Stephen F. Kolzak (February 19, 1953 – September, 19 1990) was an American Los Angeles casting director. He is best known for '' Altered States'' (1980), ''

Cheers ''Cheers'' is an American sitcom television series that ran on NBC from September 30, 1982, to May 20, 1993, with a total of 275 half-hour episodes across 11 seasons. The show was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions in association w ...

'' (1982) and '' Bachelor Party'' (1984). He is reported to have chosen the ''Cheers'' cast. In the last two years of his life, he was in a long-term relationship with his partner Paul Monette. He devoted the last part of his life to fighting

homophobia Homophobia encompasses a range of negative attitude (psychology), attitudes and feelings toward homosexuality or people who are identified or perceived as being lesbian, gay or bisexual. It has been defined as contempt, prejudice, aversion, h ...

and AIDS-phobia within the entertainment industry. The

GLAAD Stephen F. Kolzak Award The GLAAD Stephen F. Kolzak Award is a special GLAAD Media Award presented annually by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. It is named in honor of the Los Angeles casting director Stephen F. Kolzak, who devoted the last part of his life ...

given to an openly LGBT member of the entertainment or media community for his or her work toward eliminating homophobia has been awarded since 1991, with Kolzak being the posthumous inaugural recipient.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kolzak, Stephen American casting directors 1953 births 1990 deaths American LGBT rights activists People from Hartford, Connecticut People from Los Angeles AIDS-related deaths in California