Roger Corman

by Bruce Eder film biography

A former engineering student, Roger Corman entered the picture business as a messenger and ended up a producer/director after a stint as a story analyst and a brief detour to Oxford University. After returning to Hollywood, he saw an opportunity to make money and gain experience by making low-budget films to feed the drive-in and neighborhood theater circuits, which had been abandoned in large part by the major studios. Working from budgets of as little as 50,000 dollars, he quickly learned the art of creating bargain-basement entertainment and making money at it, producing and directing pictures for American International Pictures and Allied Artists. Five Guns West, Apache Woman, The Day The World Ended, It Conquered The World, Not of This Earth, The Undead, Attack of the Crab Monsters, Teenage Doll, Machine Gun Kelly, The Wasp Woman, and Sorority Girl were only a few of the titles, and they were indicative of their subjects. These films were short (some as little as 62 minutes) and threadbare in production values. (Reportedly, distributor Samuel Z. Arkoff used to look at the film footage at the end of each day of shooting and call Corman, telling him, "Roger, for chrissake, hire a couple more extras and put a little more furniture on the set!") But his films were also extremely entertaining, and endeared Corman to at least two generations of young filmgoers.

During the early '60s, Corman became more ambitious, and made the serious school desegregation drama The Intruder. Adapted for the screen by his brother Gene Corman from Charles Beaumont's novel, it was the only one of his movies to lose money -- because few theaters would book it -- although it was one of the finest B-movies ever made. Corman also began working in color, most notably on a series of adaptations of Edgar Allen Poe stories starring Vincent Price that won the respect of younger critics and aspiring filmmakers alike. Corman also employed many young film students and writers during this period, including Francis Ford Coppola, Curtis Harrington, and author Robert Towne. His output decreased as his budgets went up, and Corman moved away from directing and into producing. In the 1970s, '80s and '90s, Corman was still producing exploitation films (such as Humanoids From the Deep), but his New World Pictures also distributed several important foreign movies, including Ingmar Bergman's Cries and Whispers and the groundbreaking Jamaican crime drama The Harder They Come.

filmography snapshot

1955

1960

1965

1970

1975

1980

1985

1990

Year	Title	Rating
1954	Highway Dragnet Producer
1954	The Fast and the Furious Producer, Screenwriter
1954	The Monster from the Ocean Floor Producer
1955	Apache Woman Producer, Director
1955	Five Guns West Producer, Director
1955	Swamp Women Director
1956	It Conquered the World Producer, Director
1956	The Day the World Ended Director, Producer
1956	The Gunslinger Producer, Director
1956	The Oklahoma Woman Producer, Director
1957	Attack of the Crab Monsters Producer, Director
1957	Carnival Rock Director, Producer
1957	Naked Paradise Producer, Director
1957	Not of This Earth Director, Producer
1957	Rock All Night Director, Producer
1957	Sorority Girl Director, Producer
1957	Teenage Doll Producer, Director
1957	The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent Producer, Director
1957	The Undead Director, Producer
1958	I, Mobster Director, Producer
1958	Machine Gun Kelly Producer, Director
1958	Night of the Blood Beast Producer
1958	She-Gods of Shark Reef Director
1958	Stakeout on Dope Street Producer
1958	Teenage Caveman Producer, Director
1958	The Brain Eaters Executive Producer
1958	War of the Satellites Director, Producer
1959	A Bucket of Blood Director, Producer
1959	Attack of the Giant Leeches Executive Producer
1959	High School Big Shot Producer
1959	T-Bird Gang Producer
1959	The Wasp Woman Producer, Director
1960	Atlas Producer, Director, Actor
1960	Battle of Blood Island Producer
1960	Little Shop of Horrors Director, Producer
1960	Ski Troop Attack Director, Actor, Producer
1960	The Fall of the House of Usher Producer, Director
1960	The Last Woman on Earth Producer, Director
1960	The Wild Ride Presented by
1961	Creature from the Haunted Sea Actor, Director, Producer
1961	Pit and the Pendulum Director, Producer
1961	The Intruder Director, Producer
1962	Tales of Terror Producer, Director
1962	The Premature Burial Director, Producer
1962	Tower of London Director
1963	Battle Beyond the Sun Producer
1963	Dementia 13 Producer
1963	The Haunted Palace Director, Producer
1963	The Raven Producer, Director
1963	The Terror Director, Screenwriter, Producer
1963	The Young Racers Producer, Director
1963	X: The Man with X-Ray Eyes Director, Producer
1964	The Masque of the Red Death Producer, Director
1964	The Secret Invasion Director
1964	The Tomb of Ligeia Producer, Director
1965	Beach Ball Producer
1965	Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet Executive Producer
1966	Planet of Blood Producer
1966	The Navy vs. the Night Monsters Producer
1966	The Wild Angels Director, Producer
1966	Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women Producer
1967	Devil's Angels Producer
1967	The St. Valentine's Day Massacre Director, Producer
1967	The Trip Producer, Director
1968	Targets Producer
1968	The Wild Racers Producer
1969	Target: Harry Producer, Director
1970	Beast of the Yellow Night Executive Producer
1970	Bloody Mama Producer, Director
1970	Gas-S-S-S! Director, Producer
1970	The Dunwich Horror Executive Producer
1970	The Student Nurses Executive Producer
1970	Von Richthofen and Brown Director
1971	Big Doll House Producer
1971	Private Duty Nurses Producer
1971	The Dirt Gang Producer
1971	Women in Cages Producer
1972	Boxcar Bertha Producer
1972	The Big Bird Cage Producer
1972	The Cremators Producer
1972	The Final Comedown Producer
1972	The Hot Box Executive Producer
1972	Twilight People Executive Producer
1972	Unholy Rollers Executive Producer
1973	I Escaped from Devil's Island Producer
1973	Tender Loving Care Producer
1973	The Student Teachers Producer
1973	The Young Nurses Producer
1974	Big Bad Mama Producer
1974	Caged Heat Producer
1974	Candy Stripe Nurses Producer
1974	Cockfighter Producer
1974	The Godfather Part II Actor
1975	Capone Producer
1975	Crazy Mama Producer
1975	Death Race 2000 Producer
1975	Grotesque Producer
1976	Cannonball Actor
1976	Eat My Dust! Producer
1976	Fighting Mad Producer
1976	Jackson County Jail Producer, Executive Producer
1976	Lumière Producer
1976	Moving Violation Producer
1976	Small Change Producer
1976	Too Hot to Handle Producer
1977	Grand Theft Auto Producer
1977	I Never Promised You a Rose Garden Producer
1977	The Godfather Saga Actor
1977	Thunder and Lightning Producer
1978	Avalanche Producer
1978	Death Sport Producer
1978	Outside Chance Executive Producer
1978	Piranha Executive Producer
1978	Roger Corman: Hollywood's Wild Angel Actor
1979	Fast Charlie... the Moonbeam Rider Producer
1979	Rock 'n' Roll High School Executive Producer
1979	Saint Jack Producer
1979	The Lady in Red Producer
1979	Up from the Depths Executive Producer
1980	Battle Beyond the Stars Producer, Executive Producer
1980	Humanoids from the Deep Producer
1981	Galaxy of Terror Producer
1981	Smokey Bites the Dust Producer
1981	The Howling Actor
1981	The Territory Producer
1982	Der Stand der Dinge Actor
1982	Forbidden World Producer
1983	Hell's Angels Forever Producer
1983	Love Letters Producer
1983	Space Raiders Producer
1983	Suburbia Producer
1984	Oddballs Executive Producer
1984	Swing Shift Actor
1984	The Warrior and the Sorceress Producer
1985	Moving Violations Producer
1985	Streetwalkin' Producer
1986	Amazons Associate Producer
1986	Cocaine Wars Producer
1986	Hour of the Assassin Executive Producer
1986	Sorority House Massacre Producer
1986	Summer Camp Nightmare Executive Producer
1987	Big Bad Mama 2 Producer
1987	Daddy's Boys Producer
1987	Munchies Producer
1987	Stripped to Kill Producer, Executive Producer
1987	Sweet Revenge Producer, Executive Producer
1988	Crime Zone Executive Producer
1988	The Drifter Producer, Executive Producer
1988	The Lawless Land Producer
1988	The New Gladiators Executive Producer
1988	The Terror Within Co-producer
1988	Time Trackers Producer
1988	Two to Tango Co-producer
1988	Watchers Executive Producer
1989	Andy Colby's Incredibly Awesome Adventure Executive Producer
1989	Bloodfist Producer
1989	Heroes Stand Alone Executive Producer
1989	Hollywood Boulevard, Part 2 Actor, Producer
1989	Lords of the Deep Producer, Actor
1989	Primary Target Executive Producer
1989	Silk 2 Executive Producer
1989	Stripped to Kill II Producer
1989	The Masque of the Red Death Producer
1989	Transylvania Twist Producer
1990	A Cry in the Wild Producer
1990	Back to Back Producer
1990	Bloodfist II Producer
1990	Frankenstein Unbound Producer, Screenwriter, Director
1990	Overexposed Producer
1990	Streets Producer
1990	The Haunting of Morella Producer
1990	The Terror Within 2 Executive Producer
1990	Watchers II Producer
1991	Besos En la Oscuridad Producer
1991	Bloodfist III: Forced to Fight Producer
1991	Body Chemistry 2: Voice of a Stranger Producer
1991	Body Waves Producer, Actor
1991	Dune Warriors Producer
1991	Eye of the Eagle 3 Producer
1991	Futurekick Producer
1991	In the Heat of Passion Producer
1991	Play Murder for Me Producer
1991	Rock 'n' Roll High School Forever Producer
1992	Angel Fist Producer
1992	Beyond the Call of Duty Producer
1992	Blackbelt Executive Producer
1992	Blackbelt 2: Fatal Force Executive Producer
1992	Bloodfist IV: Die Trying Producer
1992	Field of Fire Producer
1992	Homicidal Impulse Producer
1992	Munchie Producer
1992	Raiders of the Sun Producer
1992	The Assassination Game Executive Producer
1992	Ultraviolet Executive Producer
1993	Bloodfist V: Human Target Executive Producer
1993	Body Bags Actor
1993	Carnosaur Executive Producer
1993	Dracula Rising Producer
1993	Dragonfire Executive Producer
1993	Fire on the Amazon Executive Producer
1993	Grey Knight Executive Producer
1993	Home for Christmas Executive Producer
1993	Kill Zone Producer
1993	Live by the Fist Producer
1993	One Man Army Producer
1993	Philadelphia Actor
1994	Angel of Destruction Executive Producer
1994	Cheyenne Warrior Producer
1994	Fantastic Four Executive Producer
1994	No Dessert Dad, 'til You Mow the Lawn Executive Producer
1994	Reflections on a Crime Producer
1994	Revenge of the Red Baron Producer
1994	Runaway Daughters Actor
1994	Saturday Night Special Executive Producer
1994	Stranglehold Executive Producer
1994	The Spy Within Executive Producer
1995	Apollo 13 Actor
1995	Black Rose of Harlem Executive Producer
1995	Bram Stoker's Burial of the Rats Producer
1995	Droid Gunner Executive Producer
1995	First Works: A Revealing Look at Today's Greatest Directors, Vol. 1 Interviewee
1995	Midnight Tease II Executive Producer
1995	One Night Stand Executive Producer
1995	Terminal Virus Executive Producer
1995	The Crazysitter Executive Producer
1996	Circuit Breaker Executive Producer
1997	Humanoids From the Deep Executive Producer
1998	Black Thunder Executive Producer
1998	Some Nudity Required Participant
1999	Henry James' The Ghostly Rental Producer
2000	Doorway Executive Producer
2000	Nightfall Producer
2000	Scream 3 Actor
2000	The Game of Death Producer
2001	A Galaxy Far, Far Away Actor
2001	Schlock! The Secret History of American Movies Interviewee
2003	A Decade Under the Influence Participant
2003	Barbarian Executive Producer
2003	Easy Riders, Raging Bulls Interviewee
2003	Rage and Discipline Executive Producer
2004	DinoCroc Executive Producer
2004	Edgar G. Ulmer: The Man Off-Screen Participant
2005	Bloodfist 2050 Executive Producer
2006	Hunt For Eagle One: Crash Point Producer
2007	Searchers 2.0 Actor, Executive Producer
2007	Spine Tingler!: The William Castle Story Participant
2007	Val Lewton: The Man in the Shadows Participant
2008	Comic Books Unbound Interviewee
2008	Cyclops Producer
2008	Death Race Executive Producer
2008	Rachel Getting Married Actor
2009	Nightmares in Red, White and Blue Participant
2010	Dinocroc vs. Supergator Executive Producer
2010	Dinoshark Actor
2010	Machete Maidens Unleashed! Participant
2010	Sharktopus Producer
2011	Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel Participant
2011	Trailers from Hell!, Vol. 2 Participant

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photos (3)

David Livingston/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images
Mark Mainz/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Movie Genres

Active

1954 - 2011

Born

04/05/1926 in Detroit, MI

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