Peter Bogdanovich, considered one of the most influential filmmakers of the 1970s and the man behind classics such as “The Last Picture Show” and “Paper Moon,” died on Jan. 6 in Los Angeles at age 82. His daughter, Antonia, told The Hollywood Reporter her father died shortly after midnight of natural causes at his home.
Bogdanovich scored Oscar nominations for best director and best adapted screenplay for his seminal 1971 film “The Last Picture Show,” the cast of which included Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd, Timothy Bottoms, Cloris Leachman, Eileen Brennan and Ben Johnson. It was only his second feature-length film, but the black-and-white classic earned eight Oscar nods and instantly made Bogdanovich a Hollywood luminary, earning him comparisons to Orson Welles. In fact, Wells was a houseguest in Bogdanovich’s Beverly Hills home for two years during the 1970s.
In 1972, Bogdanovich paired Barbra Streisand and Ryan O’Neal in the romantic comedy “What’s Up, Doc?” The following year, he re-teamed with O’Neal for another black-and-white film, “Paper Moon.” The film earned O’Neal’s 10-year-old daughter, Tatum, a supporting-actress Oscar.
After some films that had lackluster performances at the box office, Bogdanovich had a minor rebound with the film “They All Laughed” in 1981, a film that featured a Playboy Playmate named Dorothy Stratten.
His later credits included the Cher film “Mask” in 1985 and “Texasville” in 1990, billed as a sequel to “The Last Picture Show.” Mostrecently, he helmed the Owen Wilson comedy “She’s Funny That Way.”
Bogdanovich staged a comeback with a recurring acting role in “The Sopranos,” playing an analyst to the psychiatrist who treated lead character Tony Soprano.
Bogdanovich is survived by daughters Antonia and Sashy, and three grandchildren.
City News Service
