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Bruce Crawford is a film
historian, documentary producer and promoter
and organizer of film tributes here in
Omaha, Nebraska. He also is a writer,
lecturer and entrepreneur. It is his love of
the great film scores that first garnered
him national attention. Bruce has produced
two nationally and internationally broadcast
radio documentaries on film composers
Bernard Herrmann and Miklos Rozsa. Bernard Herrmann: A Celebration
of His Life and Music is
a salute to the composer of scores to such
films as CITIZEN KANE, PSYCHO, TAXI DRIVER,
THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, VERTIGO,
NORTH BY NORTHWEST,THE GHOST AND MRS.MUIR,
MYSTERIOUS ISLAND, OBSESSION, FAHRENHEIT 451
and THE TWILIGHT ZONE (TV Series). Running at
2 1/2 hours, in 1992 it was first broadcast
nationally, and has since become a
milestone in the works honoring
Herrmann. |
Ben-Hur:
The Epic Film Scores of Miklos Rozsa,
focused on the composers music to the great
epics, EL-CID, QUO-VADIS, JULIUS CAESAR,
KING OF KINGS and Rozsa's masterpiece,
BEN-HUR. Among the many guests in the
program included, actor Charlton Heston
and film critic Leonard Maltin.
Both programs are regularly rebroadcast and
have received great acclaim from around the
world.Bruce
also writes for various international film
publications and he is frequently the
subject of articles and guest appearances on
radio and TV interview shows as well.
The film
tributes began in 1992 with a salute to
special effects legend, Ray Harryhausen,
screening MYSTERIOUS ISLAND and JASON AND
THE ARGONAUTS. Then in 1993 a 35th
anniversary screening of BEN-HUR with
director William Wyler's family as
special guests. In 1994, the 50th anniversary of
D-day and the film classic, THE LONGEST DAY
was honored, with director Ken Annakin
and the family of producer Darryl F.
Zanuck attending.
Bruce next
honored Alfred Hitchcock and actress
Janet Leigh with PSYCHO. Janet and her
daughter Kelly were the honored guests. Next
came GONE WITH THE WIND with co star
Ann Rutherford, followed by MR.SMITH
GOES TO WASHINGTON, with guest Frank
Capra Jr.
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With the
screening of PATTON, Bruce invited the grand
son of the great General, George Patton
Waters. The 65th anniversary of KING
KONG had Ray Bradbury and Ray
Harryhausen among the guests. Actress
Patricia Neal and co star Billy
Gray attended THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD
STILL, along with a replica of the robot
GORT. And a salute to the Great American
Western and John Wayne, with special guests,
famed Hollywood producer A.C. Lyles,
and a screening of THE SEARCHERS for event
number Ten. Bruce also introduced a concert
of great film music with the Cedar Rapids
Symphony Orchestra. He served as co host and
also gave a talk before the concert. The
music of Bernard Herrmann was prominently
featured.
Actor Alan
Young attended a salute to director
George Pal's THE TIME MACHINE for event
number Eleven, timely screened before the
remake. A salute to WEST SIDE STORY at
Omaha's Orpheum Theater was held next with
stars Russ Tamblyn and Singer Marni
Nixon. The 13th event was THE MISFITS,
shown at the Joslyn Art Museum, with special
guest actor Kevin McCarthy. James
Cameron's modern film classic TITANIC, with
actors Michael Ensign and Mark
Lindsay Chapman, was the 14th event
Crawford produced. For the 15th event, Bruce
honored Walt Disney and screened 20,000
Leagues Under the Sea for it's 50th
Anniversary. Sci Fi legend Forrest
Ackerman and Disney family friend Kaye
Malins were the guests of honor.
Actor and comedian Marvin Kaplan
attended a salute to Director Stanley
Kramers' IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD for
event #16. MARY POPPINS was the next event
with Disney legend, special effects artist Harrison
Ellenshaw. Bruce also appears in the
new 4 disc DVD of BEN HUR on disc 4 in the
documentary: Ben Hur: The Epic That Changed
Cinema. Bruce appears alongside George
Lucas, Ridley Scott and Charlton Heston.
A screening of
Animal House was event number 18
with renowned director John Landis
and actor Stephen Furst. For event
number 19 Bruce honored Humphrey
Bogart and Casablanca, with
Stephen Bogart, the son of the
screen legend in attendance. For event #20
Bruce honored the Centennial birth of John
Wayne and a screening of The Man
Who Shot Liberty Valance. Close
friend of the Dukes' legendary producer A.C.Lyles
was the special guest. For event #21 It's
A Wonderful Life was honored with
special guest Karolyn Grimes, who
played little Zuzu Bailey.All of these events received much
regional and national media attention, and
are well known nationally and
internationally.
Bruce also does
Public Relations work and Promotional
Consulting for various businesses and
organizations, in addition to his role as
a film historian.
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