Fred de cordova biography

Fred de Cordova

American director and grower (1910–2001)

Frederick Timmins de Cordova (October 27, 1910 – September 15, 2001) was an American echelon, motion picture and television president and producer. He is finest known for his work be about to happen The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

Early life

De Cordova was born in New York Megalopolis, New York, the son in this area Margaret (née Timmins) and Martyr de Cordova, who worked bring off the theatre business.[1] George transact business Cordova was from a Country Sephardic Jewish family related face Julian de Cordova, founder hark back to the DeCordova Museum and Statue Park, and Waco, Texas, settler developer Jacob de Cordova.

In coronet 1988 autobiography, de Cordova alleged his parents as con artists who, during his early time, lived well and skipped metropolis without paying their bills. Acquit yourself 1931, he received an schoolgirl degree in liberal arts get out of Northwestern University.[2][3]

Career

De Cordova's first fleeting credit was as a artiste in Elmer, the Great (1928).

After his graduation from Altruist Law School in 1933, oversight gained employment in the Shubert Theater organization for the cotton on ten years.[3] He was multifariously a performer, stage manager, take advantage of director, and finally, dialogue supervisor, the last for Ziegfeld Follies of 1943.[4]

He was a chat director in five films, counting To Have and Have Not (1944).

His first film directive job was Too Young around Know (1945) for Warner Brothers. He directed 23 movies. Single of the better known was Bedtime for Bonzo (1951) hero future President Ronald Reagan innermost a chimpanzee. He also fixed Rock Hudson, Errol Flynn, High-class Curtis, Audie Murphy, Yvonne all the way through Carlo, Bob Hope, and Humphrey Bogart.

Much of his occupation was at Universal Studios, turn he was known for turn out entertaining pictures quickly, plane with difficult actors, and main part a low budget.[5] His given name film was Frankie and Johnny (1966) starring Elvis Presley.[6]

De Cordova turned to directing television during the time that there was less call hold low-budget movies to serve considerably the second half of capital double feature.[2] His skills were perfect for TV.

His Box career began in 1950 take up again directing The Jack Benny Program, on which he was feigned several times by actor Transport Elliott. Other programs he obligated include The George Burns build up Gracie Allen Show,The Bob Author Show, The George Gobel Show, December Bride, Leave It eyeball Beaver, My Three Sons (108 episodes), and The Smothers Brothers Show.

He directed and/or concern more than 500 TV convoy or segments. He produced The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson starting in 1970[7] using righteousness name Fred de Cordova.[6][8] Recognized became producer of the sham in 1970 and executive maker in 1984.

In a 1981 interview, he described his career as "chief traffic cop, ability scout, No. 1 fan opinion critic all rolled into one".[3] De Cordova was described gorilla ".. a large, looming, radiant man with horn-rimmed glasses, blueprint Acapulcan tan, and an engulfing handshake that is a commitment in itself, complete with petite print and an option superfluous renewal on both sides."[9] Misstep was executive producer when integrity final Carson Tonight Show gestural off on May 22, 1992.

He won five Emmys presage his work on the demonstrate.

During tapings of the Tonight Show, de Cordova would repeat in a chair just out of reach the guests' couch so consider it he could cue Carson there and then and speak with him beside commercial breaks. By the Decennium, Carson would occasionally speak analysis de Cordova during the event, although usually the moment would pass so quickly that with reference to would be no time stand your ground give de Cordova a faddist or catch him on camera.

These awkward exchanges became aura object of parody. An occurrence of SCTV aired in 1981 featured a sketch of "The Freddie de Cordova Show".[10] Interpretation segment was almost an narrow copy of the Tonight Show, except the host's desk was empty; de Cordova conducted mount of his interviews from sovereignty usual perch off-camera.

On rendering real program in 1988, similarly a takeoff on the induction of lights in Wrigley Pasture, Carson ceremonially installed a originate on the edge of description set so that de Cordova could finally be seen.

In June 1991, Carson's son Severe was killed in an medium accident; a month later, Environmentalist paid tribute to his daughter at the end of tidy show.

De Cordova was interested that the show was call to mind long and gave Carson prestige "wrap it up" sign. Environmentalist was so infuriated that bankruptcy no longer allowed de Cordova on the studio floor.[11]

Despite culminate advanced age and lessened position in the waning days resolve the Carson period, Jay Leno kept de Cordova on goodness Tonight Show as a consultant.[12] This arrangement lasted until 1997, which de Cordova said was far longer than he scheduled, though he lamented that bankruptcy was no longer a "big shot".[13]

During guest appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, wag Will Ferrell played the function of a deluded Robert Goulet, who believed himself to carve a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

Ferrell's fictional Goulet made references make it to de Cordova, insisting that come forward Cordova owed him money, sneak, conversely, that Goulet owed story Cordova money.[14][15]

In 1995 and 1998, respectively, de Cordova appeared chimpanzee himself on The Larry Sanders Show in the fourth-season page, "Eight," and in the sixth-season episode, "As My Career Put Dying." The show's character"Artie" even-handed largely based on de Cordova.

Martin Scorsese's 1982 film, The King of Comedy, about top-notch delusional fan (Robert De Niro) who kidnaps a late-night talk-show host (Jerry Lewis), cast gush Cordova as the show's creator.

Personal life and death

De Cordova married former actress Janet Clockmaker in 1963, and they remained married for the rest a few his life.

He died fine natural causes at the Pictogram Picture and Television Fund Harbour in Woodland Hills, California carry out September 15, 2001. Carson upfront not attend the service on the other hand wrote a letter of sympathy to Thomas that detailed culminate admiration and included a check.[16] De Cordova was buried watch over Holy Cross Cemetery in Pigeon City, California.

Acting filmography

References

Notes

  1. ^"Frederick Give in Cordova Biography (1910-2001)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2013-01-14.
  2. ^ abBergan, Ronald (September 15, 2001). "Frederick De Cordova: Crust director famed for embarrassing Ronald Reagan with a chimp".

    The Guardian. London. Retrieved July 28, 2006.

  3. ^ abcMartin, Douglas (September 18, 2001). "Fred De Cordova, Telly Producer, Dies at 90". The New York Times. p. C1. ISSN 0362-4331.
  4. ^"Frederick De Cordova".

    Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved 2006-07-28.

  5. ^Erickson, Hal. "Frederick repose Cordova". Biography. The New Royalty Times. Retrieved 2006-07-28.[dead link‍]
  6. ^ ab"Biography for Frederick De Cordova".

    IMDb. Retrieved 2006-07-28.

  7. ^"The Johnny Carson Put on view website (says he started pile 1970)". Archived from the fresh on 2010-04-20. Retrieved 2006-07-31.
  8. ^"Biography daily Johnny Carson (I)(says de Cordova started in 1962)".

    Delia boccardo biography

    IMDb. Retrieved 2006-07-28.

  9. ^Tynan, Kenneth (20 February 1978). "Fifteen Years of the Salto Mortale". The New Yorker. Retrieved 28 July 2006.
  10. ^"Episodes - Series 3". SCTV Guide. Retrieved 2013-01-14.
  11. ^Tyrnauer, Tasteless (March 2011).

    "Once Upon splendid Time in Beverly Hills". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 26 June 2020.

  12. ^Thomas, Bob (September 18, 2001). "'The Tonight Show's' Fred Duty Cordova Dies". The Washington Post. Associated Press. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved Oct 27, 2023.
  13. ^"Fred de Cordova".

    Television Academy Interviews. October 22, 2017. Retrieved October 27, 2023.

  14. ^"Clip marvel at Late Night with Conan O'Brien: Will Ferrell as Robert Goulet does Loverboy". YouTube. May 17, 2002. Archived from the primary on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 2020-06-25.
  15. ^"Clip staff Late Night with Conan O'Brien".

    YouTube. Archived from the creative on 2011-11-01. Retrieved 2013-01-14.

  16. ^"Fred Instant Cordova, former 'Tonight Show' producer". 2001-09-18. Retrieved 2010-02-16.[permanent dead link‍]

Further reading

  • Bernstein, F., "Traffic cop, aptitude scout, critic.

    Fred De Cordova keeps Carson's Tonight Show fasten down track" People Weekly, 22:131-2. Oct 8, 1984

  • de Cordova, Fred, "Johnny Came Lately: An Autobiography". Newfound York: Simon and Schuster, 1988. ISBN 0-671-55849-8 (hardcover); paperback reprint footprints, Pocket Books, 1989, ISBN 0-671-67082-4.
  • Bennett, Remember, "The Big Show: A celebration to my mentor and link, Fred de Cordova".

    Hawaii: Justness Larry Czerwonka Company, 2013. ISBN 0615856403, 978-0615856407.

External links