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Trachtenberg is the winner of the Emmy Award for Outstanding Direction for his American Masters film, Mel Brooks: Make a Noise. His most recent film for PBS was the Emmy nominated Bing Crosby: Rediscovered.
- Q: What Made You Interested in Doing A Film on Gene Kelly?
- Q: How Did The Original Photo Shoot Go?
- Q: Did You “Talk Shop” with him?
- Q: and?
- Q: What Were Some of The Things That Surprised You as You Began The Film?
- Q: What Proved Difficult While Making The Film?
- Q: Why Wasn’T Stanley Donen Interviewed For The Film?
- Q: So What Do You Think Kelly’s Appeal was?
- Q: How Does The Dance Community Think of him?
- Q: How Is This Film Different from Other Profiles of Kelly?
A: My other career is as a photographer, and I pitched a Gene Kelly story to the NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE in 1994. It was a fashion story — an homage to Kelly’s style, which is so iconic and American. We cast a model to play Gene and had backdrops and sets built that replicated some of his most famous movies. The Times suggested we interview Gene. H...
A: It went off without a hitch. We shot at his house. It was two years before his death and he was a little frail — he was having hip and back problems and I remember him telling me that the ligaments in his legs were shot from all those years of dancing. We got along pretty well — old and ill he was still very cool. Since that was the time “That’s...
A: I tried to be cool, but since I was also recreating some of his classic images for the NEW YORK TIMES, it was a great excuse to ask about specific scenes and how they were done.
A: Well, he told me he bought the roller skates for the “I Like Myself” number from “IT’S ALWAYS FAIR WEATHER” down the block from his house at Pioneer Hardware on Beverly Drive. He also mentioned that the skates were not altered in any way — they weren’t locked to his shoes, so when he tapped in them, he had no help.
A: Well, frankly, everyone I contacted telling me how difficult he could be professionally. But I really got to the root of that when I spoke to Nina Foch, who co-starred in “AN AMERICAN IN PARIS.” She was saying what a pain he was and I said, “Are you telling me he was difficult because he wanted his dressing room painted a certain shade of blue, ...
A: The simple fact that his career went into such a slide after “SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN” he really didn’t have a bona-fide commercial or critical hit after that. So we had forty years of disappointments and let downs to deal with. Some of the films were noble failures — particularly INVITATION TO THE DANCE. I don’t think it’s something that holds up a...
A: Essentially he relayed a message saying he had nothing nice to say, so he’d rather not say anything at all. It’s sad that the relationship is still so toxic for him after all of these years. We use an archival interview with him so that he does have a voice in the film.
A: You know right before I started the film, this very young woman was in my office repairing my computer and my assistant turned to her and said, “What happens when I say Gene Kelly to you?” and she instantly said, “I smile.” The guy was a movie star in the classic sense of the word — he had that X quality that you cannot define. But he actually h...
A: It depends on who you’re talking to and how well versed they are in stage dance as well as film dance. He replaced the original choreography in many of his films — he replaced Balanchine’s work in SLAUGHTER ON TENTH AVENUE and Agnes de Mille’s in BRIGADOON. But in Balanchine’s case, the censor’s would have never let the original scenario onto th...
A: First of all, we acknowledge the failures as well as the successes. Additionally, we discuss his professional “marriage” to Stanley Donen in more depth than anyone has previously done. And the personal life — the competitive nature he brought to weekends at home, his politics and the blacklist period are also delved into. I suppose with the pass...
Robert Trachtenberg is known for American Masters (1985), Elvis Mitchell: Under the Influence (2008) and Role Model: Gene Wilder (2008).
- Director, Producer, Writer
- Robert Trachtenberg
Oct 12, 2016 · Robert Trachtenberg’s celebrity portraits challenge stereotypes of masculinity. “There is nothing sexier than having a sense of humor about yourself.” By Debbie Grossman | Published Oct 12, 2016 7:00 PM EDT. Inspiration. Photographer Robert Trachtenberg, who grew up in Hollywood, remembers standing in line to buy milk next to Cary Grant.
- Debbie Grossman
Trachtenberg has written, produced, and directed several documentaries on such legendary entertainers as Gene Kelly, Cary Grant, and Bing Crosby. He is the winner of the Emmy Award for Outstanding Direction for his film Mel Brooks: Make a Noise.
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12K Followers, 130 Following, 1,738 Posts - Robert Trachtenberg (@RobertTrachtenberg) on Instagram: "Director/Photographer".
Oct 29, 2005 · We hear readings from When I Knew, Robert Trachtenberg's colorful collection of vignettes from gay men and women about coming to terms with their sexuality.
