Robert M. Young (director)

{{Short description|American film director and producer (1924–2024)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Robert M. Young

| image = Publicity_Photo_of_Robert_M._Young.jpg

| caption = Publicity Photo of Robert M. Young

| birth_name = Robert Milton Young

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1924|11|22}}

| birth_place = New York City, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2024|02|06|1924|11|22}}

| death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.

| other_names = Robert M. Young

| occupation = {{hlist|Director|screenwriter|producer|cinematographer}}

| known_for =

| alma_mater = Harvard University (B.A., 1949)

}}

Robert Milton Young (November 22, 1924 – February 6, 2024) was an American film and television director, cinematographer, screenwriter, and producer.{{cite web|url=http://www.allmovie.com/artist/robert-m-young-117695 |title=Robert M. Young – Movie and Film Biography, Credits and Filmography |publisher=AllMovie |date=November 22, 1924 |access-date=March 3, 2012}} Young was considered a trailblazer in the independent filmmaking sector and for frequently casting Edward James Olmos in his movies, directing him in Alambrista! (1977), The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez (1982), Saving Grace (1986), Triumph of the Spirit (1989), Talent for the Game (1991), Roosters (1993), Slave of Dreams (1995), and Caught (1996). He produced Olmos's directorial debut, American Me (1992).

Early life and education

Robert Milton Young was born in New York City on November 22, 1924. His father was a cameraman who later owned a film laboratory. Robert began college at MIT to become a chemical engineer. He left after two years to join the U.S. Navy during World War II and served in the Pacific in New Guinea and in the Philippines. Upon returning to America after the war, he decided to study English literature at Harvard University.Alexander, Geoff, [http://www.afana.org/youngrobtm.htm "Biography: Robert M. Young"], Academic Film Archive of North America (AFANA).

Young also developed an interest in filmmaking and graduated from Harvard in 1949.Ireland, Corydon, [http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2013/01/nothing-but-a-breakthrough/ "Nothing but a breakthrough: Landmark 1964 film about race by two Harvard grads launches Film Archive's season"], The Harvard Gazette, January 11, 2013

Career

After graduation, Young formed a cooperative partnership with two friends making educational films. In 1960, he worked for NBC making public affairs programs for NBC White Paper. In 1960, on behalf of NBC, he went to the American South to make the film Sit-In about the civil rights protests and sit-ins. The film won a Peabody Award.[http://www.museum.tv/eotv/nbcwhitepap.htm "NBC WHITE PAPER: U.S. News Documentary"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116065406/http://www.museum.tv/eotv/nbcwhitepap.htm |date=November 16, 2018 }}, Museum of Broadcast Communications, Chicago, Illinois.

Young later left NBC to pursue narrative film work.

Young won a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1975.{{cite web |url=https://www.tfiny.org/filmmakers/detail/robert_m._young1 |title=Tribeca Film Institute }}

In 1985 he was a member of the jury at the 14th Moscow International Film Festival.{{cite web |url=http://www.moscowfilmfestival.ru/miff34/eng/archives/?year=1985 |title=14th Moscow International Film Festival (1985) |access-date=February 8, 2013 |work=MIFF |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130316084353/http://moscowfilmfestival.ru/miff34/eng/archives/?year=1985 |archive-date=March 16, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}

Death

Young died in Los Angeles on February 6, 2024, at the age of 99.>{{cite news |last1=Brueggemann |first1=Tom |date=9 February 2024 |title=Robert M. Young, Trailblazing Independent Director, Dies at 99 |url=https://www.indiewire.com/news/obituary/robert-m-young-dead-1234952839/ |access-date=11 February 2024 |work=IndieWire |publisher=Penske Media}}{{cite web | url=https://deadline.com/2024/02/robert-m-young-dead-independent-film-director-was-99-obituary-1235821091/ | title=Robert M. Young Dies: Groundbreaking Independent Film Director, Camera d'Or and Peabody Award Winner Was 99 | date=February 10, 2024 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/robert-m-young-dead-extremities-dominick-eugene-1235823595/amp/ | title=Robert M. Young, 'Extremities' and 'Dominick and Eugene' Director, Dies at 99 | website=The Hollywood Reporter | date=February 13, 2024 }}

Filmography

= Filmmaking credits =

== Feature films ==

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" \|+ !Title !Year !Director !Producer !Writer !Notes
scope="row" \|Nothing But a Man \|1964 \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|
scope="row" \|Short Eyes \|1977 \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|Directorial Debut
scope="row" \|Alambrista! \|1977 \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} \|
scope="row" \|Rich Kids \|1979 \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|
scope="row" \|One-Trick Pony \|1980 \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|
scope="row" \|The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez \|1982 \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} \|
scope="row" \|Saving Grace \|1986 \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|
scope="row" \|Extremities \|1986 \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|
scope="row" \|Dominick and Eugene \|1988 \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|
scope="row" \|The Plot Against Harry \|1989 \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|Filming in 1969
scope="row" \|Triumph of the Spirit \|1989 \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|
scope="row" \|Talent for the Game \|1991 \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|
scope="row" \|American Me \|1992 \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|
scope="row" \|Caught \|1996 \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|
scope="row" \|China: The Panda Adventure \|2001 \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|IMAX film
scope="row" \|Human Error \|2004 \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"

!Title

!Year

!Director

!Producer

!Writer

!Notes

scope="row" |Nothing But a Man

|1964

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

scope="row" |Short Eyes

|1977

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Directorial Debut

scope="row" |Alambrista!

|1977

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

scope="row" |Rich Kids

|1979

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

scope="row" |One-Trick Pony

|1980

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

scope="row" |The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez

|1982

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

scope="row" |Saving Grace

|1986

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

scope="row" |Extremities

|1986

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

scope="row" |Dominick and Eugene

|1988

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

scope="row" |The Plot Against Harry

|1989

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Filming in 1969

scope="row" |Triumph of the Spirit

|1989

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

scope="row" |Talent for the Game

|1991

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

scope="row" |American Me

|1992

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

scope="row" |Caught

|1996

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

scope="row" |China: The Panda Adventure

|2001

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|IMAX film

scope="row" |Human Error

|2004

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

== Documentaries ==

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" \|+ !Title !Year !Director !Writer !Notes
scope="row" \|Secrets of the Reef \|1956 \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|
scope="row" \|At the Winter Sea Ice Camp: Part 4 \|1967 \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|Short film
scope="row" \|The Eskimo: Fight for Life \|1970 \|{{yes}} \|{{yes}} \|
scope="row" \|Children of the Fields \|1973 \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|Short film
scope="row" \|To Fly! \|1976 \|{{no}} \|{{yes}} \|IMAX short film
scope="row" \|Children of Fate: Life and Death in a Sicilian Family \|1993 \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|
scope="row" \|William Kurelek's The Maze \|2011 \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|Co-directed with David Grubin

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"

!Title

!Year

!Director

!Writer

!Notes

scope="row" |Secrets of the Reef

|1956

|{{yes}}

scope="row" |At the Winter Sea Ice Camp: Part 4

|1967

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Short film

scope="row" |The Eskimo: Fight for Life

|1970

|{{yes}}

scope="row" |Children of the Fields

|1973

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Short film

scope="row" |To Fly!

|1976

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|IMAX short film

scope="row" |Children of Fate: Life and Death in a Sicilian Family

|1993

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

scope="row" |William Kurelek's The Maze

|2011

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Co-directed with David Grubin

Cancelled film: Cortile Cascino (1962){{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dByaCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA281|title=The Politics and Poetics of Black Film: Nothing But a Man|last1=Wall|first1=David C.|last2=Martin|first2=Michael T.|date=2015-10-20|publisher=Indiana University Press|isbn=9780253018502|language=en}}

== Television ==

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" \|+ !Title !Year !Director !Producer !Writer !Notes
scope="row" \|World Wide '60 \|1960 \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|Television series (episode "The Living End")
scope="row" \|Sit-In \|1960 \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|Episode of TV series 'NBC White Paper'
scope="row" \|Angola: Journey to a War \|1961 \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|Episode of TV series 'NBC White Paper')
scope="row" \|J.T. \|1969 \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|Television film
scope="row" \|National Geographic Specials \|1972–1976 \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|Television documentary series (4 episodes)
scope="row" \|Amanda Fallon \|1973 \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|{{Partial\|Creator}} \|Unsold pilot
scope="row" \|Special Treat \|1978 \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|Television series (episode "Snowbound")
scope="row" \|We Are the Children \|1987 \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|Television film
scope="row" \|Solomon & Sheba \|1995 \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|Television film
scope="row" \|Slave of Dreams \|1995 \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|Television film
scope="row" \|Caught \|1996 \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|Television film
scope="row" \|Nothing Sacred \|1997–1998 \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|Television series (2 episodes)
scope="row" \|Battlestar Galactica \|2004–2009 \|{{yes}} \|{{no}} \|{{no}} \|Television series (5 episodes)
scope="row" \|Walkout \|2006 \|{{no}} \|{{yes\|Co-Executive}} \|{{no}} \|Television film

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"

!Title

!Year

!Director

!Producer

!Writer

!Notes

scope="row" |World Wide '60

|1960

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Television series (episode "The Living End")

scope="row" |Sit-In

|1960

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Episode of TV series 'NBC White Paper'

scope="row" |Angola: Journey to a War

|1961

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Episode of TV series 'NBC White Paper')

scope="row" |J.T.

|1969

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Television film

scope="row" |National Geographic Specials

|1972–1976

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Television documentary series (4 episodes)

scope="row" |Amanda Fallon

|1973

|{{no}}

|{{Partial|Creator}}

|Unsold pilot

scope="row" |Special Treat

|1978

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Television series (episode "Snowbound")

scope="row" |We Are the Children

|1987

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Television film

scope="row" |Solomon & Sheba

|1995

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Television film

scope="row" |Slave of Dreams

|1995

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Television film

scope="row" |Caught

|1996

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Television film

scope="row" |Nothing Sacred

|1997–1998

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Television series (2 episodes)

scope="row" |Battlestar Galactica

|2004–2009

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Television series (5 episodes)

scope="row" |Walkout

|2006

|{{no}}

|{{yes|Co-Executive}}

|{{no}}

|Television film

= Technical credits =

== Feature films ==

class="wikitable"

!Title

!Year

!Cinematographer

!Camera operator

Nothing But a Man

|1964

|{{yes}}

Namu, the Killer Whale

|1966

|{{yes}}

Alambrista!

|1977

|{{yes}}

The Plot Against Harry

|1989

|{{yes}}

American Me

|1992

|{{yes}}

Berkeley

|2005

|{{yes}}

== Documentaries and other ==

class="wikitable"

!Title

!Year

!Cinematographer

!Sound

!Editor

!Notes

Secrets of the Reef

|1956

|{{yes}}

Stalking Seal on the Spring Ice

|1967

|{{yes}}

|Short series in 2 films

Jigging for Lake Trout

|1967

|{{yes}}

Group Hunting on the Spring Ice

|1967

|{{yes}}

|Short series in 3 films

Fishing at the Stone Weir

|1967

|{{yes}}

|Short series in 2 films

Building a Kayak

|1967

|{{yes}}

|Short series in 2 films

At the Winter Sea Ice Camp

|1967

|{{yes}}

|Short series in 4 films

At the Spring Sea Ice Camp

|1967

|{{yes}}

|Short series in 3 films

At the Caribou Crossing Place

|1967

|{{yes}}

|Short series in 2 films

At the Autumn River Camp

|1967

|{{yes}}

|Short series (only part 2)

The Eskimo: Fight for Life

|1970

|{{yes}}

Deal

|1977

|{{yes}}

Out on a Limb: An Introduction to Jack Hodgins

|1981

|{{yes}}

|Short film

Imperfect Union: Canadian Labour and the Left, Part 2: Born of Hard Times

|1989

|{{yes}}

Children of Fate: Life and Death in a Sicilian Family

|1993

|{{yes}}

The Last Winter

|2002

|{{yes}}

|Short film

William Kurelek's The Maze

|2011

|{{yes}}

== Television ==

class="wikitable"

!Title

!Year

!Cinematographer

!Second unit director

!Notes

High Adventure with Lowell Thomas

|1957

|{{yes}}

|Television documentary series

National Geographic Specials

|1972–1976

|{{yes}}

|Television documentary series (4 episodes)

Special Treat

|1978

|{{yes}}

|Television series (episode "Snowbound")

Walkout

|2006

|{{yes}}

|Television film

References

External links

{{IMDb name|name=Robert M. Young}}
[http://www.fandango.com/robertm.young/filmography/p117695 "Robert M. Young Filmography"], Fandango
[http://www.cinequest.org/2000/guide/young.html A Tribute to Robert M. Young at Cinequest] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060421215106/http://www.cinequest.org/2000/guide/young.html |date=April 21, 2006 }}
[http://www.festival-cannes.fr/perso/index.php?langue=6002&personne=1994 Robert M. Young at the Cannes Festival]
{{discogs artist|Robert M. Young}}

Category:1924 births

Category:2024 deaths

Category:American cinematographers

Category:American male screenwriters

Category:American television directors

Category:Directors of Caméra d'Or winners

Category:Emmy Award winners

Category:Film directors from New York City

Category:Film producers from New York (state)

Category:George Polk Award recipients

Category:Harvard University alumni

Category:Military personnel from New York City