Motion Picture Director, Producer, Screenwriter. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he was a graduate of West Philadelphia High School, and attended Temple University before dropping out in his second year. He was a filmmaker who was not afraid to tackle sensitive subjects, becoming a leader in many Hollywood films by pushing the edge of controversial topics that Hollywood would film. He began his screenwriting career with a few of Maria Montez B-films, "White Savage" (1943) and "Cobra Woman" (1944), but moved up to more difficult films with "Brute Force" (1947) and "Key Largo" (1948). With the help of actor Cary Grant, he became a director in the medical thriller "Crisis" (1951), but his later films were mixed successes at the box office until his film "Blackboard Jungle" (1955) took on the country with a hard look at juvenile delinquency. Later films, such as "Something of Value" (1957), "The Brothers Karamazov" (1958), "Cat On a Hot Tin Roof" (1958), "Elmer Gantry" (1960), "Lord Jim" (1965) and "In Cold Blood" (1967), all had an adult drama, with a thought provoking moral or issue to be later discussed by critics, audience and media watchers. His later work toned down the issues, but still made money for the studios, including such films as "Bite the Bullet" (1975) and "Looking for Mr. Goodbar" (1977). He received Oscar nominations for writing "Blackboard Jungle" (1955) and for directing "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" (1958), "In Cold Blood" (1967), and for "The Professionals" (1966). He died in Beverly Hills, California, of congestive heart failure.
Motion Picture Director, Producer, Screenwriter. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he was a graduate of West Philadelphia High School, and attended Temple University before dropping out in his second year. He was a filmmaker who was not afraid to tackle sensitive subjects, becoming a leader in many Hollywood films by pushing the edge of controversial topics that Hollywood would film. He began his screenwriting career with a few of Maria Montez B-films, "White Savage" (1943) and "Cobra Woman" (1944), but moved up to more difficult films with "Brute Force" (1947) and "Key Largo" (1948). With the help of actor Cary Grant, he became a director in the medical thriller "Crisis" (1951), but his later films were mixed successes at the box office until his film "Blackboard Jungle" (1955) took on the country with a hard look at juvenile delinquency. Later films, such as "Something of Value" (1957), "The Brothers Karamazov" (1958), "Cat On a Hot Tin Roof" (1958), "Elmer Gantry" (1960), "Lord Jim" (1965) and "In Cold Blood" (1967), all had an adult drama, with a thought provoking moral or issue to be later discussed by critics, audience and media watchers. His later work toned down the issues, but still made money for the studios, including such films as "Bite the Bullet" (1975) and "Looking for Mr. Goodbar" (1977). He received Oscar nominations for writing "Blackboard Jungle" (1955) and for directing "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" (1958), "In Cold Blood" (1967), and for "The Professionals" (1966). He died in Beverly Hills, California, of congestive heart failure.
Bio by: Kit and Morgan Benson
Inscription
Richard Brooks
"First Comes The Word"
1912 - 1992
Family Members
Advertisement
