Marci Liroff (born February 3, 1958) is a

casting director In the performing arts industry such as theatre, film, or television, casting, or a casting call, is a pre-production process for selecting a certain type of actor, dancer, singer, or extra for a particular role or part in a script, screenp ...

intimacy coordinator An intimacy coordinator, sometimes called an intimacy director, is a member of a film or television crew who ensures the well-being of actors and actresses who participate in sex scenes or other intimate scenes in theater, film and television prod ...

and

acting coach An acting coach or drama coach is a teacher who trains performers – typically film, television, theatre, and musical theatre actors – and gives them advice and mentoring to enable them to improve their acting and dramatic performances, prepar ...

based in Los Angeles, California, known for her work in film and television.

Early career

After attending the

University of Denver The University of Denver (DU) is a private research university in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1864, it is the oldest independent private university in the Rocky Mountain Region of the United States. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Univ ...

, Liroff began her career in 1977 as an assistant to the VP of International Distribution for Dimension Pictures, where she learned about the marketing, sales and distribution of films—especially '' blaxploitation'' films (''

Black Shampoo ''Black Shampoo'' is an American exploitation film directed by Greydon Clark. Released in 1976, the comedy film is considered an example of the blaxploitation and sexploitation subgenres of exploitation film. Produced on a budget of $50,000, the ...

'', ''

Dolemite ''Dolemite'' is a 1975 American blaxploitation crime comedy film and is also the name of its principal character, played by Rudy Ray Moore, who co-wrote the film and its soundtrack. Moore, who started his career as a stand-up comedian in ...

'', '' Dr. Black and Mr. Hyde'', ''Dixie Dynamite'' – and assisted in selling the rights to such pictures all over the world. A year later, Liroff became the assistant to a television agent at

International Creative Management ICM Partners is a talent and literary agency with offices in Los Angeles, New York City, Washington D.C. and London. ICM (International Creative Management) Partners represents clients in the fields of motion pictures, television, music, publi ...

(ICM) in Los Angeles. While there, Liroff placed ICM clients on such shows as ''

Happy Days ''Happy Days'' is an American television sitcom that aired first-run on the ABC network from January 15, 1974, to July 19, 1984, with a total of 255 half-hour episodes spanning 11 seasons. Created by Garry Marshall, it was one of the most su ...

'', ''

Mork and Mindy ''Mork & Mindy'' is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC from September 14, 1978, to May 27, 1982. A spin-off after a highly successful episode of ''Happy Days'', "My Favorite Orkan", it starred Robin Williams as Mork, an extraterrest ...

'', ''

WKRP in Cincinnati ''WKRP in Cincinnati'' is an American sitcom television series about the misadventures of the staff of a struggling fictional radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show was created by Hugh Wilson and was based upon his experiences working ...

'', ''

Soap Soap is a salt of a fatty acid used in a variety of cleansing and lubricating products. In a domestic setting, soaps are surfactants usually used for washing, bathing, and other types of housekeeping. In industrial settings, soaps are use ...

'', ''

Barney Miller ''Barney Miller'' is an American sitcom television series set in a New York City Police Department police station on East 6th St in Greenwich Village. The series was broadcast on ABC Network from January 23, 1975, to May 20, 1982. It was created ...

'', ''

All in the Family ''All in the Family'' is an American television sitcom that aired on CBS for nine seasons, from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979. Afterwards, it was continued with the spin-off series ''Archie Bunker's Place'', which picked up where ''All in ...

'', and '' Maude''. In 1979, Liroff started working with casting directors Mike Fenton and Jane Feinberg of Fenton-Feinberg Casting. Liroff started as Fenton's assistant and worked on movies such as '' Raiders of the Lost Ark'', and ''

History of the World, Part I ''History of the World, Part I'' is a 1981 American comedy film written, produced, and directed by Mel Brooks. Brooks also stars in the film, playing five roles: Moses, Comicus the stand-up philosopher, Tomás de Torquemada, King Louis XVI, an ...

''. She earned credit as a casting director on '' E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'', ''

Porky's ''Porky's'' is a 1981 sex comedy film written and directed by Bob Clark about the escapades of teenagers in 1954 at the fictional Angel Beach High School in Florida. The film influenced many writers in the teen film genre and spawned two sequels: ...

'', '' Poltergeist'', ''

Blade Runner ''Blade Runner'' is a 1982 science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott, and written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples. Starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, and Edward James Olmos, it is an adaptation of Philip K. Dick' ...

'', '' A Christmas Story'', and '' Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom''. A chance meeting between producer

Craig Zadan Craig Zadan (April 15, 1949 – August 20, 2018) was an American producer and writer. Working alone and with Neil Meron, his partner in the production company Storyline Entertainment, he produced such films as ''Footloose'', ''Chicago'' and ...

and Steven Spielberg resulted in Spielberg's recommendation of Liroff to cast Zadan's upcoming ''

Footloose Footloose may refer to: * ''Footloose'' (1984 film), a musical film ** ''Footloose'' (1984 soundtrack) ** "Footloose" (song), performed by Kenny Loggins * ''Footloose'' (2011 film), a remake of the 1984 film ** ''Footloose'' (2011 soundtrack) ...

''. Liroff would go on to cast such films as ''

St. Elmo's Fire St. Elmo's fire — also called Witchfire or Witch's Fire — is a weather phenomenon in which luminous plasma is created by a corona discharge from a rod-like object such as a mast, spire, chimney, or animal hornHeidorn, K., Weather Element ...

'', ''

Pretty in Pink ''Pretty in Pink'' is a 1986 American teen romantic comedy-drama film about love and social cliques in American high schools in the 1980s. A cult classic, it is commonly identified as a "Brat Pack" film. It was directed by Howard Deutch, produc ...

'', ''

The Cutting Edge ''The Cutting Edge'' is a 1992 American sports-romantic comedy film directed by Paul Michael Glaser and written by Tony Gilroy. The plot is about a wealthy, spoiled figure skater (played by Moira Kelly) who is paired with an injury-sidelined i ...

'', ''

Mannequin A mannequin (also called a dummy, lay figure, or dress form) is a doll, often articulated, used by artists, tailors, dressmakers, window dressers and others, especially to display or fit clothing and show off different fabrics and textiles. P ...

'', ''

Jack Frost Jack Frost is a personification of frost, ice, snow, sleet, winter, and freezing cold. He is a variant of Old Man Winter who is held responsible for frosty weather, nipping the fingers and toes in such weather, coloring the foliage in autumn, ...

'', ''

The Iron Giant ''The Iron Giant'' is a 1999 American animated science fiction film produced by Warner Bros. Feature Animation and directed by Brad Bird in his directorial debut. It is based on the 1968 novel '' The Iron Man'' by Ted Hughes (which was publis ...

'', ''

Insomnia Insomnia, also known as sleeplessness, is a sleep disorder in which people have trouble sleeping. They may have difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep as long as desired. Insomnia is typically followed by daytime sleepiness, low energy, ...

'', ''

Freaky Friday ''Freaky Friday'' is a comedic children's novel written by Mary Rodgers, first published by Harper & Row in 1972. It has been adapted for several films, including versions in 1976, 1995, 2003, and 2018, and was reinterpreted as a horror film f ...

'', ''

Gothika ''Gothika'' is a 2003 American supernatural psychological thriller film directed by Mathieu Kassovitz, written by Sebastian Gutierrez, and starring Halle Berry in the title role, Robert Downey Jr., Penélope Cruz, Charles S. Dutton, John Carr ...

'', ''

Mean Girls ''Mean Girls'' is a 2004 American teen comedy film directed by Mark Waters and written by Tina Fey. The film stars Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Lacey Chabert, Amanda Seyfried (in her film debut), Tim Meadows, Ana Gasteyer, Amy Poehler a ...

'', '' The Spiderwick Chronicles'' , "

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past ''Ghosts of Girlfriends Past'' is a 2009 American romantic comedy film directed by Mark Waters. The script was written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, based on Charles Dickens' 1843 novella ''A Christmas Carol''. Filming spanned February 19, 2008 ...

" and '' Mr. Popper's Penguins''. She associate-produced and cast ''

Untamed Heart ''Untamed Heart'' is a 1993 American romantic drama film directed by Tony Bill, written by Tom Sierchio, and starring Christian Slater and Marisa Tomei. It tells the story of an unlikely romance between a young woman unlucky in love and a shy youn ...

'' and '' The Crush'', and co-produced and cast ''

The Spitfire Grill ''The Spitfire Grill'' (also known as ''Care of the Spitfire Grill'') is a 1996 American film written and directed by Lee David Zlotoff and starring Alison Elliott, Ellen Burstyn, Marcia Gay Harden, Will Patton, Kieran Mulroney and Gailard Sa ...

'', which won the "Audience Award" at

The Sundance Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival (formerly Utah/US Film Festival, then US Film and Video Festival) is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with more than 46,660 ...

in 1996. Liroff was a state witness in the New York rape trial of

Harvey Weinstein Harvey Weinstein (; born March 19, 1952) is an American former film producer and convicted sex offender. He and his brother, Bob Weinstein, co-founded the entertainment company Miramax, which produced several successful independent films includ ...

in 2020. As the casting director of the 2014 Weinstein-produced film ''

Vampire Academy ''Vampire Academy'' is a series of six young adult paranormal romance novels by American author Richelle Mead. It tells the story of Rosemarie "Rose" Hathaway, a dhampir girl, who is training to be a guardian of her moroi best friend, Vasilisa " ...

'', she testified about Weinstein staging a sham audition with Jessica Mann, one of the star witnesses in the case.

Coaching

In 2009, Liroff started private coaching of actors and created an Audition Boot Camp, in which she teaches the fundamentals of auditioning. Liroff is also a writer for ''Backstage Magazine''.

Guild affiliations

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization with the stated goal of advancing the arts and sciences of motion ...

" *"

The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), also colloquially known as the Television Academy, is a professional honorary organization dedicated to the advancement of the television industry in the United States. It is a 501(c)(6) non-prof ...

" *" Teamsters 399" *" Casting Society of America" National Board Member

Filmography (casting)

Films

*" Magic Camp" (2017) *" Myrna" (2015) *" The Sublime and Beautiful" (2014) *"

" (2014) *" Mr. Popper's Penguins" (2010) *''

'' (2009) *'' The Spiderwick Chronicles'' (2008) *''

Full of It ''Full of It'' is a 2007 American comedy-drama film directed by Christian Charles and written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. Starring Ryan Pinkston, Kate Mara and Teri Polo, the film follows a teenage boy whose outrageous lies magically come tru ...

'' (2007) *'' Just Like Heaven'' (2005) *''

Land of the Dead ''Land of the Dead'' (also known as ''George A. Romero's Land of the Dead'') is a 2005 post-apocalyptic horror film written and directed by George A. Romero; the fourth of Romero's six '' Living Dead'' movies, it is preceded by ''Night of the Li ...

'' (2005) *'' New York Minute'' (2004) *''

'' (2004) *''

View from the Top ''View from the Top'' is a 2003 American romantic comedy film directed by Bruno Barreto and starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Christina Applegate, Candice Bergen, Joshua Malina, Mark Ruffalo, Rob Lowe, Mike Myers, and Kelly Preston. The film follows a you ...

'' (2003) *''

'' (2002) *''

Hardball Hardball, in English, more specifically American English, generally refers to baseball (as opposed to its variant softball), especially when played very competitively. Metaphorically, it refers to uncompromising and ruthless methods or dealings, ...

'' (2001) *''

Summer Catch ''Summer Catch'' is a 2001 American romantic comedy film directed by Michael Tollin and starring Freddie Prinze Jr., Jessica Biel and Matthew Lillard. The film marked Tollin's feature film directorial debut. The setting is the Cape Cod Baseball ...

'' (2001) *''

Cats & Dogs ''Cats & Dogs'' is a 2001 spy-comedy film directed by Lawrence Guterman and written by John Requa and Glenn Ficarra. It stars Jeff Goldblum, Elizabeth Perkins and Alexander Pollock, with the voices of (among others) Tobey Maguire, Alec Bal ...

'' (2001) *''

Ready to Rumble ''Ready to Rumble'' is a 2000 American buddy comedy film directed by Brian Robbins and written by Steven Brill, which is based on Turner Broadcasting's now defunct professional wrestling promotion, World Championship Wrestling (WCW). The mo ...

'' (2000) *''

'' (1999) *''

'' (1998) *''

'' (1996) *'' The Tie That Binds'' (1995) *'' It Runs in the Family'' (1994) *'' The Crush'' (1993) *''

'' (1993) *'' FernGully: The Last Rainforest'' (1992) *''

'' (1992) *'' Eve of Destruction'' (1991) *''

Sibling Rivalry Sibling rivalry is a type of competition or animosity among siblings, whether blood-related or not. Siblings generally spend more time together during childhood than they do with parents. The sibling bond is often complicated and is influenced ...

'' (1990) *''

Men at Work Men at Work are an Australian rock band formed in Melbourne in 1978 and best known for breakthrough hits such as " Down Under", "Who Can It Be Now?", " Be Good Johnny", " Overkill", and " It's a Mistake". Its founding member and frontman is C ...

'' (1990) *'' Coupe de Ville'' (1990) *''

Cousins Most generally, in the lineal kinship system used in the English-speaking world, a cousin is a type of familial relationship in which two relatives are two or more familial generations away from their most recent common ancestor. Commonly, ...

'' (1989) *'' The Experts'' (1989) *''

Hearts of Fire ''Hearts of Fire'' is a 1987 American musical drama film starring Bob Dylan, Fiona Flanagan (billed only as "Fiona") and Rupert Everett. The film was essentially a vehicle for Dylan based on his success as a rock musician. It received poor revi ...

'' (1987) *''

You Ruined My Life ''You Ruined My Life'' is a 1987 television film directed by David Ashwell. Plot ''You Ruined My Life'' is about 11-year-old Minerva (Soleil Moon Frye), a girl who lives in a Las Vegas casino with her Uncle Howie (Allen Garfield), who spoils he ...

'' (1987) *''

Siesta A ''siesta'' (from Spanish, pronounced and meaning "nap") is a short nap taken in the early afternoon, often after the midday meal. Such a period of sleep is a common tradition in some countries, particularly those in warm-weather zones. Th ...

'' (1987) *''

'' (1986) *''

Legend A legend is a genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived, both by teller and listeners, to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human values, and possess ...

'' (1985) *''

Return to Oz ''Return to Oz'' is a 1985 dark fantasy film released by Walt Disney Pictures, co-written and directed by Walter Murch. It stars Nicol Williamson, Jean Marsh, Piper Laurie, and Fairuza Balk as Dorothy Gale in her first screen role. The film is ...

'' (1985) *''

Mischief Mischief or malicious mischief is the name for a criminal offenses that is defined differently in different legal jurisdictions. While the wrongful acts will often involve what is popularly described as vandalism, there can be a legal different ...

'' (1985) *''

Johnny Dangerously ''Johnny Dangerously'' is a 1984 American crime comedy film, and a parody of 1930s crime/gangster movies. It was directed by Amy Heckerling. The film stars Michael Keaton as an honest, goodhearted man who turns to a life of crime to finance hi ...

'' (1984) *''

The Ratings Game ''The Ratings Game'' is a 1984 comedy cable television film directed by Danny DeVito and produced by David Jablin. The Showtime comedy stars DeVito and Rhea Perlman, and features Huntz Hall, Michael Richards, George Wendt and Jerry Seinfeld. ...

'' (1984) *'' Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom'' (1984) *''

'' (1984) *'' A Christmas Story'' (1983) *''

Running Brave ''Running Brave'' is a Canadian biographical sports drama film released in 1983 based on the story of Billy Mills, a member or the Oglala Sioux tribe located in South Dakota. Mills was born on the reservation, and later attended the University of ...

'' (1983) *'' All the Right Moves'' (1983) *'' Twilight Zone: The Movie'' (1983) *'' Porky's II: The Next Day'' (1983) *'' Best Friends'' (1982) *'' Kiss Me Goodbye'' (1982) *''

'' (1982) *'' Endangered Species (1982) *''

Six Weeks ''Six Weeks'' is a 1982 American drama film directed by Tony Bill and based on the 1976 novel of the same name by Fred Mustard Stewart. It stars Dudley Moore, Mary Tyler Moore, and Katherine Healy. Plot Charlotte Dreyfus, a wealthy cosmetic ty ...

'' (1982) *''

'' (1982) *'' Poltergeist'' (1982) *'' E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'' (1982)

Television

* ''The Paul Reiser Show'' (TV pilot) (2010) * ''Atlanta'' (TV pilot) (2007) *'' The Strip'' (1999) * ''Dellaventura'' (TV pilot) (1997)

Filmography (producer)

Films

*''

'' (1996) (co-producer) *'' The Crush'' (1993) (associate producer) *''

'' (1993) (associate producer)

References

External links

Marci Liroff – Official Website

Liroff's columns on Backstage.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Liroff, Marci 1958 births Living people Film producers from California American casting directors Women casting directors People from Los Angeles University of Denver alumni Intimacy coordinators