Monte Hellman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Monte Hellman
Hellman in 2013
Born	Monte Jay Himmelbaum (1929-07-12)July 12, 1929 New York City, U.S.
Died	April 20, 2021(2021-04-20) (aged 91) Rancho Mirage, California, U.S.
Education	Los Angeles High School
Alma mater	Stanford University
Occupation	Film director, writer, producer, editor
Spouse(s)	Barboura Morris (1954–1958)

Monte Hellman (born Monte Jay Himmelbaum; July 12, 1929 – April 20, 2021) was an American film director, producer, writer, and editor. He was known for making unique and thoughtful movies, often with small budgets. He started his career working at ABC TV. His first movie as a director was the horror film Beast from Haunted Cave (1959).

Hellman became well-known for his Western films like The Shooting and Ride in the Whirlwind (both 1966), which starred famous actor Jack Nicholson. He also directed the independent road trip movie Two-Lane Blacktop (1971), featuring musicians James Taylor and Dennis Wilson. Later in his career, he directed the thriller Road to Nowhere (2010).

Early Life and Education

Monte Hellman was born on July 12, 1929, in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York. His family later moved to Albany, New York, and then to Los Angeles, California, when he was five years old.

He went to Los Angeles High School and then studied at Stanford University, graduating in 1951. He also attended graduate school at the University of California, Los Angeles, but he did not finish his studies there.

Filmmaking Career

Monte Hellman was part of a group of directors who were guided by Roger Corman. Corman was a producer known for making many films with low budgets. Hellman learned from Corman how to make movies that could be successful even without a lot of money, while still keeping his own creative ideas.

Notable Films

One of Hellman's most praised films is Two-Lane Blacktop (1971). This movie is about a road trip. When it first came out, it didn't do well at the box office. However, over time, it became a popular cult favorite, meaning it gained a strong following of fans.

He also directed two Westerns starring Jack Nicholson: Ride in the Whirlwind and The Shooting. Both were filmed in 1965 and shown at film festivals in 1966. They later became available on television in 1968 and also gained many fans. Hellman also directed Cockfighter (1974) and Iguana (1988).

Other Film Work

Besides directing, Hellman worked on many films in different roles. He was an editor for several movies, including Roger Corman's The Wild Angels (1966) and Sam Peckinpah's The Killer Elite (1975). He also helped finish two movies after their original directors passed away: The Greatest (1977) and Avalanche Express (1979). Hellman was also an executive producer for Quentin Tarantino's first major film, Reservoir Dogs (1992).

In 2006, he directed a part of the horror film Trapped Ashes. This part was shown at the Cannes Film Festival, a very important film event. In 2010, Hellman received a special award for his career at the Venice Film Festival. Later that year, his new film, Road to Nowhere, competed for the top prize at the same festival.

Hellman also taught film directing at the California Institute of the Arts in 2011.

Death

Monte Hellman passed away on April 20, 2021, at the age of 91. He had a fall at his home the day before. He died at the Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, California.

Filmography

Films Directed

Other Film Work Roles

• The Terror (1963) (location director, uncredited; with Francis Ford Coppola, Jack Hill, and Jack Nicholson, under direction of Roger Corman)
• The Killer Elite (1975; co-editor)
• A Fistful of Dollars (ABC TV version prologue,1977)
• The Greatest (1977; finished film on behalf of Tom Gries, post-production supervisor)
• RoboCop (1987; uncredited second-unit director, he directed several action scenes)
• Reservoir Dogs (1992; executive producer)