George Armitage, ‘Grosse Pointe Blank’ and ‘Miami Blues’ Director, Dies at 83

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George Armitage, a filmmaker known for co-writing and directing the movie ‘Miami Blues,’ which featured Alec Baldwin, as well as guiding another 1990s black comedy titled ‘Grosse Pointe Blank’ with John Cusack in the lead role, has passed away. He was 83 years old.

Armitage died Feb. 15 in Playa del Rey, California, his son, Brent Armitage, announced.

In the early 1970s, much like several others, Armitage experienced a significant career advancement under the guidance of renowned B-movie producer Roger Corman at New World Pictures.

Armitage was responsible for both writing and directing the movies “Hit Man” (1972) from MGM and “Vigilante Force” (1976) from United Artists. These films featured Bernie Casey and Pam Grier in the former, while Kris Kristofferson and Jan-Michael Vincent starred in the latter. Interestingly, these productions were overseen by Gene Corman, Roger’s brother.

1990’s film Miami Blues, inspired by the Hoke Moseley book series penned by Charles Willeford, showcases Baldwin as Frederick J. Frenger Jr., a character who pilfers the badge and firearm of an experienced police officer (Fred Ward portraying Moseley). This sets off a wild crime escapade with a prostitute (Jennifer Jason Leigh) by his side.

In the film titled “Grosse Pointe Blank” (1997), John Cusack played a character who was a skilled assassin. This character decided to take a break from his profession to attend his decade-old high school reunion, which happened to be in a Detroit suburb.

George Brendan Armitage, the youngest of two brothers, was born in 1942 in Hartford, Connecticut. In 1957, he relocated with his family to Los Angeles. He pursued political science and delved deep into film studies at UCLA.

During his college years, he initially worked in the mailroom at 20th Century Fox. In just about a year and a half, he was promoted to an associate producer role for ABC’s “Peyton Place,” under the tutelage of producer Everett Chambers, which happened in the year 1967.

As a passionate movie enthusiast, I can’t help but reminisce about my initial screenplay, a hilariously rebellious youth comedy titled “Gas-s-s-s or It Became Necessary to Destroy the World in Order to Save It” (1970). This masterpiece of mine managed to captivate the discerning eye of none other than Roger Corman.

In the year 1970’s summer, Corman was bound for Ireland to direct the war movie “Von Richthofen and Brown” (1971). During this time, he proposed a role in the film to Armitage while he was still working on the script. It was during this period that he encountered the movie’s publicist, Jonathan Demme, who would later become a director and their friendship would last a lifetime.

Corman’s filmography, as penned by Armitage, includes the movies “Private Duty Nurses” (1971), “Night Call Nurses” (1972), “Caged Heat” (1974), “Darktown Strutters” (1975) and “Fighting Mad” (1976). In simpler terms, Armitage was the writer or director for these specific films produced by Corman.

At a later point in time, he took charge of and created the film “The Big Bounce” (2004). This movie was adapted from a book written by Elmore Leonard and featured Owen Wilson as the main actor.

Apart from his son, the survivors also include his wife of 63 years, Sharon; Rhonda Sena, daughter-in-law; grandchildren Caroline and Nick Armitage; Wendy Svehlak-Thorlakson, a producer who is also his niece; and his nephew Dennis Thorlakson, an editor.

As a gamer, growing up, movies have been a constant companion, an integral part of my life since I was a child. The allure of the silver screen has always drawn me in, and I found myself yearning to step behind it. I guess you could say I’ve always felt a kinship with movie-making, as if I were just one thought away from the minds of those who create them.

In the realm of filmmaking, there are numerous techniques to explore and actions to undertake. The art of cinema mirrors the workings of our minds – how we communicate within ourselves. A film can be seen as a dream, a poignant conclusion to an emotional journey.

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2025-02-22 08:24