Legendary Hollywood producer Roger Corman has been recognized for decades due to his work on hundreds of different films. Devastatingly, it’s been confirmed that Roger Corman has died at age 98.
As shared by Variety, “Corman died May 9 at his home in Santa Monica, Calif., surrounded by family members,” as shared by Corman’s family to the outlet. Additionally, they released a statement regarding Corman and what the late filmmaking legend hoped to be remembered for:
“His films were revolutionary and iconoclastic, and captured the spirit of an age. When asked how he would like to be remembered, he said, ‘I was a filmmaker, just that,’” his family’s statement declared.
While Corman’s career largely revolved around low-budget fare, he was responsible for a variety of Hollywood’s biggest actors, writers, and directors for getting their start in the industry. This includes actors Jack Nicholson, Robert De Niro, Peter Fonda, Bruce Dern, and William Shatner. Directors include Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese whose earliest works include directing Dementia 13 and Boxcar Bertha, respectively.
With Corman having been born on April 5, 1926, he’d been involved with the filmmaking industry for a very long time. His career really kicked off in the 1950’s, though he had many other successful eras in the time since. In 1970, he founded the production and distribution studio New World Pictures. He would later develop other labels, including New Horizons in 1984 and Concorde Pictures not long after.
In addition to producing, Corman was a director, having directed dozens of different movies. He once took a two decade hiatus from directing until 1990, when he helmed Frankenstein Unbound. The film remained his last directorial work until his death.
However, he remained an active producer, even into his 90’s. He continued to work with many different collaborators and studios, including the Syfy Channel. Many different franchises have continued to this day thanks to his success, including the Fast and the Furious franchise which required producer Neal H. Moritz to make a deal with Corman to use the title which was first used for the 1955 film The Fast and the Furious.
Obviously Corman made a massive impact on the entertainment industry throughout his lifetime. With decades of collaborators, influences, and overall great business decisions, Hollywood will certainly never be the same without him.