Dan Ireland

Daniel Frederick Ireland (May 11, 1949 – April 14, 2016) was an American-Canadian film producer and director.[1][2][3] He was the co-founder of the Seattle International Film Festival.[4] Ireland began executive-producing films for Vestron Pictures in the 1980s, his first being John Huston's final feature, The Dead (1987). He also executive-produced multiple films by director Ken Russell, such as Salome's Last Dance (1987), The Lair of the White Worm (1988), The Rainbow (1989), and Whore (1991).

Dan Ireland
BornMay 11, 1949
Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Died(2016-04-14)April 14, 2016 (aged 66)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupations
  • Director
  • producer
Known forCo-founder of the Seattle International Film Festival

He made his feature film directorial debut with the drama The Whole Wide World (1996), followed by The Velocity of Gary (1998) and Jolene (2006).

Early life

Ireland was born in 1949[lower-alpha 1] in Portland, Oregon, the second of four children of Rainsford and Betty Ireland (née Shantz).[5][6][7] When he was five years old, his mother moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, where Ireland spent the remainder of his childhood.[3][6]

Career

Ireland and Darryl MacDonald ran the Seattle International Film Festival for ten years. They were immigrated from Vancouver to take on the task of creating the festival, and opening a first run art theatre, The Egyptian. During his tenure, the festival selected and launched some films, including Blood Simple, The Stunt Man, The Empire Strikes Back, Alien, Poltergeist, Another Country and One False Move. Other ones including The Road Warrior, Choose Me, Kiss Of The Spider Woman, Ran, Soldier of Orange, Spetters and The Fourth Man. Ireland was awarded the Golden Calf Award (the Dutch equivalent to the Academy Award) for his contribution to advancing Dutch Films in 1983. His friendship with director Verhoeven helped save the distribution in America of the director's World War II saga Soldier of Orange.

Ireland became the head of film acquisition for Vestron Pictures in 1986. During his three year tenure, he spearheaded such projects for The Dead, Paperhouse, Salome's Last Dance, The Lair of the White Worm and The Rainbow. Other films Ireland acquired during his time at Vestron included Personal Services, Earth Girls Are Easy and Anna. After leaving Vestron Pictures, Ireland produced (with Ronaldo Vasconcellos) another film for director Ken Russell, Whore, and The Crew, for director Carl Colpaert at Cineville.

In 1995, Ireland made the transition from producer to director with The Whole Wide World (1996). It was Renée Zellweger's performance in this film that caught the eye of producer James L. Brooks and director Cameron Crowe, and led to her co-starring with Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire (1996). The Whole Wide World was awarded Best New American Film at The Seattle International Film Festival, and won its actor Vincent D'Onofrio Best Actor for the role of Robert E. Howard, author of Conan the Barbarian, and Best Actress for Zellweger at the Mar del Plata Film Festival. Subsequent films directed by Ireland include The Velocity of Gary (1996), Passionada (2003), Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont (2006), and Jolene (2008).[8]

Ireland worked with Zellweger again when she executive-produced Living Proof, the true story of oncologist Dr. Dennis Slamon, who helped discover the cancer drug Herceptin. The film was also produced by Neil Meron and Craig Zadan. Ireland directed two short films, Hate From A Distance (2014), the story of racism as seen through the eyes of a child, made for the 50th Anniversary of the signing of the Civil Rights Act; and A Most Peculiar Man (2015) starring stage actor Alan Mandell, about the friendship of an elderly Holocaust survivor and a young man on the verge of suicide.

Death

Ireland died in his Los Angeles home of a heart attack[5] on April 14, 2016.[8] Before Ireland's death, his next film was going to be Life Briefly, the true story of Brian Knapp, a young man who overcame blindness to become a professional drummer by the age of ten; he eventually became a guitar player who performed with Johnny Cash on stage seven times before his death at age fourteen.

Actress Jessica Chastain, whom Ireland directed in her first major film role in Jolene (2008), paid tribute to him following his death, writing: "When Dan entered a room, the sun shined. His laughter boomed with love. He had the biggest heart. Love you Danny boy."[9]

The Louisiana International Film Festival created a scholarship in Ireland's name, which commemorates his dedication to new talent. Louisiana artists and filmmakers are eligible for consideration, and funds from the scholarship are dedicated towards an event, showcase or internship in Los Angeles on the recipient’s behalf. In April 2017, the inaugural Dan Ireland Award was presented by special guest Renée Zellweger to Atila Till for Kills on Wheels.[10] In September 2017, the inaugural Dan Ireland Scholarship was awarded to Louisiana singer-songwriter and musician David Jones II, whose stage name is JST DAVID.[11]

Filmography
Table featuring feature films directed by Martin Scorsese
Year Title Director Writer Producer Executive producer Notes Ref.
1987 The Dead No No No Yes [12]
1987 Anna No No No Yes [12]
1987 Salome's Last Dance No No No Yes [12]
1988 The Lair of the White Worm No No No Yes [12]
1988 The Rainbow No No No Yes
1991 Whore No No Yes No [12]
1994 The Crew No No Yes No [12]
1996 The Whole Wide World Yes No Yes No [12]
1998 The Velocity of Gary Yes No No Yes [12]
2003 Passionada Yes No No No [12]
2006 Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont Yes Yes Yes No [12]
2008 Jolene Yes No No No [12]
2008 Living Proof Yes No No No
2014 Hate from a Distance Yes No Yes No Short film [12]
2015 A Most Peculiar Man Yes No Yes No Short film [12]

Notes
  1. Some sources list Ireland's birth date as May 11, 1958; however, official obituaries indicate he was 57 years old at the time of his death and that his birth year was in fact 1949.[5]

References
  1. "Dan Ireland, 'Jolene,' 'The Whole Wide World' Director, Dies at 57". TheWrap. Archived from the original on October 4, 2022.
  2. Nyback, Dennis (March 5, 2018). "History in the Age of the Internet: Setting the Record Straight on Dan Ireland". The Seattle Star. Archived from the original on January 1, 2023.
  3. Tehrani, Bijan (July 5, 2012). "What Darryl Macdonald has done in Palm Springs is mind blowing. Am I surprised? Hell no…" — Dan Ireland". Cinema Without Borders. Archived from the original on March 4, 2017.
  4. Caldbick, John (May 1, 2012). "First Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) opens at Moore Egyptian Theatre on May 14, 1976". HistoryLink. Archived from the original on January 1, 2023.
  5. "Daniel Frederick Ireland Obituary". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on November 23, 2018 – via Legacy.com.
  6. "Betty Ireland Obituary". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved March 4, 2017 – via Legacy.com.
  7. McKenna, Kristine (February 2, 1997). "A Man Of 'Action!'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 10, 2020.
  8. "Dan Ireland, The Whole Wide World and Jolene Director, Dies at 57". People. April 15, 2016. Archived from the original on June 29, 2016.
  9. Chastain, Jessica [@jes_chastain] (April 15, 2016). "When Dan entered a room, the sun shined. His laughter boomed with love. He had the biggest heart. Love you Danny boy" (Tweet). Archived from the original on January 1, 2023 – via Twitter.
  10. "Dan Ireland - Louisiana Independent Film Festival". Louisiana Independent Film Festival. Archived from the original on November 23, 2018.
  11. "JST DAVID Wins Louisiana Film Fest Scholarship, Performs at Peppermint Club - California Rocker". California Rocker. September 21, 2017. Archived from the original on January 28, 2019. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
  12. Barnes, Mike (April 15, 2016). "Dan Ireland, Director of 'The Whole Wide World' and 'Jolene,' Dies at 57". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 8, 2021.
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