Ted Demme facts for kids

Edward Kern Demme (pronounced DEM-ee; born October 26, 1963 – died January 13, 2002) was an American director, producer, and actor. He was known for directing movies like Beautiful Girls and Blow. Ted Demme also helped create the popular hip-hop show Yo! MTV Raps.

Early Life and Education

Ted Demme was born in New York City. His parents were Gail Kern and Frederick Rogers Demme. He grew up in Rockville Centre, New York, which is on Long Island.

He went to South Side Senior High School. Later, he graduated from SUNY-Cortland in 1985. Ted Demme was the nephew of Jonathan Demme, who was also a famous film producer and director.

Ted Demme's Career in Media

Ted Demme's journey in media might have started with a radio show. He had a mix of comedy and talk radio at WSUC-FM, his college radio station. People on and off campus listened to his show.

He began his professional career at MTV. He started as a production assistant. Later, he became a producer in the On-Air Promotions Department. There, he helped create the popular hip-hop show Yo! MTV Raps. He also directed other projects for MTV.

Throughout his career, Ted Demme often worked with the same actors. One of the actors he worked with most was Denis Leary. He directed Leary in comedy specials like No Cure for Cancer. He also directed Leary in films such as Who's the Man?, The Ref, and Monument Ave.. Ted Demme directed the 2001 crime drama film Blow. This movie starred Johnny Depp as George Jung.

Personal Life

Ted Demme was married to Amanda Scheer. They had two children together. Amanda Scheer later opened popular bars in Los Angeles. One of these was called Teddy's, named in honor of her late husband. Ted Demme was also a big fan of the Green Bay Packers football team.

Death

On January 13, 2002, Ted Demme was playing in a celebrity basketball game. During the game, he collapsed. He sadly died from a heart attack. After his death, Ted Demme was cremated. His ashes were given to his family.

Tributes and Memories

Many people in the film industry remembered Ted Demme fondly. An episode of the IFC program Dinner for Five was dedicated to him. In this episode, Denis Leary and host Jon Favreau shared memories of Ted's life. They talked about his love for the Green Bay Packers. They also mentioned his fondness for playing practical jokes.

At the 2002 Golden Globes awards show, just one week after Ted's death, actor Kevin Spacey wore a picture of Demme on his suit jacket. Ted Demme was also honored in the "In Memoriam" tribute at the 74th Academy Awards. Kevin Spacey presented this tribute as well.

Ted's uncle, Jonathan Demme, dedicated his 2003 film The Truth About Charlie to Ted's memory. This movie was a remake of the 1963 film Charade.

The 2003 album Blackberry Belle by The Twilight Singers was also a tribute to Ted Demme. The band's leader, Greg Dulli, was a close friend of Ted's. Dulli had been working on another music project. However, he stopped those sessions after Ted's death. The songs that came after were inspired by memories of Ted. These recordings became the album Blackberry Belle.

Filmography

Awards and Nominations

Ted Demme received several awards and nominations for his work:

See also

In Spanish: Ted Demme para niños