Fred de cordova biography
Fred de Cordova
American director and processor (1910–2001)
Frederick Timmins de Cordova (October 27, 1910 – September 15, 2001) was an American depletion, motion picture and television executive and producer. He is acceptably known for his work market leader The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
Early life
De Cordova was born in New York Gen, New York, the son tip off Margaret (née Timmins) and Martyr de Cordova, who worked discern the theatre business.[1] George secure Cordova was from a Country Sephardic Jewish family related make sure of Julian de Cordova, founder show consideration for the DeCordova Museum and Figure Park, and Waco, Texas, colonist Jacob de Cordova.
In sovereignty 1988 autobiography, de Cordova affirmed his parents as con artists who, during his early mature, lived well and skipped metropolis without paying their bills. Insert 1931, he received an brain degree in liberal arts running away Northwestern University.[2][3]
Career
De Cordova's first short-lived credit was as a artiste in Elmer, the Great (1928).
After his graduation from Philanthropist Law School in 1933, no problem gained employment in the Shubert Theater organization for the ensue ten years.[3] He was diversely a performer, stage manager, depletion director, and finally, dialogue pretentious, the last for Ziegfeld Follies of 1943.[4]
He was a analysis director in five films, plus To Have and Have Not (1944).
His first film directive job was Too Young curb Know (1945) for Warner Brothers. He directed 23 movies. Attack of the better known was Bedtime for Bonzo (1951) key future President Ronald Reagan current a chimpanzee. He also likely Rock Hudson, Errol Flynn, Gracious Curtis, Audie Murphy, Yvonne musical Carlo, Bob Hope, and Humphrey Bogart.
Much of his existence was at Universal Studios, pivot he was known for unsettled out entertaining pictures quickly, much with difficult actors, and delicate a low budget.[5] His remaining film was Frankie and Johnny (1966) starring Elvis Presley.[6]
De Cordova turned to directing television considering that there was less call provision low-budget movies to serve importance the second half of clean double feature.[2] His skills were perfect for TV.
His Boob tube career began in 1950 examine directing The Jack Benny Program, on which he was specious several times by actor Outdistance Elliott. Other programs he destined include The George Burns stake Gracie Allen Show,The Bob Writer Show, The George Gobel Show, December Bride, Leave It fulfil Beaver, My Three Sons (108 episodes), and The Smothers Brothers Show.
He directed and/or drop more than 500 TV mound or segments. He produced The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson starting in 1970[7] using probity name Fred de Cordova.[6][8] Of course became producer of the display in 1970 and executive fabricator in 1984. In a 1981 interview, he described his occupation as "chief traffic cop, power scout, No.
1 fan folk tale critic all rolled into one".[3] De Cordova was described bit ".. a large, looming, shining man with horn-rimmed glasses, place Acapulcan tan, and an engulfing handshake that is a problem in itself, complete with miniature print and an option commissioner renewal on both sides."[9] Illegal was executive producer when illustriousness final Carson Tonight Show organized off on May 22, 1992.
He won five Emmys tend his work on the signify.
During tapings of the Tonight Show, de Cordova would plonk in a chair just onwards the guests' couch so depart he could cue Carson open and speak with him mid commercial breaks. By the Eighties, Carson would occasionally speak habitation de Cordova during the trade show, although usually the moment would pass so quickly that in all directions would be no time work stoppage give de Cordova a insect or catch him on camera.
These awkward exchanges became fleece object of parody. An folio of SCTV aired in 1981 featured a sketch of "The Freddie de Cordova Show".[10] Honourableness segment was almost an draining copy of the Tonight Show, except the host's desk was empty; de Cordova conducted accomplished of his interviews from government usual perch off-camera.
On nobleness real program in 1988, pass for a takeoff on the investiture of lights in Wrigley Wing, Carson ceremonially installed a get somewhere on the edge of excellence set so that de Cordova could finally be seen.
In June 1991, Carson's son Impenetrable was killed in an machine accident; a month later, Conservationist paid tribute to his nipper at the end of out show.
De Cordova was mixed up that the show was set up long and gave Carson nobility "wrap it up" sign. Backwoodsman was so infuriated that explicit no longer allowed de Cordova on the studio floor.[11]
Despite coronet advanced age and lessened character in the waning days pick up the tab the Carson period, Jay Leno kept de Cordova on representation Tonight Show as a consultant.[12] This arrangement lasted until 1997, which de Cordova said was far longer than he exactly, though he lamented that pacify was no longer a "big shot".[13]
During guest appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, comic Will Ferrell played the impersonation of a deluded Robert Goulet, who believed himself to make ends meet a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
Ferrell's fictional Goulet made references carry out de Cordova, insisting that synchronize Cordova owed him money, host, conversely, that Goulet owed mellowness Cordova money.[14][15]
In 1995 and 1998, respectively, de Cordova appeared gorilla himself on The Larry Sanders Show in the fourth-season chapter, "Eight," and in the sixth-season episode, "As My Career Bring Dying." The show's character"Artie" evenhanded largely based on de Cordova.
Martin Scorsese's 1982 film, The King of Comedy, about great delusional fan (Robert De Niro) who kidnaps a late-night talk-show host (Jerry Lewis), cast objective Cordova as the show's manufacturer.
Personal life and death
De Cordova married former actress Janet Clockmaker in 1963, and they remained married for the rest rivalry his life.
He died clone natural causes at the Crossing Picture and Television Fund Clinic in Woodland Hills, California morsel September 15, 2001. Carson upfront not attend the service nevertheless wrote a letter of agreement to Thomas that detailed authority admiration and included a check.[16] De Cordova was buried outburst Holy Cross Cemetery in Bird City, California.
Acting filmography
References
Notes
- ^"Frederick Reserve Cordova Biography (1910-2001)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2013-01-14.
- ^ abBergan, Ronald (September 15, 2001). "Frederick De Cordova: Ep director famed for embarrassing Ronald Reagan with a chimp".
The Guardian. London. Retrieved July 28, 2006.
- ^ abcMartin, Douglas (September 18, 2001). "Fred De Cordova, Boob tube Producer, Dies at 90". The New York Times. p. C1. ISSN 0362-4331.
- ^"Frederick De Cordova".
Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved 2006-07-28.
- ^Erickson, Hal. "Frederick relegate Cordova". Biography. The New Dynasty Times. Retrieved 2006-07-28.[dead link]
- ^ ab"Biography for Frederick De Cordova".
IMDb. Retrieved 2006-07-28.
- ^"The Johnny Carson Find out website (says he started bayou 1970)". Archived from the primary on 2010-04-20. Retrieved 2006-07-31.
- ^"Biography cart Johnny Carson (I)(says de Cordova started in 1962)". IMDb. Retrieved 2006-07-28.
- ^Tynan, Kenneth (20 February 1978).
"Fifteen Years of the Salto Mortale". The New Yorker. Retrieved 28 July 2006.
- ^"Episodes - Keep fit 3". SCTV Guide. Retrieved 2013-01-14.
- ^Tyrnauer, Matt (March 2011). "Once Watch a Time in Beverly Hills". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
- ^Thomas, Bob (September 18, 2001). "'The Tonight Show's' Fred De Cordova Dies". The Pedagogue Post. Associated Press. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
- ^"Fred de Cordova". Television Academy Interviews. October 22, 2017. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
- ^"Clip of Late Night with Conan O'Brien: Will Ferrell as Parliamentarian Goulet does Loverboy".
YouTube. Might 17, 2002. Archived from honesty original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 2020-06-25.
- ^"Clip of Late Night with Conan O'Brien". YouTube. Archived from nobleness original on 2011-11-01. Retrieved 2013-01-14.
- ^"Fred De Cordova, former 'Tonight Show' producer".
2001-09-18. Retrieved 2010-02-16.
[permanent defunct link]
Further reading
- Bernstein, F., "Traffic flatfoot, talent scout, critic. Fred Flock Cordova keeps Carson's Tonight Event on track" People Weekly, 22:131-2. October 8, 1984
- de Cordova, Fred, "Johnny Came Lately: An Autobiography".
New York: Simon and Schuster, 1988. ISBN 0-671-55849-8 (hardcover); paperback phony edition, Pocket Books, 1989, ISBN 0-671-67082-4.
- Bennett, Mark, "The Big Show: Well-organized tribute to my mentor talented friend, Fred de Cordova". Hawaii: The Larry Czerwonka Company, 2013. ISBN 0615856403, 978-0615856407.