Brian G. Hutton

Brian Geoffrey Hutton (January 1, 1935[1] – August 19, 2014) was an American actor and film director whose notable credits are for the action films Where Eagles Dare (1968) and Kelly's Heroes (1970).

Brian G. Hutton
Born
Brian Geoffrey Hutton

(1935-01-01)January 1, 1935
New York City, U.S.
DiedAugust 19, 2014(2014-08-19) (aged 79)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationFilm Director, actor
Years active1954–2014

Acting career

Hutton was born in New York City and studied at the Actors Studio.[1] He had a brief acting career between 1954 and 1962, including an appearance as an army deserter in the episode "Custer" in Gunsmoke (series 2, 1956). He played a young gunslinger, Billy Benson in season 2, episode 4 of "The Rifleman". He made two guest appearances on Perry Mason in 1957: as Rod Gleason in "The Case of the Sulky Girl" and as a parking attendant in "The Case of the Moth-Eaten Mink." His last television appearance was in the series Archer in 1975.[2]

In 1958, Hutton played a young gunfighter named The Kid in the episode "Yampa Crossing" of the western series Sugarfoot.[3][4] The following year, he portrayed a remorseful defendant on trial for causing a traffic death in Alfred Hitchcock Presents (the episode "Your Witness").[3] Hutton played twins in an episode of Paladin as Adam and Sam M.

Director

Hutton made his debut as a director in 1965 with Wild Seed starring Michael Parks. [5]

His first studio film was The Pad and How to Use It (1966) produced by Ross Hunter, shot in 19 days.[6]

Hutton then did Sol Madrid (1967) for producer Elliot Kastner. Kastner hired Hutton to direct Where Eagles Dare, from a screenplay by Alistair MacLean at MGM starring Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood. It was a huge success.[7]

MGM hired Hutton to direct Clint Eastwood again in Kelly's Heroes.[1]

He then directed Elizabeth Taylor in Zee and Co. (1972) and Night Watch (1973).[8] He was going to do Sleep is for the Rich for Kastner but it was never made.[9] In November 1972 Martin Poll announced he would direct The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing but he did not make the final movie.[10]

Retirement

After Night Watch came out in 1973, Hutton stopped making films for seven years because he lost his enthusiasm for it.[11]

It wasn’t something I wanted to do to begin with – not my life’s work... When I finished the second Elizabeth Taylor picture I thought, ‘Well, what am I wasting my life doing this for?' I mean, a gorilla could have made those movies. All I had to do was yell ‘Action’ and ‘Cut-Print’ because everybody was doing what they had to do anyway.[11]

— Brian G. Hutton

Temporary Return to Filmmaking

He came back at the behest of Elliot Kastner who needed a director to replace Roman Polanski on The First Deadly Sin (1980) with Frank Sinatra.[12] Hutton then made High Road to China (1983) with Tom Selleck.

Hutton retired from making films altogether in the 1980s and began working in real-estate.[1] He died in Los Angeles, California on August 19, 2014 at age 79, a week after suffering a heart attack. He was survived by his wife.[2][8]

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1955Good Morning, Miss DoveStudentActor, Uncredited
1957Fear Strikes OutBernie SherwillActor, Uncredited
1957Gunfight at the O.K. CorralRickActor
1957Official DetectiveBrantonEpisode: "The Wristwatch"
1957Carnival RockStanleyActor
1958The Walter Winchell FileJerry MilnerEpisode: "The Bargain"
1958The Case Against BrooklynJess JohnsonActor
1958King CreoleSalActor
1959Last Train from Gun HillLee SmithersActor
1959The Big FishermanJohnActor
1962GeronimoIndian scoutActor, Uncredited
1962The InternsDr. Joe ParelliActor
1965Wild SeedDirector
1966The Pad and How to Use ItDirector
1968Sol MadridDirector
1968Where Eagles DareDirector
1970Kelly's HeroesDirector
1972Zee and Co.Director
1973Night WatchDirector
1980The First Deadly SinDirector
1983High Road to ChinaDirector

References
  1. Anthony (August 25, 2014). "Obituary". The Times. London.
  2. "Brian G. Hutton, Director of 'Kelly's Heroes' and 'Where Eagles Dare', Dies at 79". Hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved 2014-08-20.
  3. Brian G. Hutton at IMDb
  4. ""Yampa Crossing", Sugarfoot, December 9, 1958". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
  5. Obituary: Brian G Hutton: Director who created two great popular film classics - Kelly's Heroes and Where Eagles Dare Bergan, Ronald. The Guardian; London (UK) [London (UK)]09 Sep 2014: 39.
  6. Martin, Betty (Oct 2, 1965). "Ross Gambling on Unknowns". Los Angeles Times. p. A9.
  7. Preview: a young director and his $9 million cliff-hanger: 'Chat' pictures 'What's that?' 'Positive' alternatives By Roderick Nordell. The Christian Science Monitor 7 Mar 1969: 4.
  8. Obituary, theguardian.co.uk; accessed August 25, 2014.
  9. Drive, Gene Hackman Said: Drive, Gene Hackman Said By A. H. WEILER. New York Times 6 Feb 1972: D15.
  10. Hutton for 'Cat' The Christian Science Monitor24 Nov 1972: 6.
  11. "Brian G Hutton. Film Director. January 1, 1935 - August 19, 2014. Aged 79". Daily Express. 30 August 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  12. Brian G Hutton Pendreigh, Brian. The Herald; Glasgow (UK) [Glasgow (UK)]30 Aug 2014: 18.


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