William Tannen (director)
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William Tannen (born August 31, 1942 in New York City) is an American film producer and director. He graduated Boston University and returned to his hometown of New York City to pursue a career in advertising. He worked for D'Arcy, BBD&O and Young & Rubicam Advertising Agencies. He started Sunday Productions in order to produce and direct television commercials. He directed his first film, the short subject Eulogy for R.F.K., which opened at the New York Film Festival with The Battle of Algiers. Besides working in Los Angeles and New York, Tannen has directed films in Africa, Czech Republic, Europe, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Mexico, and South America. In 2004, he moved to Portland, Oregon.
Career timeline
In 1972, Tannen moved to Los Angeles and quickly became one of the most successful bi-coastal directors, winning five Clios (the industry’s highest honor) for clients such as Diet Coke, Ford, Air France, McDonald's, and Pepsi Cola. By 1987, Tannen had directed hundreds of commercials, shooting in the U.S., Europe, South America, and Australia.
In 1980, he began an association with director Robert Altman that led to the development of a project for Glenda Jackson entitled Grace. Tannen also wrote and directed for Altman a 30-minute comedy that was televised on NBC, Go to Health, starring Glenda Jackson, James Garner, Lauren Bacall, Carol Burnett, Paul Dooleym and Dick Cavett.
In 1984, Tannen made his feature directorial debut with the political thriller Flashpoint for Tri-Star Pictures. It featured Kris Kristofferson, Treat Williams, Rip Torn, Jean Smart, and Tess Harper.[1][2] Two years later Tannen co-directed Deadly Illusion starring Billy Dee Williams for RCA/Columbia and CineTel Films. Hero and the Terror starring Chuck Norris for Cannon Films was next.
Tannen then wrote his first produced screenplay, Cover Up for Dolph Lundgren and Louis Gossett. Capital Films of London produced the film. He then directed Michael Madsen in the film noir thriller Inside Edge in Mexico, produced by Life Entertainment.
The first music video Tannen directed, "Nightshift" by The Commodores (1985), received a Grammy Award. He has since worked with The Temptations, Lou Christie, Martha and the Vandellas, the Four Tops, The Turtles, Tangerine Dream on their music videos and commercials.
In 1993, Tannen directed his first family film, The Goodbye Bird, for Showtime. The movie starred Cindy Pickett, Wayne Rogers, Concetta Tomeim and Chris Pettiet. The film received several awards, including Best Picture, at the Giffoni Family Film Festival in Italy.
The following year Tannen directed the family film Windrunner for the Disney Channel. It starred Russell Means, Jason Wiles, Margot Kidder, and Bruce Weitz.
In 1995, Tannen produced the motion picture Money Plays for Showtime. Written and directed by Pulitzer Prize winner Frank D. Gilroy, it starred Roy Scheider and Sonia Braga. The following year, Tannen went to South Africa for six months and directed numerous episodes of the television series Tarzan.
In 1997, Tannen directed and produced a television special for the USA Network starring Charlie Rose. The show featured Sir Anthony Hopkins, Whoopi Goldberg, and the then heavyweight world champion Evander Holyfield. The next year Tannen went to Prague, Czech Republic to direct the period piece motion picture, Love Lies Bleeding for Village Road Show Pictures. The film stars Paul Rhys, Faye Dunaway, and Malcolm McDowell and Wayne Rogers
Returning to Los Angeles, Tannen produced and co-directed Nobody Knows Anything, a comedy starring Michael Lerner, Alana Ubach, Richard Kind, Fred Willard, Robert Englund, Mike Myers, Ben Stiller, Wayne Rogers, Kristen Johnston, and Janeane Garofalo.
In January 2001, Tannen went to Auckland, New Zealand to direct the film Ozzie for VIF-Germany and Daybreak-New Zealand. The film is a screwball comedy starring Spencer Breslin, Joan Collins, Ralf Moeller, and Rachel Hunter.
The Cutter produced by Nu Image Films in the fall of 2004 was next. This thriller stars Chuck Norris, Joanna Pacula, Daniel Bernhardt, Bernie Koppel, and Curt Lowens.[3]
In 2006, Tannen flew to Toronto, Canada and directed his first television movie for the Lifetime Network, Night of Terror. This thriller stars Mitzi Kapture, Nick Mancuso, and Rick Roberts.
In January 2013, Tannen taught for the first time an advanced directing workshop for a Master's Class and Bachelor of Fine Arts class at the EICAR International Film School in Paris, his third year at EICAR. He has since been invited back several times.
Sources
- ↑ Boston Globe
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