Rudy Behlmer

Rudy Behlmer

Born: October 13, 1926
Died: September 27, 2019
in San Francisco, California, USA
Rudy Behlmer (October 13, 1926 – September 27, 2019) was an American film historian and writer. He was an expert in the history and evolution of the motion picture industry. Behlmer began his career with KLAC-TV in Hollywood as a stage manager. At the beginning of the 1960s, Behlmer started researching and writing articles on various aspects of film history. One such project, a career piece on film producer David O. Selznick (Gone with the Wind, Rebecca), led to his book Memo from David O. Selznick (1972). It was followed by nine other books as well as numerous magazine articles and film music recording booklets. Behlmer also contributed to a wide variety of works about the Golden Age of Hollywood.

Movies for Rudy Behlmer...

Singin' in the Rain: Raining on a New Generation
Title: Singin' in the Rain: Raining on a New Generation
Character: Self
Released: July 17, 2012
Type: Movie
Today's top musical stars—including Paula Abdul, Usher and Glee's Matthew Morrison—reveal why this iconic musical continues to influence and inspire musical performers around the world.
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Casablanca: An Unlikely Classic
Title: Casablanca: An Unlikely Classic
Character: Self
Released: March 27, 2012
Type: Movie
The behind-the-scenes story of how "Casablanca" became an American film classic.
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Michael Curtiz: The Greatest Director You Never Heard Of
Title: Michael Curtiz: The Greatest Director You Never Heard Of
Character: Self
Released: January 1, 2012
Type: Movie
Documentary about the work of film director Michael Curtiz.
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Embracing Chaos: Making The African Queen
Title: Embracing Chaos: Making The African Queen
Character: Self
Released: March 23, 2010
Type: Movie
The epic story of how the film The African Queen (1951), directed by John Huston and starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn, was shot on real African locations, barely overcoming all kinds of hardships and disasters.
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Victor Fleming: Master Craftsman
Title: Victor Fleming: Master Craftsman
Character: Himself
Released: September 22, 2009
Type: Movie
A documentary on the life and career of Victor Fleming, director of such iconic movies as The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind.
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1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
Title: 1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
Character: Self
Released: July 2, 2009
Type: Movie
This documentary focuses on 1939, considered to be Hollywood's greatest year, with film clips and insight into what made the year so special.
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In the Beginning: Quo Vadis and the Genesis of the Biblical Epic
Title: In the Beginning: Quo Vadis and the Genesis of the Biblical Epic
Character: Himself
Released: November 11, 2008
Type: Movie
The making of Quo Vadis (1951).
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Public Enemies: The Golden Age of the Gangster Film
Title: Public Enemies: The Golden Age of the Gangster Film
Character: Self
Released: October 21, 2008
Type: Movie
Produced for Turner Classic Movies, this documentary looks at the early days of the gangster film.
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The Ultimate Romance: The Making of 'Notorious'
Title: The Ultimate Romance: The Making of 'Notorious'
Released: October 14, 2008
Type: Movie
Documentary on the making of Alfred Hitchcock's 'Notorious' (1946).
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The Making of 'Rebecca'
Title: The Making of 'Rebecca'
Character: Self
Released: October 14, 2008
Type: Movie
Documentary on Alfred Hitchcock's 1941 film "Rebecca" and the working relationship of Hitchcock and producer David O. Selznick.
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Alfred Hitchcock: The Ultimate Spymaster
Title: Alfred Hitchcock: The Ultimate Spymaster
Released: October 14, 2008
Type: Movie
Documentary on Alfred Hitchcock and early spy and espionage films.
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A House of Secrets: Exploring 'Dragonwyck'
Title: A House of Secrets: Exploring 'Dragonwyck'
Character: Self
Released: September 9, 2008
Type: Movie
A documentary about the making of the movie "Dragonwyck"
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Killer Instincts: Richard Widmark and Ida Lupino at Twentieth Century Fox
Title: Killer Instincts: Richard Widmark and Ida Lupino at Twentieth Century Fox
Character: Self
Released: September 2, 2008
Type: Movie
Brief overview of the two actors at the Fox Studio.
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Guilt by Association: Psychoanalyzing 'Spellbound'
Title: Guilt by Association: Psychoanalyzing 'Spellbound'
Released: March 14, 2008
Type: Movie
Documentary on the making of Alfred Hitchcock's 'Spellbound' that looks deeply at the films presentation of psychoanalysis and of what is now called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
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Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood
Title: Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood
Character: Self
Released: March 3, 2008
Type: Movie
A look at the forces that shaped Pre-Code Hollywood and brought about the strict enforcement of the Hays Code in 1934.
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The Dawn of Sound: How Movies Learned to Talk
Title: The Dawn of Sound: How Movies Learned to Talk
Character: Self
Released: September 2, 2007
Type: Movie
Film historians, and survivors from the nearly 30-year struggle to bring sound to motion pictures take the audience from the early failed attempts by scientists and inventors, to the triumph of the talkies.
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Becoming John Ford
Title: Becoming John Ford
Character: Self
Released: January 1, 2007
Type: Movie
Portrait of film director John Ford, perhaps best known for re-inventing the Western, and generally considered one of America's greatest directors.
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Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet
Title: Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet
Character: Self
Released: November 14, 2006
Type: Movie
A documentary about the making of, and legacy of, the Forbidden Planet movie.
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Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon
Title: Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon
Character: Self
Released: November 14, 2006
Type: Movie
A short documentary about Robby the Robot.
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The Maltese Falcon: One Magnificent Bird
Title: The Maltese Falcon: One Magnificent Bird
Character: Self
Released: October 3, 2006
Type: Movie
An appreciation and the story of the making of the 1941 film "The Maltese Falcon."
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Stagecoach: A Story of Redemption
Title: Stagecoach: A Story of Redemption
Character: Himself - Author-Film Historian
Released: June 6, 2006
Type: Movie
Short documentary about the making of the John Ford/John Wayne film "Stagecoach".
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Jezebel: Legend of the South
Title: Jezebel: Legend of the South
Character: Self
Released: May 30, 2006
Type: Movie
Short documentary about the making of the 1938 film "Jezebel."
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Censorship and Desire
Title: Censorship and Desire
Character: Self
Released: May 2, 2006
Type: Movie
Censorship issues with the film "A Streetcar Named Desire."
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A Streetcar on Broadway
Title: A Streetcar on Broadway
Character: Self
Released: January 1, 2006
Type: Movie
Interviews and photos about the play on Broadway
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A Streetcar in Hollywood
Title: A Streetcar in Hollywood
Character: Self
Released: January 1, 2006
Type: Movie
How the play was adapted to Film
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Bette and Joan: Blind Ambition
Title: Bette and Joan: Blind Ambition
Character: Self
Released: January 1, 2006
Type: Movie
An overview of the iconic actresses' legendary careers, as well as the rivalry that colored "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?"
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RKO Production 601: The Making of 'Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World'
Title: RKO Production 601: The Making of 'Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World'
Released: November 22, 2005
Type: Movie
An in-depth look at the genesis, production, and legacy of King Kong, one of the most influential films ever made.
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William Powell: A True Gentleman
Title: William Powell: A True Gentleman
Released: August 2, 2005
Type: Movie
A short documentary about William Powell.
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The Music of 'Humoresque'
Title: The Music of 'Humoresque'
Character: himself
Released: June 14, 2005
Type: Movie
A short documentary about the music in the 1946 film "Humoresque"
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Captain Blood: A Swashbuckler Is Born
Title: Captain Blood: A Swashbuckler Is Born
Character: Self - Author & Film Historian
Released: April 20, 2005
Type: Movie
This documentary is featured on the DVD for Captain Blood (1935), released in 2005.
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Elizabeth & Essex: Battle Royale
Title: Elizabeth & Essex: Battle Royale
Character: Himself
Released: April 19, 2005
Type: Movie
Short documentary about the making of The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex.
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The Adventures of Errol Flynn
Title: The Adventures of Errol Flynn
Character: Self - Author and Film Historian
Released: April 5, 2005
Type: Movie
A documentary about the life of Errol Flynn, with recollections from friends and family.
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Angels with Dirty Faces: Whaddya Hear? Whaddya Say?
Title: Angels with Dirty Faces: Whaddya Hear? Whaddya Say?
Character: Self
Released: January 1, 2005
Type: Movie
Documentary covering the Warner Bros. James Cagney /Pat O'Brien classic "Angels with Dirty Faces" (1938), hosted by film historian Rudy Behlmer.
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Tarzan: Silver Screen King of the Jungle
Title: Tarzan: Silver Screen King of the Jungle
Character: Himself
Released: June 3, 2004
Type: Movie
Tarzan: Silver Screen King of the Jungle is a documentary focusing on the first six sound Tarzan films produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer starring Johnny Weissmuller and Maureen O'Sullivan. Written and directed by John Rust, the documentary features interviews with film historians Rudy Behlmer and Scott Tracy Griffin, who discuss the films' literary antecedents and behind-the-scenes production details.
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Discovering Treasure: The Story of 'The Treasure of the Sierra Madre'
Title: Discovering Treasure: The Story of 'The Treasure of the Sierra Madre'
Character: Self
Released: September 30, 2003
Type: Movie
An overview of the making of John Huston's 1948 classic "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre."
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The Making of 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea
Title: The Making of 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea
Character: Himself
Released: May 20, 2003
Type: Movie
With rare behind-the-scenes footage, a detailed look at the making of Walt Disney’s adaptation of the Jules Verne novel 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea.
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Welcome to Sherwood! The Story of 'The Adventures of Robin Hood'
Title: Welcome to Sherwood! The Story of 'The Adventures of Robin Hood'
Character: Himself, film historian
Released: January 1, 2003
Type: Movie
Film historians examines the making of the 1938 "The Adventures of Robin Hood."
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The 'Frankenstein' Files: How Hollywood Made a Monster
Title: The 'Frankenstein' Files: How Hollywood Made a Monster
Character: Self
Released: November 1, 2002
Type: Movie
The history of Frankenstein's journey from novel to stage to screen to icon.
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What a Glorious Feeling: The Making of 'Singin' in the Rain'
Title: What a Glorious Feeling: The Making of 'Singin' in the Rain'
Character: Self
Released: September 24, 2002
Type: Movie
Movie and stage icon Debbie Reynolds hosts the making of "Singin' in the Rain". The short documentary includes Donald O'Connor, who played the comical "Cosmo Brown", Stanley Donen, one half of the directors next to Gene Kelly, and Kathleen Freeman, who played Phoebe Dinsmore, Lina Lamont's (Jean Hagen) voice coach.
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Cinerama Adventure
Title: Cinerama Adventure
Character: Self
Released: August 30, 2002
Type: Movie
A nostalgic and compelling look into the legendary three camera, three projector process that revolutionized motion pictures and led the industry into the widescreen era.
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The Universe According to Universal
Title: The Universe According to Universal
Character: Narrator
Released: May 21, 2002
Type: Movie
Narrator Rudy Behlmer guides a look through Universal's place in film history as a source of alien visitation, extraterrestrial life, and other Science Fiction staples. The piece further looks at the political and social implications, parallels, and escapism in the movie. The piece spends much of its screen time on how 'It Came From Outer Space' echoed and influenced the genre, its legacy, performances, adherence to Ray Bradbury's source material, 3D photography and presentation, score and effects, and more. This is a quality piece that informs and entertains alike, one that fascinatingly examines the film, and others like it, as both entertainment and echoes of real life.
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Celebrating Dumbo
Title: Celebrating Dumbo
Released: October 23, 2001
Type: Movie
Bonus feature on the Dumbo DVD.
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Backstory: 'Gentleman's Agreement'
Title: Backstory: 'Gentleman's Agreement'
Character: Self
Released: October 21, 2001
Type: Movie
Darryl F. Zanuck ignores the protests of his peers and makes a movie about antisemitism called "Gentleman's Agreement" (1947).
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The Fantasia Legacy: The Concert Feature
Title: The Fantasia Legacy: The Concert Feature
Character: Himself
Released: November 14, 2000
Type: Movie
Documentary on the making of Walt Disney’s Fantasia.
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Backstory: 'How Green Was My Valley'
Title: Backstory: 'How Green Was My Valley'
Character: Self
Released: October 14, 2000
Type: Movie
Documentary about how the creative energies of Darryl F. Zanuck and John Ford combined to forge an enduring masterpiece despite the challenges of wartime production.
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Backstory: 'All About Eve'
Title: Backstory: 'All About Eve'
Character: Self
Released: September 9, 2000
Type: Movie
A documentary about the making of the 1950 film "All About Eve."
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Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition Unearthed
Title: Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition Unearthed
Character: Self / Host
Released: August 29, 2000
Type: Movie
Documentary featured on the Classic Monster Collection and Monster Legacy Collection for The Mummy (1932).
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Now You See Him: 'The Invisible Man' Revealed!
Title: Now You See Him: 'The Invisible Man' Revealed!
Character: Self / Host
Released: August 29, 2000
Type: Movie
A documentary from Universal about the movie "The Invisible Man" (1933) directed by James Whale.
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The Opera Ghost: A Phantom Unmasked
Title: The Opera Ghost: A Phantom Unmasked
Character: Self
Released: January 1, 2000
Type: Movie
A documentary from Universal about their Phantom of the Opera movies.
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Jack L. Warner: The Last Mogul
Title: Jack L. Warner: The Last Mogul
Character: Himself
Released: May 14, 1993
Type: Movie
An insider's account of Jack Warner, a founding father of the American film industry. This feature length documentary provides the rags to riches story of the man whose studio - Warner Bros - created many of Hollywood's most classic films. Includes extensive interviews with family members and friends, film clips, rare home movies and unique location footage.
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Ben-Hur: The Making of an Epic
Title: Ben-Hur: The Making of an Epic
Character: Self - Film Historian
Released: January 1, 1993
Type: Movie
The story of how the classic epic "Ben-Hur" was made.
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King Kong 60th Anniversary Special:
Title: King Kong 60th Anniversary Special: "It was beauty killed the beast."
Released: September 16, 1992
Type: Movie
Documentary on the making of the 1933 RKO film King Kong. Contains interviews with George Turner, Linwood Dunn, Rudy Behlmer.
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You Must Remember This: A Tribute to 'Casablanca'
Title: You Must Remember This: A Tribute to 'Casablanca'
Character: Self - Film Historian
Released: August 26, 1992
Type: Movie
A documentary about the making of the classic film "Casablanca."
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Robin Hood: The Myth, the Man, the Movie
Title: Robin Hood: The Myth, the Man, the Movie
Character: Self
Released: June 13, 1991
Type: Movie
U.S. network TV special surveying the history of Robin Hood in popular culture, emphasizing the 1991 film "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves". Interviews with principal cast and crew from that film highlight the special. Pierce Brosnan hosts.
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Title: The Dick Cavett Show
Character: Self - Guest
Released: June 6, 1968
Type: TV
The Dick Cavett Show has been the title of several talk shows hosted by Dick Cavett on various television networks.