Robert Getchell
Robert Getchell (December 6, 1936 – October 21, 2017) was an American screenwriter. Getchell wrote the 1974 film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore[2] and created the sitcom based on that film, Alice. Getchell was also the screenwriter for the 1981 docudrama film Mommie Dearest which is based on Christina Crawford's nightmarish childhood with her violent and manipulative alcoholic adoptive mother, the actress Joan Crawford. The film was meant to be taken seriously with a subject concerning child abuse/trafficking however, Getchell's unusual script became over-the-top and unintentionally amusing that it won the 2nd Golden Raspberry award for worst Screenplay which developed Mommie Dearest into a memorable cult film.
Robert Getchell | |
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Born | [1] Kansas City, Missouri, United States | December 6, 1936
Died | October 21, 2017 80) Monterey, California, United States | (aged
Occupation | Screenwriter |
He died on 21 October 2017 aged 80.[3]
Filmography
- Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974)
- Bound for Glory (1976)
- Alice (1976–1985)
- Mommie Dearest (1981)
- Sweet Dreams (1985)
- Stella (1990)
- Point of No Return (1993)
- This Boy's Life (1993)
- The Client (1994)
Awards
- 1975: nominated for an Academy Award and Writers Guild of America Award for Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore.
- 1976: won a BAFTA Award for Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore.
- 1977: nominated for an Academy Award and WGA Award for Bound for Glory.
- 1982: won a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Screenplay for Mommie Dearest.
References
- Writers Guild of America West [@WGAWest] (31 October 2017). "RIP WGAW member / screenwriter / "Alice" creator Robert Getchell (Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore) 12/5/36-10/21/17" (Tweet). Retrieved 8 April 2019 – via Twitter.
- Canby, Vincent (January 30, 1975). "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore Movie Review". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 23 June 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
- Barnes, Mike (6 November 2017). "Robert Getchell, 'Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore' Screenwriter, Dies at 81". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
Further reading
Putt, Jr., Barry M. (2019). Alice: Life Behind the Counter in Mel's Greasy Spoon (A Guide to the Feature Film, the TV Series, and More). Albany, Georgia: BearManor Media. ISBN 978-1629334264.