Michael Schlesinger, a longtime studio executive who dedicated over 25 years to championing both classic films and lesser-known B-movies at United Artists, Paramount, and Sony, has passed away at the age of 74.
On Thursday, Schlesinger passed away at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles following his struggle with cancer.
This version maintains the original structure and meaning but uses more natural and conversational language to make it easier for readers to understand.
Robert Schlesinger, a well-known figure, was a frequent attendee at movie screenings, lectures, and events such as the TCM Classic Film Festival and Cinecon in Los Angeles. At these gatherings, he often conducted interviews. Additionally, he provided commentary for DVD releases of films like Stanley Kramer’s “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” (1963), which may have been his favorite movie, as well as for the Trailers From Hell website.
He’s known for saying, “Some believe I dwell in the past, but I reside in the present. I simply enjoy taking trips to the past.
A person born in Ohio relocated to Los Angeles, secured employment at United Artists Classics, and played a role in the 1988 theatrical rerelease of John Frankenheimer’s film “The Manchurian Candidate” (1962).
At Paramount Pictures Distribution, Schlesinger handled the 50th anniversary re-release of Orson Welles’ classic film “Citizen Kane” (1941), worked on the unfinished documentary project of Welles titled “It’s All True”, which was intended to be his third movie following “Kane” and “The Magnificent Ambersons” (1942) for RKO, and Samuel Fuller’s provocative movie “White Dog” (1982), a feature that dealt with the sensitive topic of racism.
At Sony Repertory, Schlesinger served as vice president and was responsible for overseeing the restoration of the classic film “Lawrence of Arabia” (1962) and the release of the B-movie parody “The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra” (1981). Additionally, he wrote and produced an American adaptation of “Godzilla 2000”. This role was made possible by studio executive Jeff Blake, who had previously employed him at Paramount.
American viewers often find humor in Godzilla films because Japanese culture tends to be quite solemn. Consequently, when a movie with a serious tone features a character in a rubber suit destroying cardboard buildings, it’s natural for laughter to ensue,” he stated to Scott Michael Bosco during an interview in 2001.
When revising certain dialogues, I thought adding some intentionally humorous elements and maintaining a more casual, light-hearted tone for the human interactions might make the appearance of the monsters less jarring. I believe I managed to achieve this to some degree.
I hail from Dayton, Ohio, born under the September sky in 1950. Fast forward to 1972, I earned my degree from Ohio University, embarking on an exciting journey. In Cincinnati, I found myself working with the independent distributor Tri-State Theaters, contributing to the world of cinema. Later, I teamed up with local theater partners and graced the small screen as a host for classic movies on our beloved TV station.
Since parting ways with the studio scene in 2012, I’ve been dabbling in comedy, specifically directing humorous skits featuring the fictional 30s duo Biffle and Shooster. Recently, I had the pleasure of working with Marilu Henner on a nostalgic film titled “Rock and Doris (Try to) Write a Movie“, which made its debut at the Palm Springs International Comedy Festival last year.
One of his preferred movies was the 1937 comedy, “Sh! The Octopus,” which ran for about 56 minutes and was produced by Warner Bros. This film featured Hugh Herbert and Allen Jenkins in their comedic roles as clumsy detectives.
Mike Schlesinger was an exceptional individual, truly a ‘mensch.’ To any film enthusiast, he was more than just a friend. As Joseph McBride, a fellow friend and film historian, put it, “Mike was a dedicated advocate for preserving and sharing classic films.” Despite working for studios that didn’t always acknowledge his efforts, Mike tirelessly fought to ensure Hollywood respected its past. In essence, he served as a catalyst in helping Hollywood cherish its legacy more deeply.
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2025-01-13 19:26