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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.
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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.
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