Lynn Arlen Stalmaster (November 17, 1927 – February 12, 2021) was an American

casting director In the performing arts industry such as theatre, film, or television, casting, or a casting call, is a pre-production process for selecting a certain type of actor, dancer, singer, or extra to land the role of a character in a script, screenp ...

. He was noted as the first casting director to be conferred an Academy Award, having received an Honorary Oscar in 2016.

Early life

Stalmaster was born in

Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...

, on November 17, 1927. He was the son of Estelle (Lapidus) and Irvin A. Stalmaster, a lawyer who became a judge. Irvin was the first

Jew Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, religion, and community are highly inte ...

, as well as the youngest person, to be appointed to a Nebraska district judgeship.The Jewish Press (Omaha): "Hollywood insiders return Home for Jewish Reunion" by Sherrie Saag
July 30, 2014 He was also active in the local Jewish community, serving as president of the Omaha B'nai B'rith. Lynn Stalmaster's younger brother is actor Hal Stalmaster (born 1940), best known for his starring role in the Disney film '' Johnny Tremain''. Stalmaster initially attended Dundee Elementary School in Omaha's Dundee–Happy Hollow Historic District. In order to ameliorate his severe

asthma Asthma is a common long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and easily triggered bronchospasms. Symptoms include episodes of wh ...

, his family later relocated to

Beverly Hills, California Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. A notable and historic suburb of Los Angeles, it is located just southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Beverly Hills ...

, where he attended

Beverly Hills High School Beverly Hills High School (shortly as BHHS or Beverly) is a public high school in Beverly Hills, California. The other public high school in Beverly Hills is Moreno High School, a small alternative school located on Beverly Hills High School's c ...

. There he overcame his shyness by immersing himself in theatre and radio. After serving in the U.S. Army during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, he studied theater arts at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, obtaining a

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA or AM) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Those admitted to the degree have ...

in 1952.Oscar Biographies: "Lynn Stalmaster"
retrieved July 22, 2017

Career

Stalmaster got his first job in show business as an actor, appearing in the war movies '' The Steel Helmet'' (1951), '' The Flying Leathernecks'' (1951), and the TV series ''

Big Town ''Big Town'' is a popular long-running radio drama featuring a corruption-fighting newspaper editor initially played from 1937 to 1942 by Edward G. Robinson in his first radio role, with echoes of the conscience-stricken tabloid editor he had p ...

''. As a fail-safe plan, he was employed by Grosse-Krasne as a production assistant. He subsequently became casting director after the incumbent retired, and went on to cast five on-air series. After several years in that capacity, Stalmaster became an independent casting director. He established himself quickly as a solid casting director, finding steady work in both television and motion pictures. He was credited with casting more than 60 movies of the decade, among them; ''

Fiddler on the Roof ''Fiddler on the Roof'' is a musical theatre, musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and musical theatre#Book musicals, book by Joseph Stein, set in the Pale of Settlement of Russian Empire, Imperial Russia in or around 19 ...

'', '' Harold and Maude'', ''

The Cowboys ''The Cowboys'' is a 1972 American Western film starring John Wayne, Roscoe Lee Browne, and Bruce Dern, and featuring Colleen Dewhurst and Slim Pickens. It was the feature film debut of Robert Carradine. Based on the 1971 novel of the sam ...

'', ''

Deliverance ''Deliverance'' is a 1972 American thriller film directed and produced by John Boorman from a screenplay by James Dickey, who adapted it from his own Deliverance (novel), 1970 novel. It follows four businessmen from Atlanta who venture into th ...

'', '' Rollerball'', '' Silver Streak'', '' Black Sunday'', '' Coming Home,'' ''

Convoy A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support and can help maintain cohesion within a unit. It may also be used ...

,'' '' The Rose,'' ''

Superman Superman is a superhero created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, which first appeared in the comic book ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1, published in the United States on April 18, 1938.The copyright date of ''Action Comics ...

'' and ''

Being There ''Being There'' is a 1979 American satirical comedy-drama film starring Peter Sellers, Shirley MacLaine, and Melvyn Douglas. Directed by Hal Ashby, it is based on the 1971 novel '' Being There'' by Jerzy Kosiński, and adapted for the scr ...

.'' Stalmaster was responsible for casting TV shows such as ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centered on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central charact ...

'', '' The Untouchables'', and ''

My Favorite Martian ''My Favorite Martian'' is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from September 29, 1963, to May 1, 1966, for 107 episodes. The show stars Ray Walston as "Uncle Martin" (the Martian) and Bill Bixby as Tim O'Hara. ''My Favorite Martian'' was th ...

''. He was also a part of

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

winning movies such as '' In the Heat of the Night'', '' The Thomas Crown Affair'', '' The Right Stuff'', and

Brian De Palma Brian Russell De Palma (; born September 11, 1940) is an Americans, American film director and screenwriter. With a career spanning over 50 years, he is best known for work in the suspense, Crime film, crime, and psychological thriller genres. ...

's '' The Untouchables''. Stalmaster was the first casting director to receive credit on a separate card in the main titles of a feature film, starting with '' The Thomas Crown Affair'' in 1968. His name subsequently appeared in the main titles of over 180 films, credited as "Casting by Lynn Stalmaster."

Later life

Stalmaster was conferred the Career Achievement Award by the Casting Society of America (CSA) in 2003. Thirteen years later, in November 2016, he received an

Academy Honorary Award The Academy Honorary Award – instituted in 1950 for the 23rd Academy Awards (previously called the Special Award, which was first presented at the 1st Academy Awards in 1929) – is given annually by the Board of Governors of the Academy of Mot ...

from the

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., with the stated goal of adva ...

. He was the first casting director to receive an Academy Award. Two years later, the Casting Society of America began honoring entertainment professionals with the Lynn Stalmaster Award for Career Achievement. Recipients include

Annette Bening Annette Carol Bening (born May 29, 1958) is an American actress. With a career spanning over four decades, she is known for List of Annette Bening performances, her versatile work across screen and stage. Bening has received List of awards an ...

, Laura Dern, and Geena Davis. Stalmaster died on the morning of February 12, 2021, at his home in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

. He was 93.

Partial filmography

* '' Screaming Eagles'', 1956 * '' The Invisible Boy'', 1957 * '' Trooper Hook'', 1957 * '' I Want to Live!'', 1958 * '' Pork Chop Hill'', 1959 * '' Inherit the Wind'', 1960 * ''

West Side Story ''West Side Story'' is a Musical theatre, musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a Book (musical theatre), book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's play ''Romeo an ...

'', 1961 * '' Judgment at Nuremberg'', 1961 * '' Two for the Seesaw'', 1962 * '' A Child Is Waiting'', 1963 * '' Toys in the Attic'', 1963 * '' Lady in a Cage'', 1964 * '' Kiss Me, Stupid'', 1964 * ''

The Greatest Story Ever Told ''The Greatest Story Ever Told'' is a 1965 American epic film, epic List of religious films, religious film that retells the Biblical account of Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, from the Nativity of Jesus, Nativity through to the Ascension of J ...

'', 1965 * '' The Hallelujah Trail'', 1965 * '' A Rage to Live'', 1965 * '' The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming'', 1966 * ''

The Fortune Cookie ''The Fortune Cookie'' (alternative United Kingdom, British title: ''Meet Whiplash Willie'') is a 1966 American black comedy film directed, produced and co-written by Billy Wilder. It is the first film in which Jack Lemmon collaborated with Wal ...

'', 1966 * '' Return of the Seven'', 1966 * '' Cast a Giant Shadow'', 1966 * '' In the Heat of the Night'', 1967 * '' Hour of the Gun'', 1967 * '' Fitzwilly'', 1967 * '' The Scalphunters'', 1968 * '' The Thomas Crown Affair'', 1968 * '' The Killing of Sister George'', 1968 * '' The Stalking Moon'', 1968 * '' Yours, Mine and Ours'', 1968 * ''

The Bridge at Remagen ''The Bridge at Remagen'' is a 1969 DeLuxe Color war film in Panavision starring George Segal, Ben Gazzara, and Robert Vaughn. The film, which was directed by John Guillermin, was shot in Czechoslovakia. It is based on the nonfiction book ...

'', 1969 * '' What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice?'', 1969 * '' They Shoot Horses, Don't They?'', 1969 * '' Viva Max'', 1969 * '' Too Late the Hero'', 1970 * ''

They Call Me Mister Tibbs! ''They Call Me Mister Tibbs!'' is a 1970 American DeLuxe Color crime drama film directed by Gordon Douglas (director), Gordon Douglas. The second installment in a trilogy, the release was preceded by ''In the Heat of the Night (film), In the H ...

'', 1970 * '' Monte Walsh'', 1970 * '' Lawman'', 1971 * '' Valdez Is Coming'', 1971 * '' The Grissom Gang'', 1971 * ''

'', 1971 * '' Harold and Maude'', 1971 * ''

'', 1972 * '' Pocket Money'', 1972 * '' The Wrath of God'', 1972 * ''

'', 1972 * '' Junior Bonner'', 1972 * '' Jeremiah Johnson'', 1972 * '' The New Centurions'', 1972 * '' The Mechanic'', 1972 * ''

The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean ''The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean'' is a 1972 American Western comedy film written by John Milius, directed by John Huston, and starring Paul Newman. It is loosely based on the life of American saloon-keeper and Justice of the Peace in ...

'', 1972 * '' Lolly-Madonna XXX'', 1973 * '' Scorpio'', 1973 * '' The Iceman Cometh'', 1973 * '' The Last Detail'', 1973 * '' Sleeper'', 1973 * '' Cinderella Liberty'', 1973 * ''

Rhinoceros A rhinoceros ( ; ; ; : rhinoceros or rhinoceroses), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant taxon, extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates (perissodactyls) in the family (biology), famil ...

'', 1974 * '' Billy Two Hats'', 1974 * '' Conrack'', 1974 * '' Mandingo'', 1975 * '' Rollerball'', 1975 * '' Silver Streak'', 1976 * '' Bound for Glory'', 1976 * '' Black Sunday'', 1977 * ''

New York, New York New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on New York Harbor, one of the world's largest natural harb ...

'', 1977 * '' The Other Side of Midnight'', 1977 * '' Coming Home'', 1978 * '' The Fury'', 1978 * '' Foul Play'', 1978 * '' Go Tell the Spartans'', 1978 * ''

'', 1978 * ''

'', 1979 * '' Stir Crazy'', 1980 * ''

Caveman The caveman is a stock character representative of primitive humans in the Paleolithic. The popularization of the type dates to the early 20th century, when Neanderthals were influentially described as " simian" or " ape-like" by Marcellin B ...

'', 1981 * ''

First Blood ''First Blood'' is a 1982 American war action film starring Sylvester Stallone as Vietnam War veteran John Rambo. Directed by Ted Kotcheff, the film was co-written by Michael Kozoll, William Sackheim, and Stallone, deriving from the 1972 no ...

'', 1982 * ''

Tootsie ''Tootsie'' is a 1982 American satirical romantic comedy film directed by Sydney Pollack from a screenplay by Larry Gelbart and Murray Schisgal and a story by Gelbart and Don McGuire. It stars Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr, D ...

'', 1982 * '' Airplane II: The Sequel'', 1982 * '' The Right Stuff'', 1983 * ''

Supergirl Supergirl is the name of several fictional superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The original, current, and most well known Supergirl is Supergirl (Kara Zor-El), Kara Zor-El, the cousin of superhero Superman. Th ...

'', 1984 * '' Jagged Edge'', 1985 * '' Santa Claus: The Movie'', 1985 * '' 9½ Weeks'', 1986 * '' Spaceballs'', 1987 * '' The Untouchables'', 1987 * '' Weekend at Bernie's'', 1989 * '' See No Evil, Hear No Evil'', 1989 * '' Casualties of War'', 1989 * '' Crazy People'', 1990 * '' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze'', 1991 * '' Stay Tuned'', 1992 * '' Clifford'', 1994 * '' To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday'', 1996 * '' Battlefield Earth'', 2000

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Stalmaster, Lynn 1927 births 2021 deaths 20th-century American Jews 21st-century American Jews Academy Honorary Award recipients American casting directors Beverly Hills High School alumni Film people from Los Angeles Jewish American military personnel Jews from California Jews from Nebraska Military personnel from California Military personnel from Nebraska Military personnel from Omaha, Nebraska UCLA Film School alumni United States Army personnel of World War II Writers from Omaha, Nebraska