Hillard Elkins facts for kids

Hillard "Hilly" Elkins (born October 18, 1929 – died December 1, 2010) was a talented American producer. He helped create many famous plays and films. He also managed the careers of well-known actors and artists.

A Look at Hilly Elkins' Life and Career

Hilly Elkins was born in Brooklyn, a borough of New York City. He went to Erasmus Hall and Midwood High School. Later, he studied at Brooklyn College. By the age of 18, he had already earned his degree. He was studying law while working in the mail room at the William Morris Agency. This agency helps actors and artists find work.

Elkins quickly moved up in the company. He became an agent and then led the theatrical department. After serving in the Korean War, where he made training films, he returned to agency work. In 1953, he started his own management company. He represented famous people like James Coburn, Steve McQueen, and Mel Brooks.

Producing Broadway Shows

In 1962, Elkins started producing plays for Broadway. His first play was Come on Strong. The next year, he saw Sammy Davis, Jr. perform in London. Elkins asked him to star in a musical version of Golden Boy. Davis was interested in the idea.

Elkins then asked Clifford Odets to adapt his 1937 play for the musical. When Odets passed away, William Gibson finished the script. Elkins also hired Charles Strouse and Lee Adams to write the music. The 1964 Broadway production was directed by Arthur Penn. It was a big success! Elkins was nominated for two Tony Awards: Best Musical and Best Producer of a Musical.

He produced other Broadway shows too. These included Oh! Calcutta!, The Rothschilds, and Hedda Gabler. He also produced A Doll's House. He worked on the last two plays with his wife at the time, Claire Bloom.

Creating Films and TV Shows

Elkins worked with director Arthur Penn again for his first film. This was Alice's Restaurant (1969), starring Arlo Guthrie. He then produced the film A New Leaf (1971). This movie was nominated for a Golden Globe award.

He also made film versions of his Broadway hits. These included Oh! Calcutta! (1972) and A Doll's House (1973). In 1979, he produced Richard Pryor: Live in Concert.

For television, Elkins produced several documentaries. These included Pippin: His Life and Times (1981). He also made An Evening with Quentin Crisp (1999). Another documentary was Steve McQueen: The Essence of Cool (2005).

Elkins owned the rights to make a movie from the book Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut. A book about him, called The Producer by Christopher Davis, was published in 1972. Hilly Elkins passed away in 2010. He was survived by his wife Sandi Love, his two sons Johnny and Daniel, and his granddaughter Ellen.

Awards and Nominations

Hilly Elkins received many awards and nominations for his work.

• 1998 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Special (In His Father's Shoes, winner)
• 1997 CableACE Award for Best Children's Special, Age 7 and Older (In His Father's Shoes, nominee)
• 1975 Tony Award for Best Play (Sizwe Banzi Is Dead, nominee)
• 1975 Tony Award for Best Play (The Island, nominee)
• 1975 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Foreign Play (Sizwe Banzi Is Dead, nominee)
• 1975 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Foreign Play (The Island, nominee)
• 1971 Tony Award for Best Musical (The Rothschilds, nominee)