By Lee Pfeiffer
Producer Elliott Kastner has died at age 80. Known for his humorous personality and penchant for off-color jokes, Kastner was a larger-than-life character. Although born in America, he made England his home through much of his career and maintained an office at Pinewood Studios until the end of his life. Kastner moved from the music industry into film production with his first credit as producer on the 1965 film Bus Riley's Back in Town. He was one of the first producers to secure independent financing for his films, then sell the distribution rights to major studios. Kastner had many high profile films to his credit including Harper with Paul Newman, The Missouri Breaks and The Nightcomers- both with Marlon Brando, and perhaps most notably the 1969 MGM WWII film Where Eagles Dare with Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood. The film was based on a story by Alistair MacLean and Kastner went on to adapt other works by the author for the screen including Breakheart Pass, Fear is the Key and When Eight Bells Toll. He also brought the character of detective Philip Marlowe back to the screen in the 1970s with The Long Goodbye, The Big Sleep and Farewell, My Lovely, the latter two starring Robert Mitchum.
Other Kastner films include: Kaleidoscope, The Bobo, Sweet November, Angel Heart, Villain, Equus, X, Y and Zee, The Night of the Following Day, 11 Harrowhouse, Cops and Robbers, Swashbuckler, 92 in the Shade and The First Deadly Sin.
On a personal level, we at Cinema Retro mourn the loss of Elliott Kastner. He was one of the first major supporters of the magazine and his contributions to our recent special issue dedicated to Where Eagles Dare were inestimable. In April, he made an appearance during Cinema Retro's Movie Magic Tour of film locations in England, attending a Q&A session we had organized with Sir Roger Moore at the London Film Museum. The two men had worked together on fflolkes (aka North Sea Hijack). True to form, Kastner tossed out quips and humorous insults to Sir Roger, who responded in kind, much to the delight of attendees. The legacy of this talented industry giant will continue to be appreciated by movie fans.