Colin Higgins was one of Hollywood's most beloved
directors & screenwriters. He is responsible for one of the most influential films
of my youth- Harold & Maude.
Born in the South Pacific island of New Caledonia to an
Australian mother & American father, Higgins moved with his family to
Redwood, CA from Sydney in the 1950s. After attending Stanford University for a
year, he dropped out to hitchhike across the country. His travels took him
first to the Actors Studio in NYC & then to Europe where he volunteered for
the Army as a sports reporter for The
Stars & Stripes. He eventually returned to Stanford to receive his
degree in English & later attended film school at UCLA. During his final year,
he wrote the screenplay for Harold &
Maude.
While today it is considered to be one of the greatest of
Hollywood films, Harold & Maude was a huge flop when it opened during the
Christmas season of 1971 with little fanfare or advertising. The unusual romance
between a young man & a much older woman, starring Bud Cort & my muse-
Ruth Gordon, struck a chord with audiences & soon became a cult favorite
around the world. His stage version ran for just 9 performances on Broadway,
but ran in Paris for 7 years.
Following the success of Harold & Maude, Higgins went on to write & direct some of
the most successful films of the 1970s &1980s: Silver
Streak, Foul Play, 9 to 5, & The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas.
In 1986, Higgins established a foundation in his name. The
Colin Higgins Courage Awards recognizes ordinary but remarkable individuals who
have endured overwhelming hostility & hate, yet have handled themselves
with the utmost grace as they educate & enlighten others about the LGBT
experience. Each winner receives $10,000 as part of the prize.
In addition to the Courage Awards, the Foundation also funds film
scholarships & has supported over 390 LGBT groups, ranging from the Gay,
Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) to gay, lesbian, bisexual
& transgender outreach & AIDS prevention programs in places like as
Fayetteville, Arkansas & Biloxi, Mississippi.
In 1986, he also completed a mini-series based on Shirley
MacLaine's book Out on a Limb, which
turned out to be his last film project. Higgins died of AIDS in 1988.
Strange as it may seem given my age, I never saw Harold and Maude although I have heard OF it continuously from the time of its release. I'll have to get it on my Netflix queue.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post!
ReplyDeletewww.magshop.us
My first viewing of H&M was in 1981 in Paris. That is a good memory. I've seen it a few times since and enjoy it every time. Even more so since having lived in San Francisco. :)
ReplyDeleteI love Harold & Maude. I didn't know of the movie till early 80's when a friend of mine invited me over to show me his vast collection of laser discs. We watched the movie and I liked it but then I rented it on VHS to watch again by myself and was hooked. I love it when she throws the ring in the water.
ReplyDelete