Robert Snyder (January 16, 1916 – March 21, 2004) was a documentary filmmaker[1] who won an Academy Award in 1950 as producer of The Titan: Story of Michelangelo.[2][3]
Robert Snyder | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | January 15, 1916 |
| Died | March 21, 2004 (aged 88) |
| Occupation | Filmmaker |
| Spouse | Allegra Fuller Snyder |
| Children | 2 |
Biography
editRobert Snyder was born in Brooklyn, New York, on January 16, 1916. He married Allegra Fuller, the daughter of Buckminster Fuller, professor emeritus and former chairwoman of the dance department at University of California at Los Angeles. They had a son Jaime and a daughter Alexandra.[1][4][5]
Snyder won the Academy Award for Best Feature-Length Documentary for The Titan: Story of Michelangelo. It was a German/Swiss film titled Michelangelo: Life of a Titan, first released in 1938 directed by Curt Oertel. Snyder re-edited and shortened the film, adding narration by Fredric March.[6]
Snyder was nominated for a second Academy Award in 1958 for a documentary on insects, The Hidden World, narrated by Gregory Peck. Snyder produced or directed more than a half-dozen biographical documentaries about individuals, including his own father-in-law, futurist Buckminster Fuller. Other subjects included American patron of the arts, poet, publisher, and peace activist Caresse Crosby, author Henry Miller, historians Will and Ariel Durant, Claudio Arrau[6] and cellist Pablo Casals.[7]
His 12-part series, Looking at Modern Art, and Michelangelo: Self-Portrait both appeared on the U.S. Public Broadcasting Service.[6] He died after a lengthy illness in Pacific Palisades, California on March 21, 2004.[7]
Archive
editThe Academy Film Archive houses the Masters & Masterworks Collection, named after Snyder's production company.[8]
Works
editAs director
edit- Willem de Kooning: Artist (short) 1995
- Michelangelo: A Self Portrait (documentary) 1989
- Claudio Arrau: A Life in Music (documentary) 1978
- Ruth Asawa: Of Forms & Growth (documentary short) 1978
- Anais Nin Observed (documentary) 1974
- The World of Buckminster Fuller (documentary) 1974
- NBC Experiment in Television (TV series documentary) Episode, Buckminster Fuller on Spaceship Earth (1971)
- The Henry Miller Odyssey (documentary) 1969
- A Glimpse of De Kooning (documentary) 1961
- A Visit with Pablo Casals 1957
- Halfway to Hell (documentary) 1954
As producer
edit- Willem de Kooning: Artist (short) (producer) 1995
- The Henry Miller Odyssey (documentary) (producer) 1969
- Bayanihan (documentary) (producer) 1962
- The Hidden World (documentary) (producer) 1958
- The Titan: Story of Michelangelo (documentary) (producer) 1950
As actor
edit- Code Name: Heraclitus (TV movie) as MacPherson 1967
- The Twilight Zone (TV series) as electrician Episode, "One More Pallbearer" (1962) ... Electrician (uncredited) 1961
- Outlaws (TV series) as Bundy 1961
Crew
edit- Gods of Bali (documentary) (supervisor - 1952 version)
Bibliography
edit- This Is Henry, Henry Miller From Brooklyn (non-fiction book) 1974
- Anais Nin Observed: Portrait of the Woman as an Artist (non-fiction book) 1976
- Buckminster Fuller: An Autobiographical Monologue Scenario (biography) 1976
Awards
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Robert Snyder at IMDb
- ^ Crowther, Bosley. "The Titan: Story of Michelangelo". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Baseline & All Movie Guide. Archived from the original on 12 July 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
- ^ "Robert Snyder, 88; Documentarian". Los Angeles Times. 2004-03-22. Retrieved 2019-02-17.
- ^ "Documentary producer Robert Snyder dies". United Press International. March 22, 2004. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
- ^ "Robert Snyder". Variety. March 22, 2004. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
- ^ a b c "About Robert Snyder". Santa Barbara, CA: Masters & Masterworks. Archived from the original on 15 December 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
- ^ a b "Robert Snyder; Filmmaker won Oscar for Documentary". Boston.com. Associated Press. March 24, 2004. Archived from the original on 3 June 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
- ^ "Masters & Masterworks Collection". Academy Film Archive.