Arlene Donovan
{{Infobox person
| name = Arlene Donovan
| image =
| caption =
| other_names = {{flatlist|
Arlene Helen Donovan}}
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1927|7|15}}
| birth_place = Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|2|14|1927|7|15}}
| alma_mater =
| occupation = Film producer
| years_active = 1982–1998
| known_for = Places in the Heart
| spouse =
| awards =
}}
Arlene Donovan (July 15, 1927 – February 14, 2024) was an American film producer and literary editor. She often worked with director Robert Benton and she was nominated for an Academy Award for her producing work on Places in the Heart.{{Cite web |title=Arlene Donovan |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/51873%7C0/Arlene-Donovan#overview |access-date=2024-12-03 |website=Turner Classic Movies |language=en}}
Career
Donovan began her career in the literary field as an editor, notably at Dell Publishing, where she helped the creators of the Berenstain Bears find a literary agent.{{Cite journal |last1=Berenstain |first1=Stan |last2=Berenstain |first2=Jan |date=October 7, 2002 |title=The Bear Beginnings: the creators of a hugely popular series reflect on their entree into children's book publishing. (Children's Books) |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A93211585/ITOF?u=sfpl_main&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=697ca33e |journal=Publishers Weekly |volume=249 |issue=40 |via=Gale General Onefile}}
Donovan's first film work was as an assistant to Robert Rossen on his uncompleted film Cocoa Beach.{{Cite journal |date=January 1, 1988 |title=Arlene Donovan |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/K1609000309/BIC?u=sfpl_main&sid=bookmark-BIC&xid=281e9b6d |journal=Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television |volume=5 |access-date=December 2, 2024 |via=Gale In Context: Biography}}
She was then the head of the motion picture literary department at ICM in New York from 1968 until 1980 when she took a leave of absence to work on the film Still of the Night, then called Stab.{{Cite journal |date=October 20, 1980 |title=Donovan producer of 'Stab' for UA |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2598220097 |journal=The Hollywood Reporter |volume=263 |issue=48 |id={{ProQuest|2598220097}} |via=ProQuest}}{{Cite web |title=AFI{{!}}Catalog |url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/56881 |access-date=2024-12-03 |website=catalog.afi.com}} This began Donovan's producing career and her long collaboration with director Robert Benton, who she worked with for much of her career.{{Cite news |last=Weiss |first=Michelle |date=May 26, 2011 |title=ACAD lauds Benton at Gotham event |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A258438626/ITOF?u=sfpl_main&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=00f72f9a |work=Daily Variety |volume=311 |issue=38}}{{Cite web |last=Martin A. |first=Grove |date=February 3, 1995 |title=Benton lent direction to 'Fool' marketing plan |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2469199644 |access-date=2024-12-03 |website=Hollywood Vol. 335, Iss. 44, (Feb 3, 1995) |publisher=Hollywood Reporter |volume=335 |issue=44|id={{ProQuest|2469199644}} }}
For her second film, Places in the Heart, she was nominated for an Academy Award.{{Cite web |title=The 57th Academy Awards (1985) Nominees and Winners |url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1985 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111228050833/http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/legacy/ceremony/57th-winners.html |archive-date=2011-12-28 |access-date=2024-12-02 |work=oscars.org}} The film was nominated for Best Picture and she was nominated as it's producer.''
After this she continued to work as a producer with Benton on films like Nadine (1987), Billy Bathgate (1991), Nobody's Fool (1994), and Twilight (1998). She is only credited on one other director's film The House on Carroll Street directed by Peter Yates, which she co-executive produced with Benton.Eaker, Sherry. "Dozens of NY features lined up for spring-summer shoot; two new TV series set for fall." Back Stage, vol. 27, 16 May 1986, pp. 1A+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A4245483/ITOF?u=sfpl_main&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=5fcfba7d. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.
Donovan eventually moved to work for Colombia Pictures where she continued to work on films, including Benton's Kramer vs. Kramer for which Benton won an Oscar for Best Director.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-24 |title=Obituaries in Neptune, NJ {{!}} Asbury Park Press |url=https://www.app.com/obituaries/pnys0734677 |access-date=2024-12-03 |website=app.com |language=en}} In his acceptance speech at the Oscars he thanked Donovan.{{Cite web |date=April 14, 1980 |title=Academy Awards Acceptance Speech Database |url=https://aaspeechesdb.oscars.org/link/052-8/ |website=Oscars.org}}
Nominations
Filmography
- Still of the Night (1982)
- Places in the Heart (1984)
- Nadine (1987)
- The House on Carroll Street (1988)
- Billy Bathgate (1991)
- Nobody’s Fool (1994)
- Twilight (1998)
References
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Category:Film producers from New Jersey