PAUL MAZURSKY
Name: Paul Mazursky
Born: April 25, 1930 Brooklyn, New York
Paul Mazursky (born April 25, 1930) is an American film director, screenplay
writer and actor.
He was born Irwin Mazursky in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Jean (née Gerson),
a piano player for dance classes, and David Mazursky, a laborer.His
grandparents were Jewish immigrants from Ukraine. He graduated from Brooklyn
College in 1951.
Mazursky made his film debut as an actor in Stanley Kubrick's first feature,
Fear and Desire, in which he changed his first name to Paul, and later appeared
as a juvenile delinquent in the 1955 film The Blackboard Jungle. He soon became
a writer and worked on The Danny Kaye Show in 1963. In 1965, he collaborated
with Larry Tucker in crafting the script of the original pilot of The Monkees
television series, in which they both also appeared in cameos.
His acting career has continued for several decades, starting with television
work in episodes of The Twilight Zone and The Rifleman. He has played supporting
roles in A Star Is Born (1976), History of the World Part I (1981), Into the
Night (1985), Punchline (1988), Man Trouble (1992), Carlito's Way (1993), Love
Affair (1994), 2 Days in the Valley (1996) and Crazy in Alabama (1999). He also
performed the voice of the Psychologist in Antz (1998).
Mazursky's debut as a film screenplay writer was the Peter Sellers comedy I Love
You, Alice B. Toklas (1968). The following year he directed his first film Bob &
Carol & Ted & Alice (produced by Larry Tucker). His career behind the camera
would continue for the next two decades as he would direct an impressive string
of quirky, dramatic and critically popular films including Alex in Wonderland (1970),
Blume in Love (1973), Harry and Tonto (1974), the autobiographical Next Stop,
Greenwich Village (1976), An Unmarried Woman (1978), Willie and Phil (1980),
Tempest (1982), Moscow on the Hudson (1984), Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986),
Moon Over Parador (1988), Enemies, a Love Story (1989) and Scenes from a Mall (1991).
Following his film making satire The Pickle (1993), Mazursky has worked only
sporadically as a director on such films as Faithful (1996), Winchell (1998),
Coast to Coast (2003) and most recently the documentary Yippee (2006).
He has recently published his autobiography in which he recounts his experiences
in film making and several well-known screen personalities including Peter
Sellers.
Mazursky has appeared as himself in a number of documentaries on film, including
A Decade Under the Influence, New York at the Movies and Screenwriters: Words
Into Image. In Moon Over Parador, with the Rio Opera House available for only
three days of shooting, Mazursky cast himself as a dictator's mother when Judith
Malina was unavailable, playing the character in drag.
In recent years, Mazursky had a small part as "Sunshine" the poker dealer in The
Sopranos. He also appeared in five episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm as Mel
Brooks' associate Norm.
Mazursky has received five Academy Award nominations, four for his screenplay
writing on Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969), Harry and Tonto (1974), An
Unmarried Woman (1978) and Enemies, a Love Story (1989), and once as producer of
An Unmarried Woman (nominated for Best Picture).
Name: Paul Mazursky
Born: April 25, 1930 Brooklyn, New York
Paul Mazursky (born April 25, 1930) is an American film director, screenplay
writer and actor.
He was born Irwin Mazursky in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Jean (née Gerson),
a piano player for dance classes, and David Mazursky, a laborer.His
grandparents were Jewish immigrants from Ukraine. He graduated from Brooklyn
College in 1951.
Mazursky made his film debut as an actor in Stanley Kubrick's first feature,
Fear and Desire, in which he changed his first name to Paul, and later appeared
as a juvenile delinquent in the 1955 film The Blackboard Jungle. He soon became
a writer and worked on The Danny Kaye Show in 1963. In 1965, he collaborated
with Larry Tucker in crafting the script of the original pilot of The Monkees
television series, in which they both also appeared in cameos.
His acting career has continued for several decades, starting with television
work in episodes of The Twilight Zone and The Rifleman. He has played supporting
roles in A Star Is Born (1976), History of the World Part I (1981), Into the
Night (1985), Punchline (1988), Man Trouble (1992), Carlito's Way (1993), Love
Affair (1994), 2 Days in the Valley (1996) and Crazy in Alabama (1999). He also
performed the voice of the Psychologist in Antz (1998).
Mazursky's debut as a film screenplay writer was the Peter Sellers comedy I Love
You, Alice B. Toklas (1968). The following year he directed his first film Bob &
Carol & Ted & Alice (produced by Larry Tucker). His career behind the camera
would continue for the next two decades as he would direct an impressive string
of quirky, dramatic and critically popular films including Alex in Wonderland (1970),
Blume in Love (1973), Harry and Tonto (1974), the autobiographical Next Stop,
Greenwich Village (1976), An Unmarried Woman (1978), Willie and Phil (1980),
Tempest (1982), Moscow on the Hudson (1984), Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986),
Moon Over Parador (1988), Enemies, a Love Story (1989) and Scenes from a Mall (1991).
Following his film making satire The Pickle (1993), Mazursky has worked only
sporadically as a director on such films as Faithful (1996), Winchell (1998),
Coast to Coast (2003) and most recently the documentary Yippee (2006).
He has recently published his autobiography in which he recounts his experiences
in film making and several well-known screen personalities including Peter
Sellers.
Mazursky has appeared as himself in a number of documentaries on film, including
A Decade Under the Influence, New York at the Movies and Screenwriters: Words
Into Image. In Moon Over Parador, with the Rio Opera House available for only
three days of shooting, Mazursky cast himself as a dictator's mother when Judith
Malina was unavailable, playing the character in drag.
In recent years, Mazursky had a small part as "Sunshine" the poker dealer in The
Sopranos. He also appeared in five episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm as Mel
Brooks' associate Norm.
Mazursky has received five Academy Award nominations, four for his screenplay
writing on Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969), Harry and Tonto (1974), An
Unmarried Woman (1978) and Enemies, a Love Story (1989), and once as producer of
An Unmarried Woman (nominated for Best Picture).