Gordon Hessler (12 December 1925 – 19 January 2014) was a German-born British film and television director, screenwriter, and producer.

Biography

Early years

Born in Berlin, Germany, Katz, Ephraim. ''The Film Encyclopedia'',

Harper Perennial Harper Perennial is a paperback imprint of the publishing house HarperCollins Publishers. Overview Harper Perennial has divisions located in New York, London, Toronto, and Sydney. The imprint is descended from the Perennial Library imprint foun ...

, 1994, 2nd Edition, pg. 622. he was raised in England and studied at the

University of Reading The University of Reading is a public research university in Reading, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1892 as the University Extension College, Reading, an extension college of Christchurch College, Oxford, and became University College, ...

. While a teenager, he moved to the United States and directed a series of short films and documentaries.McGee, Mark Thomas. ''Faster and Furiouser: The Revised and Fattened Fable of

American International Pictures American International Pictures, LLC (AIP or American International Productions) is an American film production company owned by Amazon MGM Studios. In its original operating period, AIP was an independent film production and distribution c ...

'', McFarland & Company, Inc., 1996, pgs. 278–281.

Television

Universal Studios Universal Studios may refer to: * Universal Studios, Inc., an American media and entertainment conglomerate ** Universal Pictures, an American film studio ** Universal Studios Lot, a film and television studio complex * Various theme parks operat ...

hired Hessler as a story reader for the ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, airing on CBS and NBC, alternately, between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. Between 1962 ...

'' television series. He became

story editor Story editor is a job title in motion picture and television production, also sometimes called supervising producer. The responsibilities of the story editor vary depending on the production; this article describes the duties the role most commo ...

for two seasons (1960–1962) for that series, then served as the associate producer for ''The Alfred Hitchcock Hour'' from 1962 until its cancellation in 1965. He also directed episodes of that series. Hessler then directed his first feature, a low budget thriller '' The Woman Who Wouldn't Die'' (1965), aka ''Catacombs''. He returned to television producing '' Run for Your Life'' (1966) and directing episodes of '' Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre''. He directed ''

The Last Shot You Hear ''The Last Shot You Hear'' is a 1969 British thriller film directed by Gordon Hessler and starring Hugh Marlowe, Zena Walker, Patricia Haines, and William Dysart. The screenplay was by Tim Shields based on William Fairchild's 1959 play ''Th ...

'' with filming started in 1967 but it was not released until 1969, which was the last film from Robert L. Lippert.'Last' to end lippert association with 20th. (1968, Feb 23). Los Angeles Times

AIP

asked Hessler to step in to produce and direct '' The Oblong Box'' (1969), starring

Vincent Price Vincent Leonard Price Jr. (May 27, 1911 – October 25, 1993) was an American actor. He was known for his work in the horror film genre, mostly portraying villains. He appeared on stage, television, and radio, and in more than 100 films. Price ...

, when Michael Reeves became unavailable."AIP Memories: An Interview with Gordon Hessler", ''DVD Drive In''
accessed 11 March 2014 It was written by Christopher Wicking with whom Hessler would make four more movies. AIP liked Hessler's work and called him in to do some uncredited directing on '' De Sade'' (1969), then reteamed him with Price and Wicking in '' Scream and Scream Again'' (1970), this time co starring Christopher Lee and

Peter Cushing Peter Wilton Cushing (26 May 1913 – 11 August 1994) was an English actor. His acting career spanned over six decades and included appearances in more than 100 films, as well as many television, stage and radio roles. He achieved recognition f ...

. Hessler did a third with Price and Wicking for AIP, '' Cry of the Banshee'' (1970). Price was meant to be in Hessler's (and Wicking's) next film, a version of '' Murders in the Rue Morgue'' (1971), but clashed with AIP so Jason Robards played the lead instead. In an article in ''Sight and Sound'' it was said Hessler "has an almost instantly recognisable visual style, perhaps dating from his documentary days, which gives all his films a suggestion of the surreal. His fluid camera... stalks and encircles the characters like a sadistic probe, and the result is somehow both evocative and unnerving." Hessler directed a thriller ''

Embassy A diplomatic mission or foreign mission is a group of people from a Sovereign state, state or organization present in another state to represent the sending state or organization officially in the receiving or host state. In practice, the phrase ...

'' (1972), then ''

Medusa In Greek mythology, Medusa (; ), also called Gorgo () or the Gorgon, was one of the three Gorgons. Medusa is generally described as a woman with living snakes in place of hair; her appearance was so hideous that anyone who looked upon her wa ...

'' (1973) with George Hamilton, the last movie he made written by Wicking. Hessler did a TV movie with

Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress of film, television, and theater. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses in Hollywood history, she was noted for her willingness to play unsympatheti ...

, '' Scream, Pretty Peggy'' (1973) then made the

Ray Harryhausen Raymond Frederick Harryhausen (June 29, 1920 – May 7, 2013) was an American-British animator and special effects creator who is regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of both fields. In a career spanning more than 40 ...

adventure '' The Golden Voyage of Sinbad'' (1974).

Television

Despite the success of ''Sinbad'' Hessler focused on television movies: '' Skyway to Death'' (1974), '' Hitchhike!'' (1974), '' A Cry in the Wilderness'' (1974), and ''

Betrayal Betrayal is the breaking or violation of a presumptive contract, trust, or confidence that produces moral and psychological conflict within a relationship amongst individuals, between organizations or between individuals and organizations. Of ...

'' (1974). He also directed episodes of '' Lucas Tanner'', '' Amy Prentiss'', '' Kolchak: The Night Stalker'', ''

Kung Fu Chinese martial arts, commonly referred to with umbrella terms Kung fu (term), kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (sport), wushu (), are Styles of Chinese martial arts, multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater Ch ...

'', ''

Switch In electrical engineering, a switch is an electrical component that can disconnect or connect the conducting path in an electrical circuit, interrupting the electric current or diverting it from one conductor to another. The most common type o ...

'', '' The Blue Knight'', ''

Spencer's Pilots ''Spencer's Pilots'' is an American Adventure (genre), adventure series that aired on CBS from September 17 to November 19, 1976. Created by Larry Rosen and developed by Alvin Sapinsley, the series stars Gene Evans.''The Tuscaloosa News'' (via As ...

'', ''

The Eddie Capra Mysteries ''The Eddie Capra Mysteries'' is an American mystery television series starring Vincent Baggetta as a lawyer who investigates murders and has a knack for solving them. Original episodes aired on NBC from September 8, 1978, to January 12, 1979.M ...

'', ''

Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superheroine who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in ''All Star Comics'' Introducing Wonder Woman, #8, published October 21, 1941, with her first feature in ''Sensation Comic ...

'', ''

CHiPs ''CHiPs'' is an American crime drama television series created by Rick Rosner and originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1977, to May 1, 1983. After the final first-run telecast on NBC in May 1983, the series went into reruns on Sundays fr ...

'', and '' Hawaii Five-O''. He directed ''

Little Women ''Little Women'' is a coming-of-age novel written by American novelist Louisa May Alcott, originally published in two volumes, in 1868 and 1869. The story follows the lives of the four March sisters— Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy—and details th ...

'' (1978), '' Secrets of Three Hungry Wives'' (1978), '' Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park'', ''

Puzzle A puzzle is a game, problem, or toy that tests a person's ingenuity or knowledge. In a puzzle, the solver is expected to put pieces together ( or take them apart) in a logical way, in order to find the solution of the puzzle. There are differe ...

'' (1978), '' The Secret War of Jackie's Girls'' (1980), '' Tales of the Haunted'' (1981), '' California Cowboys'' (1983), '' Pray for Death'' (1985), ''

The Misfit Brigade ''The Misfit Brigade'' is a 1987 American television film loosely based on Sven Hassel's novel ''Wheels of Terror''. The film was released in some markets under that title. Plot Germany 1943, a German tank is driving through the burning ruins ...

'' (1987) and '' Rage of Honor'' (1988) as well as episode of '' Shannon'', '' The Master'', '' Tales of the Unexpected'' and '' The Equalizer''.

Later career

Hessler wrote and directed '' The Girl in a Swing'' (1988) starring

Meg Tilly Meg Tilly (born Margaret Elizabeth Chan on February 14, 1960) is an American-Canadian actress and writer. For her role in the 1985 film '' Agnes of God'', she won a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting A ...

, an adaptation of

Richard Adams Richard George Adams (10 May 1920 – 24 December 2016) was an English novelist. He is best known for his debut novel ''Watership Down'' which achieved international acclaim. His other works included ''Maia'', '' Shardik'' and '' The Plague Do ...

's novel. His later films include '' Out on Bail'' (1989) and '' Journey of Honor'' (1990). Hessler died in his sleep on 19 January 2014.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hessler, Gordon 1925 births 2014 deaths English film directors English screenwriters English male screenwriters English film producers Film directors from Berlin British horror film directors 20th-century English businesspeople