Biography
Long recognized as a true auteur in American cinema despite his rather confrontational on set demeanor, director Robert Altman brought an ironic and irreverent perspective to his films that often deconstructed classic film genres like Westerns, crime dramas, musicals and classic whodunits. His films were filled with unexpected quirks, overlapping dialogue - often improvised - and an acutely iconoclastic point of view that was deftly used to …
Latest Tv Credits
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Career Milestones
| Completed over 65 industrial films and documentaries | ||
| Directed (and occasionally produced and wrote) episodes for some 20 TV series including "Combat," "Kraft Mystery Theater" and "The Roaring Twenties" | ||
| Formed Sandcastle 5 Productions | ||
| Moved to NYC and attempted to make a living as a writer of stories and screenplays | ||
| Returned to Kansas City; made industrial films for the Calvin Company, serving as designer, cinematographer, producer, director, writer and editor | ||
| Tried living as a writer on the West Coast | ||
1943 | Joined the US Army at age 18; became a B24 pilot (dates approximate) | |
1948 | First feature screen credit ("from story", co-written by George W George), "The Bodyguard", a crime film directed by Richard Fleisher | |
1955 | Raised $63,000 to direct his first independently produced fiction feature, "The Delinquents" (acquired by United Artists for $150,000 and released in 1957) | |
1957 | Co-produced and co-directed (with George W. George) first commercial documentary, "The James Dean Story" | |
1957 | On the strength of "The James Dean Story", hired by Alfred Hitchcock to direct episodes of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents"; made TV directing debut with episode entitled "The Young One"; also completed episode entitled "Together" before being fired in 1958 | |
1963 | Formed (with Ray Wagner) Lion's Gate Films (approximate date) | |
1964 | Two-episode TV movie "Nightmare in Chicago"--made for "Kraft Mystery Theater"--edited together for feature release | |
1968 | First studio-backed fiction feature, "Countdown" (Warner Bros.) | |
1970 | Critical and popular breakthrough feature, "M*A*S*H"; earned first Best Director Academy Award nomination | |
1971 | Helmed the revisionist western "McCabe & Mrs. Miller" | |
1973 | Took on the detective genre with "The Long Goodbye" | |
1974 | Buddy gambling picture "California Split" marked first credit for "Lion's Gate 8-Track Sound"; allowed Altman to record sound live from microphones planted on set or on location thereby eliminating the need for postdubbing while allowing the sound to be mixed or unmixed at will | |
1975 | Earned second Best Director Oscar nomination for "Nashville", arguably his masterpiece | |
1976 | Stumbled a bit with "Buffalo Bill and the Indians" | |
1977 | Produced first film, "Welcome to L.A.", directed by Alan Rudolph; also produced "The Late Show", directed by Robert Benton | |
1978 | Helmed the ensemble comedy-drama "A Wedding" | |
1980 | Directed the fantasy musical "Popeye", starring Robin Williams | |
1981 | Debut as stage director, "Precious Blood" and "Rattlesnake in a Cooler" in "Two By South", Actors Theatre, Los Angeles | |
1981 | Sold Lion's Gate | |
1982 | Directed Broadway production of "Come Back to the Five & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean"; filmed production and released movie in 1982 | |
1983 | Won acclaim for film adaptation of David Rabe's "Streamers" | |
1984 | Helmed the one-man drama "Secret Honor", with Philip Baker Hall starring as Richard Nixon | |
1985 | Directed the film adaptation of Sam Shepard's play "Fool for Love" | |
1985 | Returned to TV work after 17 years as director of "The Laundromat" (HBO) | |
1987 | Made another feature based on a play, "Beyond Therapy", adapted from Christopher Durang | |
1987 | Produced and directed the ABC TV specials "The Dumb Waiter" and "The Room" | |
1988 | Directed the CBS remake of "The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial" | |
1988 | Helmed the HBO series "Tanner '88", about a presidential candidate; won Emmy Award | |
1990 | Earned praise for "Vincent & Theo", a biography of the Van Gogh brothers | |
1992 | Earned critical praise for "The Player"; nominated for Best Picture and Best Director Academy Awards | |
1992 | Staged William Bolcom's "McTeague" (libretto by Arnold Weinstein and Robert Altman), based on Frank Norris' 1899 novel of the same name, for the Lyric Opera of Chicago; the novel was the basis of Eric von Stroheim's "Greed" | |
1993 | Garnered fourth Oscar nomination as Best Director for "Short Cuts"; also co-wrote the screenplay adapted from short stories by Raymond Carver | |
1994 | Had critical and box-office failure with "Ready to Wear (Pret-a-Porter)" | |
1994 | Honored with a Gala Tribute by the Film Society of Lincoln Center | |
1996 | Helmed the jazz-era set comedy-drama "Kansas City" | |
1997 | Executive produced, created series and helmed episodes of the ABC series "Gun" | |
1997 | Produced the Alan Rudolph-directed "Afterglow" | |
1998 | Directed and co-scripted "The Gingerbread Man", a legal drama based on a screenplay by John Grisham; Grisham had his name removed from the final script which was rewritten by Altman; the onscreen credit was to the pseudonymous Al Hayes | |
1999 | Returned to form with the comedy "Cookie's Fortune" | |
2000 | Directed "Dr. T and the Women", with Richard Gere as a gynecologist | |
2002 | Helmed "Gosford Park", a period mystery; earned Best Picture and Best Director Academy Award nominations | |
2003 | Directed Neve Campbell, James Franco and Malcolm McDowell in the film "The Company," about a season in the life of Chicago's Joffrey Ballet company | |
2006 | Directed the ensemble feature "A Prairie Home Companion," based on Garrison Keilor's long-running radio show; earned an Independent Spirit Award Nomination for Best Director | |
Awards
1970 | Academy Award for Directing in M*A*S*H |
1970 | BAFTA Award for Direction in M*A*S*H |
1970 | Cannes Film Festival for Jury's Special Grand Prix in M*A*S*H |
1970 | Directors Guild of America Award for Feature Film in M*A*S*H |
1970 | Golden Globe Award for Best Director - Motion Picture in M*A*S*H |
1975 | Academy Award for Best Picture in Nashville |
1975 | Academy Award for Directing in Nashville |
1975 | Directors Guild of America Award for Feature Film in Nashville |
1975 | Golden Globe Award for Best Director - Motion Picture in Nashville |
1975 | National Board of Review Award for Best Director in Nashville |
1975 | National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director in Nashville |
1975 | New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director in Nashville |
1978 | BAFTA Award for Direction in A Wedding |
1978 | BAFTA Award for Screenplay in A Wedding |
1982 | Chicago International Film Festival for Gold Hugo in Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean |
1989 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing In a Drama Series in The '88 Vote: Election Night |
1992 | Academy Award for Directing in The Player |
1992 | BAFTA Award for David Lean Award For Achievement In Direction, The in The Player |
1992 | BAFTA Award for Film in The Player |
1992 | Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director in The Player |
1992 | Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Discovery or Rediscovery in California Split |
1992 | Cannes Film Festival for Best Director in The Player |
1992 | Directors Guild of America Award for Feature Film in The Player |
1992 | Golden Globe Award for Best Director - Motion Picture in The Player |
1992 | New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director in The Player |
1993 | Academy Award for Directing in Short Cuts |
1993 | Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Screenplay in Short Cuts |
1993 | Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay - Motion Picture in Short Cuts |
1993 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement In Directing In a Variety or Music Program in Black and Blue |
1994 | Directors Guild of America Award for DGA Lifetime Achievement |
1994 | Independent Spirit Award for Best Director in Short Cuts |
1994 | Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay in Short Cuts |
1995 | Independent Spirit Award for Best Feature in Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle |
2000 | Independent Spirit Award for Best Feature in Cookie's Fortune |
2001 | Academy Award for Best Picture in Gosford Park |
2001 | Academy Award for Directing in Gosford Park |
2001 | BAFTA Award for Alexander Korda Award For the Outstanding British Film of the Year in Gosford Park |
2001 | BAFTA Award for David Lean Award For Achievement In Direction, The in Gosford Park |
2001 | Golden Globe Award for Best Director - Motion Picture in Gosford Park |
2001 | National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director in Gosford Park |
2001 | New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director in Gosford Park |
2002 | Berlin International Film Festival for Honorary Golden Bear |
2003 | Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Career Achievement Award |
2004 | Directors Guild of America Award for Movies For Television and Mini-Series in Tanner on Tanner |
2007 | Independent Spirit Award for Best Director in A Prairie Home Companion |