Alan Rudolph American director, screenwriter, producer, actor. Date of Birth: 18.12.1943 Country: USA

Biography of Alan Rudolph

Alan Rudolph, an American director, screenwriter, producer, and actor, was born on December 18, 1943, in Los Angeles, California. His father, Oscar Rudolph (1911-1991), was a little-known actor who appeared in several television series before directing low-budget films and TV programs.

During his studies in accounting at the University of Los Angeles, Rudolph began working on low-budget films. He became a protégé of Robert Altman and in 1973, he served as an assistant director on Altman's most famous projects, "The Long Goodbye" and "Nashville" (1975).

Although his first film as a director was "Premonition" in 1972, Rudolph decided to continue working for Altman's studio to gain the necessary experience. Eventually, with the help of his mentor's studio, Rudolph had the opportunity to direct his own film, "Welcome to L.A." (1977).

Like Altman, Rudolph learned to direct films with tiny budgets and enjoyed casting his favorite actors in unconventional roles. His films often featured eccentric, lonely characters and explored unusual relationships. Rudolph also had a penchant for strange, surrealist plots, where film scenes were not presented in chronological order.

In an attempt to direct a mainstream film, "Made in Heaven" (1987), Rudolph felt like a person from another planet. His films focused on the relationships and interactions of his characters, often incorporating elements of romance and fantasy. Rudolph wrote the screenplays for almost all of his directed films and frequently collaborated with actors such as Keith Carradine and Genevieve Bujold, as well as his favorite composer, Mark Isham.

Rudolph gained significant recognition with the film "Choose Me" (1984), which depicted the sexual relationships of attractive yet lonely characters, including a former prostitute turned bar owner (Leslie Ann Warren), an emotionally suppressed radio talk show host (Genevieve Bujold), and an disarmingly honest psychotic (Keith Carradine).

In 1985, he released "Trouble in Mind," featuring Carradine, Bujold, and Kris Kristofferson, whom Rudolph frequently collaborated with. Following the moderately traditional horror film "Mortal Thoughts" (1991) starring Demi Moore, Rudolph directed "Equinox" (1992), which starred Matthew Modine as twin brothers separated in childhood.

In 1994, Rudolph released "Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle" with Jennifer Jason Leigh in the lead role. His film adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's novel, "Breakfast of Champions" (1999), told the story of talented but underappreciated science-fiction writer Kilgore Trout, played by Albert Finney.