James Hill (American film producer)

American film producer (1916–2001)

James Hill

Born| August 1, 1916

Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.

Died| January 11, 2001 (aged 84)

Santa Monica, California, U.S.

Occupations|

* Film producer
* screenwriter

Spouse|

Rita Hayworth

(m. 1958; div. 1961)​

James Hill (August 1, 1916 – January 11, 2001) was an American film producer and screenwriter active from the late 1940s to the mid-1960s. He was born in Indianapolis, Indiana and came to Hollywood as a writer, working on films and televisions shows for Warner Brothers Pictures and Columbia Broadcasting System. He was eventually teamed with film producer Harold Hecht and actor Burt Lancaster when the pair produced His Majesty O'Keefe for their own film production company, Norma Productions. The movie was filmed in 1952 in the Fiji Islands, but only released in 1954.[1]

In 1953, Hecht and Lancaster formed the imprint Hecht-Lancaster Productions and began producing films for United Artists, hiring Hill as producer for Vera Cruz, The Kentuckian and Trapeze. In early 1956, before Trapeze was released, Lancaster and Hecht announced in a press conference that Hill had been made an equal partner in their film production company; Hecht-Lancaster Productions would be changing name to Hecht-Hill-Lancaster Productions at the start of the next fiscal year in January 1957. From 1954 to 1959, the Norma Productions subsidiaries Hecht-Lancaster Productions and later Hecht-Hill-Lancaster Productions, were the biggest and most important independent production units in Hollywood.[2][3][4]

Hill was the fifth and final husband of actress Rita Hayworth, married from 1958 to 1961.[5][6] The pair met when Hayworth was filming Hecht-Hill-Lancaster Productions' Separate Tables. Like Hayworth, he developed Alzheimer's disease. He died in Santa Monica, California in 2001.[7]

## Filmography

[edit]

Year  | Film  | Production company  | Distribution company  | Role  | Awards

|
|
|
|
|

1954  | His Majesty O'Keefe | Norma Productions | Warner Brothers Pictures | Screenwriter  |
1954  | Vera Cruz | Hecht-Lancaster Productions / Flora Productions  | United Artists | Producer  |
1955  | The Kentuckian | Hecht-Lancaster Productions / James Productions  | United Artists | Producer  | Nominated—Venice Film Festival Golden Lion

1956  | Trapeze | Hecht-Lancaster Productions / Joanna Productions / Susan Productions  | United Artists | Producer  |

Bambi Award for Best Actress – International
Berlin International Film Festival Silver Berlin Bear Award for Best Actor
Berlin International Film Festival Bronze Berlin Bear Award for Audience Poll
Nominated—Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures

1957  | The Bachelor Party | Hecht-Hill-Lancaster Productions / Norma Productions  | United Artists | Executive producer  |

National Board of Review Award for Top Ten Films
Nominated—Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Nominated—BAFTA Award for Best Film from any Source
Nominated—Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or

1957  | Sweet Smell of Success | Hecht-Hill-Lancaster Productions / Norma Productions / Curtleigh Productions  | United Artists | Executive producer  |

Bambi Award for Best Actor – International
National Film Preservation Board National Film Registry
Online Film & Television Association Award – Film Hall of Fame
Nominated—BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Actor
Nominated—Golden Laurel Award for Top Male Dramatic Performance
Nominated—Golden Laurel Award for Top Female Supporting Performance

1958  | Run Silent, Run Deep | Hecht-Hill-Lancaster Productions / Jeffrey Productions  | United Artists | Executive producer  | Nominated—Golden Laurel Award for Top Cinematography – Black and White

1958  | Separate Tables | Hecht-Hill-Lancaster Productions / Clifton Productions  | United Artists | Executive producer  |

Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role
Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
David di Donatello Award for Best Foreign Actress
Golden Laurel Award for Top Male Dramatic Performance
National Board of Review Award for Top Ten Films
New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor
Sant Jordi Award for Best Foreign Actor
Nominated—Academy Award for Best Picture
Nominated—Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
Nominated—Academy Award for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium
Nominated—Academy Award for Best Cinematography, Black-and-White
Nominated—Academy Award for Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture
Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama
Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama
Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Director
Nominated—Golden Laurel Award for Top Female Dramatic Performance
Nominated—Golden Laurel Award for Top Female Supporting Performance
Nominated—New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Film
Nominated—New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Screenplay
Nominated—Writers Guild of America Award for Best Written American Drama

1959  | The Rabbit Trap | Hecht-Hill-Lancaster Productions / Canon Productions / Anne Productions  | United Artists | Executive producer  | Locarno International Film Festival Award for Best Actor

1959  | Cry Tough | Hecht-Hill-Lancaster Productions / Canon Productions / Anne Productions  | United Artists | Executive producer  |
1959  | The Devil's Disciple | Hecht-Hill-Lancaster Films / Brynaprod | United Artists | Executive producer  | Nominated—BAFTA Award for Best British Actor

1959  | Summer of the Seventeenth Doll | Hecht-Hill-Lancaster Proprietary Limited  | United Artists | Executive producer  |
1959  | Take a Giant Step | Hecht-Hill-Lancaster Productions / Sheila Productions  | United Artists | Executive producer  |

Locarno International Film Festival Silver Sail Award
Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Film Promoting International Understanding
Nominated—BAFTA United Nations Award

1959  | Thunder in the Sun | Carrollton Productions  | Paramount Pictures | Story writer  |
1960  | The Unforgiven | Hecht-Hill-Lancaster Productions / James Productions  | United Artists | Executive producer  |
1961  | The Happy Thieves | Hillworth Productions  | United Artists | Executive producer  |

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "4 Time Loser Rita To Try Again: Barbara Eyes 7th". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Associated Press. November 12, 1957.
2. ^ "The Struggle for Survival", Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin, September 2, 1957, p23
3. ^ "What's With Hecht-Hill-Lancaster?", The Tuscaloosa News, September 24, 1959, p5
4. ^ "Burt Lancaster Termed Enigma", The Spokesman Review, May 27, 1961, p77
5. ^ "Rita Hayworth Becomes Mrs. Hill". Lodi News-Sentinel. Associated Press. February 3, 1958.
6. ^ "Rita Sheds No. 5 But No Tears". The Miami News. Associated Press. September 7, 1961. Archived from the original on February 20, 2020. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
7. ^ "Producer James Hill dies at 85". January 16, 2001.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to James Hill (producer).

* James Hill at IMDb

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* United States
* Italy
* Spain
* Netherlands

Other|

* IdRef

* v
* t
* e

Norma Productions

Presidents|

* Harold Hecht (Filmography)
* Burt Lancaster (Filmography)

Key people|

* Maxwell Arnow
* Loring Buzzell
* George Glass
* James Hill
* Joseph Hyams
* Harry Kleiner
* Gilbert Kurland
* Nat Perrin
* Walter Seltzer
* Lu Ann Simms

Films|

* Kiss the Blood Off My Hands (1948)
* The Flame and the Arrow (1950)
* Ten Tall Men (1951)
* The First Time (1952)
* The Crimson Pirate (1952)
* His Majesty O'Keefe (1954)
* Apache (1954)
* Vera Cruz (1954)
* Marty (1955)
* The Kentuckian (1955)
* Trapeze (1956)
* The Bachelor Party (1957)
* Sweet Smell of Success (Soundtrack) (1957)
* Run Silent, Run Deep (1958)
* Separate Tables (1958)
* The Rabbit Trap (1959)
* Cry Tough (1959)
* The Devil's Disciple (1959)
* Summer of the Seventeenth Doll (1959)
* Take a Giant Step (1959)
* The Unforgiven (1960)
* The Young Savages (1961)
* Birdman of Alcatraz (1962)

Subsidiaries|

* Alma Productions
* Calyork Music
* Calyork Records
* Clifton Productions
* Colby Music
* Contemporary Productions
* Flora Productions
* Halburt Productions
* Hecht & Buzzell Music
* Hecht-Hill-Lancaster Films
* Hecht-Hill-Lancaster Productions
* Hecht-Hill-Lancaster Productions (Australia)
* Hecht-Lancaster Organization
* Hecht-Lancaster Productions
* Hecht-Lancaster & Buzzell Music
* James Productions
* Joanna Productions
* Leigh Music
* Linden Productions
* Maine Records
* Sheila Productions
* Steven Productions
* Susan Productions
* William Enterprises

Affiliates|

* Anne Productions
* Bryna Productions
* Brynaprod
* Canon Productions
* Columbia Pictures
* Curtleigh Productions
* Jeffrey Productions
* Harold Hecht Productions
* Frank Ross Productions
* Norlan Productions
* United Artists
* United Productions of America
* Universal-International Pictures
* Universal Pictures
* Warner Brothers Pictures

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