Gordon Hessler (12 December 1925 – 19 January 2014) was a German-born British film and television director, screenwriter, and producer.

Biography

Early Years

Born in Berlin, Germany, Katz, Ephraim. ''The Film Encyclopedia'', Harper Perennial, 1994, 2nd Edition, pg. 622. he was raised in England and studied at the University of Reading. While a teenager, he moved to the United States and directed a series of short films and documentaries.McGee, Mark Thomas. ''Faster and Furiouser: The Revised and Fattened Fable of American International Pictures'', McFarland & Company, Inc., 1996, pgs. 278–281.

Television

Universal Studios Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...

hired Hessler as a story

reader A reader is a person who reads. It may also refer to: Computing and technology * Adobe Reader (now Adobe Acrobat), a PDF reader * Bible Reader for Palm, a discontinued PDA application * A card reader, for extracting data from various forms of ...

for the ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was ren ...

'' television series. He became

story editor Story editor is a job title in motion picture and television production, also sometimes called "supervising producer". In live action television, a story editor is a member of the screenwriting staff who edits scripts, pitches stories, and reports ...

for two seasons (1960–1962) for that series, then served as the associate producer for ''The Alfred Hitchcock Hour'' from 1962 until its cancellation in 1965. He also directed episodes of that series. Hessler then directed his first feature, a low budget thriller ''

The Woman Who Wouldn't Die Catacombs are man-made subterranean passageways for religious practice. Any chamber used as a burial place is a catacomb, although the word is most commonly associated with the Roman Empire. Etymology and history The first place to be referred ...

'' (1965), aka ''Catacombs''. He returned to television producing '' Run for Your Life'' (1966) and directing episodes of '' Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre''. He directed '' The Last Shot You Hear'' with filming started in 1967 but it was not released until 1969, which was the last film from

Robert L. Lippert Robert Lenard Lippert (March 31, 1909 – November 16, 1976) was an American film producer and cinema chain owner. He was president and chief operating officer of Lippert Theatres, Affiliated Theatres and Transcontinental Theatres, all based in ...

.'Last' to end lippert association with 20th. (1968, Feb 23). Los Angeles Times

AIP

American International Pictures asked Hessler to step in to produce and direct '' The Oblong Box'' (1969), starring

Vincent Price Vincent Leonard Price Jr. (May 27, 1911 – October 25, 1993) was an American actor, art historian, art collector and gourmet cook. He appeared on stage, television, and radio, and in more than 100 films. Price has two stars on the Hollywood Wal ...

, when

Michael Reeves Michael Reeves (17 October 1943 – 11 February 1969) was an English film director and screenwriter. He is best remembered for the 1968 film ''Witchfinder General'' (known in the US as ''Conqueror Worm''). A few months after the film's rel ...

became unavailable."AIP Memories: An Interview with Gordon Hessler", ''DVD Drive In''
accessed 11 March 2014 It was written by

Christopher Wicking Christopher Wicking (10 January 1943 – 13 October 2008), also known as Chris Wicking, was a British screenwriter, often in the horror and fantasy genres, notably for the British arm of American International Pictures and with Hammer Film Prod ...

with whom Hessler would make four more movies. AIP liked Hessler's work and called him in to do some uncredited directing on ''

De Sade Donatien Alphonse François, Marquis de Sade (; 2 June 1740 – 2 December 1814), was a French nobleman, revolutionary politician, philosopher and writer famous for his literary depictions of a libertine human sexuality, sexuality as well as n ...

'' (1969), then reteamed him with Price and Wicking in '' Scream and Scream Again'' (1970), this time co starring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. Hessler did a third with Price and Wicking for AIP, ''

Cry of the Banshee ''Cry of the Banshee'' is a 1970 British horror film directed by Gordon Hessler and starring Vincent Price as an evil witchhunter. The film was released by American International Pictures. The film costars Elisabeth Bergner, Hilary Dwyer, and Hu ...

'' (1970). Price was meant to be in Hessler's (and Wicking's) next film, a version of ''

Murders in the Rue Morgue "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe published in ''Graham's Magazine'' in 1841. It has been described as the first modern detective story; Poe referred to it as one of his "tales of ratiocination". C. Auguste Du ...

'' (1971), but clashed with AIP so Jason Robards played the lead instead. In an article in ''Sight and Sound'' it was said Hessler "has an almost instantly recogniseable visual style, perhaps dating from his documentary days, which gives all his films a suggestion of the surreal. His fluid camera... stalks and encircles the characters like a sadistic probe, and the result is somehow both evocative and unnerving." Hessler directed a thriller ''

Embassy A diplomatic mission or foreign mission is a group of people from a state or organization present in another state to represent the sending state or organization officially in the receiving or host state. In practice, the phrase usually deno ...

'' (1972), then '' Medusa'' (1973) with George Hamilton, the last movie he made written by Wicking. Hessler did a TV movie with

Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress with a career spanning more than 50 years and 100 acting credits. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and was famous for her pe ...

, ''

Scream, Pretty Peggy ''Scream, Pretty Peggy'' is a 1973 American made-for-television horror film directed by Gordon Hessler and starring Bette Davis, Ted Bessell, and Sian Barbara Allen. Its plot follows a young college student who is given a job by a sculptor housek ...

'' (1973) then made the Ray Harryhausen adventure ''

The Golden Voyage of Sinbad ''The Golden Voyage of Sinbad'' is a 1973 fantasy adventure film directed by Gordon Hessler and featuring stop motion effects by Ray Harryhausen. Based on the ''Arabian Nights'' tales of Sinbad the Sailor, it is the second of three ''Sinbad'' f ...

'' (1974).

Television

Despite the success of ''Sinbad'' Hessler focused on television movies: '' Skyway to Death'' (1974), '' Hitchhike!'' (1974), '' A Cry in the Wilderness'' (1974), and '' Betrayal'' (1974). He also directed episodes of ''

Lucas Tanner ''Lucas Tanner'' is an American drama series that aired on NBC during the 1974–75 season. The title character, played by David Hartman, was a former baseball player and sportswriter who becomes an English teacher at the fictional Harry S Trum ...

'', ''

Amy Prentiss ''Amy Prentiss'' is an American police drama television series that originally aired on NBC. Description ''Amy Prentiss'' was a spinoff of ''Ironside (TV series), Ironside'' (the pilot was a two-hour episode of that show) and like that series wa ...

'', '' Kolchak: The Night Stalker'', '' Kung Fu'', '' Switch'', '' The Blue Knight'', ''

Spencer's Pilots ''Spencer's Pilots'' is an American adventure series that aired on CBS from September 17 to November 19, 1976. Created by Larry Rosen and developed by Alvin Sapinsley, the series stars Gene Evans.''The Tuscaloosa News'' (via Associated Press ...

'', '' The Eddie Capra Mysteries'', ''

Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth Holloway Marston, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byr ...

'', '' CHiPs'', and '' Hawaii Five-O''. He directed ''

Little Women ''Little Women'' is a coming-of-age novel written by American novelist Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888). Alcott wrote the book, originally published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869, at the request of her publisher. The story follows the lives ...

'' (1978), '' Secrets of Three Hungry Wives'' (1978), '' Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park'', ''

Puzzle A puzzle is a game, Problem solving, problem, or toy that tests a person's ingenuity or knowledge. In a puzzle, the solver is expected to put pieces together (Disentanglement puzzle, or take them apart) in a logical way, in order to arrive at th ...

'' (1978), ''

The Secret War of Jackie's Girls ''The Secret War of Jackie's Girls'' is a 1980 American TV movie that was conceived as a pilot but never went to series. It is about female pilots who undertake secret missions in World War II. The pilot was directed by Gordon Hessler. Cast *Lee ...

'' (1980), '' Tales of the Haunted'' (1981), '' California Cowboys'' (1983), ''

Pray for Death ''Pray for Death'' is a 1985 American martial arts film, martial arts action film directed by Gordon Hessler and starring Sho Kosugi, James Booth, Norman Burton, Michael Constantine, and, the lead's sons Kane Kosugi, Kane and Shane Kosugi. The pl ...

'' (1985), ''

The Misfit Brigade ''The Misfit Brigade'' is a 1987 American television film loosely based on Sven Hassel's novel ''Wheels of Terror''. The film was released in some markets under that title. Plot Germany 1943, a German tank is driving through the burning ruins of an ...

'' (1987) and ''

Rage of Honor ''Rage of Honor'' is a 1987 American martial arts film directed by Gordon Hessler and starring Sho Kosugi. Cast *Sho Kosugi – Shiro Tanaka *Lewis Van Bergen – Havlock *Robin Evans – Jennifer Lane *Richard Wiley – Ray Jones *Ulises Dumont ...

'' (1988) as well as episode of '' Shannon'', '' The Master'', '' Tales of the Unexpected'' and ''

The Equalizer ''The Equalizer'' is an American spy thriller multimedia franchise initially co-created by Michael Sloan and Richard Lindheim, and originating with a CBS television series from 1985 to 1989, starring Edward Woodward. The concept was thereafte ...

''.

Later career

Hessler wrote and directed '' The Girl in a Swing'' (1988) starring Meg Tilly, an adaptation of

Richard Adams Richard George Adams (9 May 1920 – 24 December 2016) was an English novelist and writer of the books ''Watership Down'', ''Maia'', ''Shardik'' and ''The Plague Dogs''. He studied modern history at university before serving in the British Army ...

's novel. His later films include '' Out on Bail'' (1989) and ''

Journey of Honor Journey or journeying may refer to: * Travel, the movement of people between distant geographical locations ** Day's journey, a measurement of distance ** Road trip, a long-distance journey on the road Animals * Journey (horse), a thoroughbred r ...

'' (1990). Hessler died in his sleep on 19 January 2014.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hessler, Gordon 1925 births 2014 deaths English film directors English screenwriters English male screenwriters English film producers Film directors from Berlin Horror film directors 20th-century English businesspeople