Stuart Gordon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Stuart Gordon
Gordon during the 2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike
Born	(1947-08-11)August 11, 1947 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	March 24, 2020(2020-03-24) (aged 72) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Wisconsin–Madison
Occupation	Film director theater director screenwriter playwright film producer
Known for	Organic Theater Company Re-Animator From Beyond Robot Jox Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Fortress The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit H. P. Lovecraft's Dreams in the Witch-House
Spouse(s)	Carolyn Purdy ​ (m. 1968)​
Children	3

Stuart Alan Gordon (born August 11, 1947 – died March 24, 2020) was an American filmmaker, theatre director, screenwriter, and playwright. He was first known for his exciting and sometimes bold work in experimental theatre. Gordon started directing films in 1985.

Most of Gordon's movies were in the horror style. But he also made science fiction films and film noir movies. He was born in Chicago and became famous for his theater work at the University of Wisconsin in the late 1960s. Later, he moved back to Chicago and started the Organic Theater Company. In the early 1980s, Gordon went to California to make movies.

Stuart Gordon was a big fan of the writer H. P. Lovecraft. He turned several of Lovecraft's stories into films. These include Re-Animator, From Beyond, and Dagon. He also directed an episode for the Masters of Horror TV series called Dreams in the Witch-House. Gordon also adapted two stories by Edgar Allan Poe. He directed The Pit and the Pendulum in 1991 and The Black Cat for Masters of Horror in 2007. Many of his films became very popular with fans over time.

Early Life and Education

Stuart Alan Gordon was born on August 11, 1947, in Chicago, Illinois. His mother, Rosalie Sabath, was a high school English teacher. His father, Bernard Gordon, was a supervisor at a cosmetics factory.

After finishing Lane Technical High School, Gordon worked as an artist's helper. Then he went to the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He wanted to take film classes but couldn't get in. So, he joined an acting class instead and ended up studying theater. During this time, he started his first theater group, called Screw Theater.

Stuart Gordon's Career

Theater Work

In March 1968, Gordon put on a play called The Game Show. It was performed at the Play Circle stage at the University of Wisconsin–Madison's Wisconsin Union Theater.

Gordon then started Screw Theater in the summer of 1968. He produced and directed four shows. The last one was a political version of Peter Pan in the fall of 1968. This play led to him and his future wife being arrested. The story was in national news until the charges were dropped later that year. Gordon explained that he was protesting the war in Vietnam. He thought he could use Peter Pan to show what was happening. Peter Pan became the leader of the hippies, and Captain Hook was like the mayor. The pirates were like the police.

The University of Wisconsin wanted to watch over future plays by Screw Theater. So, Gordon left the university and started Broom Street Theater. Their first play was a new version of Lysistrata, which opened in May 1969.

Later that year, Gordon and his wife, Carolyn Purdy-Gordon, moved to Chicago. There, they started the Organic Theater Company. Gordon was also the artistic director. Through the 1970s and early 1980s, he produced and directed 37 plays with this company. These included the first performances of The Warp Trilogy (Warp!), Bleacher Bums, and E/R Emergency Room. E/R Emergency Room later became a short-lived TV show. He also adapted Adventures of Huckleberry Finn into a two-part play.

The first production of Warp, which Gordon helped write, was a huge success for Organic. It even went to Broadway for a short time. Theater critic Richard Christiansen said Warp was important because it came before Star Wars and inspired other theater groups in Chicago. In 1973, Gordon directed The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit. This play had a great cast, including Dennis Franz, Meshach Taylor, and Joe Mantegna. Gordon later made this play into a movie 25 years later.

In 2009, he directed a one-person play called Nevermore...An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe. This show brought him back together with actor Jeffrey Combs and writer Dennis Paoli from his movie Re-Animator. The show was nominated for an award and was very popular in Los Angeles. It also toured across the country.

In 2011, Gordon produced, directed, and helped write the story for Re-Animator: The Musical. It was very successful, with sold-out shows and great reviews for six months. In 2012, it was performed at the New York Musical Theater Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Gordon's next play, Taste, opened in Los Angeles in April 2014. This play was based on a true story and was written by Benjamin Brand.

In 1977, Gordon adapted Kurt Vonnegut's book The Sirens of Titan for the Organic Theater. Vonnegut himself approved of the play. Forty years later, in 2017, Gordon updated his play for a new production.

Film and Television Work

Gordon at the premiere of Stuck at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2007

Stuart Gordon began his film career making horror movies for Empire Pictures. His first two films, Re-Animator (1985) and From Beyond (1986), were both based on stories by H.P. Lovecraft. He also directed Dolls in 1987.

His next two projects were surprisingly family-friendly. First, he made Kid Safe: The Video, a short safety film for kids. Then, he helped create Honey, I Shrunk the Kids for Disney Studios. He was also an executive producer for the sequel, Honey, I Blew Up the Kid. He also helped write Body Snatchers in 1993 and The Dentist in 1996.

In 1996, he produced, co-wrote, and directed the science fiction comedy Space Truckers, starring Dennis Hopper. He also produced and directed The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit in 1998, which was written by Ray Bradbury.

In 2003, he made a film noir movie called King of the Ants, based on a novel. This was followed by a movie version of David Mamet's play Edmond in 2006, starring William H. Macy. In 2007, he produced, co-wrote, and directed Stuck, starring Stephen Rea and Mena Suvari.

He also directed "Eater", an episode of the TV series Fear Itself, for NBC in 2008.

Stuart Gordon also contributed to Blu-ray and DVD extras for films he loved. He wrote notes for The Swimmer, starring Burt Lancaster.

Personal Life and Death

Stuart Gordon married Carolyn Purdy in 1968. She often appeared in his films, usually playing characters who faced bad luck. They had three daughters: Suzanna, Jillian, and Margaret. He lived in Los Angeles for the last half of his life. Stuart Gordon passed away in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, on March 24, 2020. He was 72 years old and died from multiple organ failure.

Filmography

Film

Short films

Television

TV movies

Stage Credits

• Peter Pan (1968)
• Warp! (1971)
• Bleacher Bums (1977–79)
• The Little Sister (1979)
• E/R Emergency Room (1982)
• Nevermore...An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe (2009–14)
• Re-Animator: The Musical (2011-)
• Taste (2014-)

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Stuart Gordon para niños