home
upcoming events
past events
bruce crawford
sponsors
contact info


Turner Classic Movies

Bruce Crawford is a film historian, documentary producer and promoter and organizer of film tributes here in Omaha, Nebraska. He also is a writer, lecturer and entrepreneur. It is his love of the great film scores that first garnered him national attention. Bruce has produced two nationally and internationally broadcast radio documentaries on film composers Bernard Herrmann and Miklos Rozsa. Bernard Herrmann: A Celebration of His Life and Music is a salute to the composer of scores to such films as CITIZEN KANE, PSYCHO, TAXI DRIVER, THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, VERTIGO, NORTH BY NORTHWEST,THE GHOST AND MRS.MUIR, MYSTERIOUS ISLAND, OBSESSION, FAHRENHEIT 451 and THE TWILIGHT ZONE (TV Series). Running at 2 1/2 hours, in 1992 it was first broadcast nationally, and has since become a milestone in the works honoring Herrmann. 

Ben-Hur: The Epic Film Scores of Miklos Rozsa, focused on the composers music to the great epics, EL-CID, QUO-VADIS, JULIUS CAESAR, KING OF KINGS and Rozsa's masterpiece, BEN-HUR. Among the many guests in the program included, actor Charlton Heston and film critic Leonard Maltin. Both programs are regularly rebroadcast and have received great acclaim from around the world.Bruce also writes for various international film publications and he is frequently the subject of articles and guest appearances on radio and TV interview shows as well.
The film tributes began in 1992 with a salute to special effects legend, Ray Harryhausen, screening MYSTERIOUS ISLAND and JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS. Then in 1993 a 35th anniversary screening of BEN-HUR with director William Wyler's family as special guests.  In 1994, the 50th anniversary of D-day and the film classic, THE LONGEST DAY was honored, with director Ken Annakin and the family of producer Darryl F. Zanuck attending.
Bruce next honored Alfred Hitchcock and actress Janet Leigh with PSYCHO. Janet and her daughter Kelly were the honored guests. Next came GONE WITH THE WIND with co star Ann Rutherford, followed by MR.SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON, with guest Frank Capra Jr. 

With the screening of PATTON, Bruce invited the grand son of the great General, George Patton Waters. The 65th anniversary of KING KONG had Ray Bradbury and Ray Harryhausen among the guests. Actress Patricia Neal and co star Billy Gray attended THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, along with a replica of the robot GORT. And a salute to the Great American Western and John Wayne, with special guests, famed Hollywood producer A.C. Lyles, and a screening of THE SEARCHERS for event number Ten. Bruce also introduced a concert of great film music with the Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra. He served as co host and also gave a talk before the concert. The music of Bernard Herrmann was prominently featured.
Actor Alan Young attended a salute to director George Pal's THE TIME MACHINE for event number Eleven, timely screened before the remake. A salute to WEST SIDE STORY at Omaha's Orpheum Theater was held next with stars Russ Tamblyn and Singer Marni Nixon. The 13th event was THE MISFITS, shown at the Joslyn Art Museum, with special guest actor Kevin McCarthy. James Cameron's modern film classic TITANIC, with actors Michael Ensign and Mark Lindsay Chapman, was the 14th event Crawford produced. For the 15th event, Bruce honored Walt Disney and screened 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea for it's 50th Anniversary. Sci Fi legend Forrest Ackerman and Disney family friend Kaye Malins were the guests of honor.
Actor and comedian Marvin Kaplan attended a salute to Director Stanley Kramers' IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD for event #16. MARY POPPINS was the next event with Disney legend, special effects artist Harrison Ellenshaw. Bruce also appears in the new 4 disc DVD of BEN HUR on disc 4 in the documentary: Ben Hur: The Epic That Changed Cinema. Bruce appears alongside George Lucas, Ridley Scott and Charlton Heston.

A screening of Animal House was event number 18 with renowned director John Landis and actor Stephen Furst. For event number 19 Bruce honored Humphrey Bogart and Casablanca, with Stephen Bogart, the son of the screen legend in attendance. For event #20 Bruce honored the Centennial birth of John Wayne and a screening of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. Close friend of the Dukes' legendary producer A.C.Lyles was the special guest. For event #21 It's A Wonderful Life was honored with special guest Karolyn Grimes, who played little Zuzu Bailey.All of these events received much regional and national media attention, and are well known nationally and internationally.

Bruce also does Public Relations work and Promotional Consulting for various businesses and organizations, in addition to his role as a film historian.

Left to right,  Ray Bradbury, Greg Bear, Forrest J. Ackerman, Bruce Crawford, Ray Harryhausen

"Bruce..thanks for all you do to preserve and respect the American Movie. You have done a wonderful job and it is no wonder Leonard Maltin thinks so highly of you."

-Jean Picker Firstenberg/CEO and Director of the American Film Institute

Check out these other websites featuring Bruce and his work.

http://thethunderchild.com/Interviews/People/BruceCrawford.html
-Bruce is interviewed by Ryan Brennan of Thunderchild Science Fiction
and Fantasy Web Magazine.

www.filmscoremonthly.com/articles/2002/18_Dec---Long_Live_the_Good_Old_Days.asp -Bruce is profiled in an article about his presentation of West Side Story at Omaha's restored Orpheum Theatre.

  http://www.uib.no/herrmann/articles/present_celebration - The Bernard Herrmann Web Pages - this site has 4 pages devoted to an interview Bruce did as well as real audio from the Bernard Herrmann program he produced.

You can e-mail Bruce at: c165@radiks.net

 

 





 

 



[home] - [upcoming events] - [past events] - [bruce crawford] - [sponsors] - [contact info]- [commemorative artwork]

Site maintenance by Christopher Cooke