Roberta Findlay (née Hershkowitz; born 1948) is an American film director, cinematographer, producer and actress. She is best known for her work in the exploitation field. Her work has received increasing critical appreciation in recent years.
Early life
Findlay was born Roberta Hershkowitz in
Brooklyn, New York City
Brooklyn () is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Kings County is the most populous Administrative divisions of New York (state)#County, county i ...
to
Hungarian-
Jewish
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
immigrant parents, and was raised in
the Bronx
The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...
.
She was classically trained on piano as a child, and her parents hoped she would have a career as a musician.
[
]
Career
While attending the City College of New York, she met Michael Findlay, a student who had recently transferred there after leaving seminary
A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy ...
school, where he was studying to become a Catholic priest
A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in partic ...
.silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized Sound recording and reproduction, recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) ...
screening he was holding on the university campus.[ The two eventually married and began making films together, with Roberta often working as cinematographer.][
By her own account, Roberta's marriage to Michael was tempestuous, and the couple were separated by 1974 due to him suffering "psychological issues."][ Despite their separation, she continued to occasionally work with him professionally, including as cinematographer on '' Shriek of the Mutilated'' (1974).][ Michael Findlay died in 1977 in a helicopter accident; after his death, she continued to make films, directing the horror films ''Blood Sisters'' (1987) and '']Tenement
A tenement is a type of building shared by multiple dwellings, typically with flats or apartments on each floor and with shared entrance stairway access. They are common on the British Isles, particularly in Scotland. In the medieval Old Town, i ...
'' (1985).
Select filmography
Feature films
Pornography
References
Further reading
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External links
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Roberta Findlay
at Letterbox DVD
1948 births
Living people
American film directors
American people of Hungarian-Jewish descent
City College of New York alumni
People from the Bronx
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