Marvin Worth (June 6, 1925 – April 22, 1998) was an American film producer, screenwriter and actor. His efforts to bring the biography of

Malcolm X Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little, later el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz; May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965) was an African American revolutionary, Islam in the United States, Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a prominent figur ...

to the big screen started in 1967, when he purchased the rights to '' The Autobiography of Malcolm X'', and eventually led to the production of the 1972 documentary, for which he received an

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People and fictional and mythical characters * Oscar (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters named Oscar, Óscar or Oskar * Oscar (footballer, born 1954), Brazilian footballer ...

nomination. Later on, he would produce ''

'', with director

Spike Lee Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, actor, and author. His work has continually explored race relations, issues within the black community, the role of media in contemporary ...

. He was nominated for an Oscar for producing '' Lenny'' in 1974.

Early life and career

Worth's career began at a very early age when he began promoting jazz concerts, which led to relationship with many artists. At one time, he managed the musical careers of

Charlie Parker Charles Parker Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird", was an American jazz Saxophone, saxophonist, bandleader, and composer. Parker was a highly influential soloist and leading figure in the development of beb ...

and

Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday made significant contributions to jazz music and pop ...

. Later, Worth's employment as an agent branched into comedy, and he took on contentious comedian Lenny Bruce. In the 1950s, he forged a partnership with Arne Sultan and began writing material for Bruce. The duo went on to pen the scripts for '' Three on a Couch'' and '' Boys' Night Out'' and the story for '' Promise Her Anything''. In 1958, Worth won a

Peabody Award The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program, named for the American businessman and philanthropist George Foster Peabody, George Peabody, honor what are described as the most powerful, enlightening, and in ...

for his writing on '' The Steve Allen Show''. In 1971, Worth brought the story of Lenny Bruce to Broadway in the production ''Lenny'', which won a

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

for its star, Cliff Gorman.(Internet Broadway Database) In 1974 the movie version of Lenny directed by Bob Fosse was released and received multiple Academy Award nominations. For the remainder of his career, Worth continued to produce biopics including the 1979 film '' The Rose'' (loosely based on

Janis Joplin Janis Lyn Joplin (January 19, 1943 – October 4, 1970) was an American singer and songwriter. One of the most iconic and successful Rock music, rock performers of her era, she was noted for her powerful mezzo-soprano vocals and her "electric" ...

), the 1996 television movie '' Norma Jean & Marilyn'', the 1998 television movie '' Gia'', and the 2001 television movie ''

James Dean James Byron Dean (February 8, 1931September 30, 1955) was an American actor. He became one of the most influential figures in Hollywood in the 1950s, despite a career that lasted only five years. His impact on cinema and popular culture was p ...

''.

Personal life and death

Worth was married to his wife Joan, an artist, for 44 years. They had three children. On April 22, 1998, Worth died of bronchioloalveolar carcinoma, a form of lung cancer, in Los Angeles.

Selected filmography

He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.

Film

;As an actor ;As writer ;Miscellaneous crew

Television

;As writer ;Script and continuity department ;Thanks

Award nominations

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Worth, Martin 1925 births 1998 deaths American film producers American male screenwriters American male film actors Deaths from lung cancer in California Peabody Award winners American theatre managers and producers 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American businesspeople 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American screenwriters