special Treat 1978 Yes Television series (episode "Snowbound")
Walkout 2006 Yes Television film

References

  1. ^ "Robert M. Young – Movie and Film Biography, Credits and Filmography". AllMovie. November 22, 1924. Retrieved March 3, 2012.
  2. ^ a b >Brueggemann, Tom (February 9, 2024). "Robert M. Young, Trailblazing Independent Director, Dies at 99". IndieWire. Penske Media. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Alexander, Geoff, "Biography: Robert M. Young", Academic Film Archive of North America (AFANA).
  4. ^ Ireland, Corydon, "Nothing but a breakthrough: Landmark 1964 film about race by two Harvard grads launches Film Archive's season", The Harvard Gazette, January 11, 2013
  5. ^ "NBC WHITE PAPER: U.S. News Documentary" Archived November 16, 2018, at the Wayback Machine, Museum of Broadcast Communications, Chicago, Illinois.
  6. ^ "Tribeca Film Institute".
  7. ^ "14th Moscow International Film Festival (1985)". MIFF. Archived from the original on March 16, 2013. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
  8. ^ "Robert M. Young Dies: Groundbreaking Independent Film Director, Camera d'Or and Peabody Award Winner Was 99". February 10, 2024.
  9. ^ "Robert M. Young, 'Extremities' and 'Dominick and Eugene' Director, Dies at 99". The Hollywood Reporter. February 13, 2024.
  10. ^ Wall, David C.; Martin, Michael T. (October 20, 2015). The Politics and Poetics of Black Film: Nothing But a Man. Indiana University Press. ISBN 9780253018502.

Further reading

  • Lewis, Leon (editor). Robert M. Young : essays on the films, Jefferson, N.C. ; London : McFarland & Co., 2005. ISBN 0786420634