Bill Kerby
Encyclopedia
Bill Kerby was a screenwriter for several Hollywood films and television series, most commonly known for writing or co-writing the 1970s films Hooper
and The Rose
.
in 1962 and an M.F.A. from UCLA; where he was a Louis B. Mayer grant winner and teaching assistant, graduating in 1969.
He served in the United States Marine Corps
, 1955-58, and was an actor and Welfare Investigator in New York City
in the early 1960s. He also taught at Sherwood Oaks School, in Los Angeles
, in the 1970s, and the Summer writers' workshop at the National Film and Television School of England from 1985 to 1990.
He has also written for several television series, including:
He is currently working on an adaptation of The Rose for a stage musical.
Hooper (film)
Hooper is a 1978 action-comedy motion picture starring Burt Reynolds, based loosely on the experiences of director Hal Needham, a one-time stuntman in his own right...
and The Rose
The Rose (film)
The Rose is a 1979 American musical drama film which tells the story of a self-destructive 1960s rock star who struggles to cope with the constant pressures of her career and the demands of her ruthless business manager...
.
Education and early career
Kerby received a B.A. from Kent State UniversityKent State University
Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...
in 1962 and an M.F.A. from UCLA; where he was a Louis B. Mayer grant winner and teaching assistant, graduating in 1969.
He served in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
, 1955-58, and was an actor and Welfare Investigator in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in the early 1960s. He also taught at Sherwood Oaks School, in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, in the 1970s, and the Summer writers' workshop at the National Film and Television School of England from 1985 to 1990.
Writing career
Kerby's list of credits as a writer for films include:- Last American Hero, starring Jeff Bridges and Valerie Perrine, 20th Cent. Fox, 1973, uncredited.
- The Gravy TrainThe Gravy TrainThe Gravy Train also known as The Dion Brothers is a 1974 film directed by Jack Starrett with a screenplay by Terrence Malick and Bill Kerby. It stars Stacy Keach and Frederic Forrest.-Cast:*Stacy Keach as Calvin*Frederic Forrest as Rut...
, starring Stacy Keach, Frederic Forrest, and Margot Kidder, Columbia, 1974, co-written. - HooperHooper (film)Hooper is a 1978 action-comedy motion picture starring Burt Reynolds, based loosely on the experiences of director Hal Needham, a one-time stuntman in his own right...
, starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Brian Keith, and Jan Michael Vincent, Warner Bros., 1977, co-screenplay. - FirepowerFirepower (film)Firepower is a 1979 British action film directed by Michael Winner and starring Sophia Loren, James Coburn, O.J. Simpson and Eli Wallach. It was the final film in the career of actor Victor Mature.-Synopsis:...
, starring James Coburn. Sophia LorenSophia LorenSophia Loren, OMRI is an Italian actress.In 1962, Loren won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Two Women, along with 21 awards, becoming the first actress to win an Academy Award for a non-English-speaking performance...
, Eli WallachEli WallachEli Herschel Wallach is an American film, television and stage actor, who gained fame in the late 1950s. For his performance in Baby Doll he won a BAFTA Award for Best Newcomer and a Golden Globe nomination. One of his most famous roles is that of Tuco in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly...
, and O.J. Simpson, ITC, story by. - The RoseThe Rose (film)The Rose is a 1979 American musical drama film which tells the story of a self-destructive 1960s rock star who struggles to cope with the constant pressures of her career and the demands of her ruthless business manager...
, starring Bette MidlerBette MidlerBette Midler is an American singer, actress, and comedian, also known by her informal stage name, The Divine Miss M. She became famous as a cabaret and concert headliner, and went on to star in successful and acclaimed films such as The Rose, Ruthless People, Beaches, and For The Boys...
, Alan Bates, and Frederic Forrest, Columbia, 1978, Academy Award nominations for Midler, Forrest, Best Music, Best Sound, Co-screenplay, sole story by. - Dead Men Can't Dance, starring Michael Biehn, Kathleen York, Adrian Paul, and R. Lee Ermey, Live Entertainment, 1997, co-screenplay.
He has also written for several television series, including:
- Alfred Hitchcock PresentsAlfred Hitchcock PresentsAlfred Hitchcock Presents is an American television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock. The series featured dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. By the premiere of the show on October 2, 1955, Hitchcock had been directing films for over three decades...
, 2 episodes, produced by Walter Mirsch, teleplay, Method Actor, starring Martin Sheen, directed by Burt Reynolds. - Steel Cowboy, movie-of-the-week, CBS, produced by Roger GimbelRoger GimbelRoger Gimbel was an American television producer who specialized in television movies. Many of Gimbel's television films dealt with real-life events, including Chernobyl: The Final Warning, S.O.S. Titanic, The Amazing Howard Hughes and The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman...
for Tomorrow Entertainment, starring James Brolin, Jennifer Warren, Rip Torn, and Melanie Griffith, 1976. - Dada is Death, CBS mini-series, Produced by Steve Krantz, directed by Jerry London, starring Julie Christie, Hugo Weaving, and Sarah Jessica Parker, 1989, best teleplay nomination from Australian Film Institute, written-by.
- Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded KneeLakota Woman: Siege at Wounded KneeLakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee is a 1994 TNT original movie starring Irene Bedard, Tantoo Cardinal, Pato Hoffmann, Joseph Runningfox, Lawrence Bayne, and Michael Horse and August Schellenberg....
, for Turner Network Television and Fonda Films, directed by Frank Pierson, starring Irene Bedard, Joe Running Fox, Pato Hoffman, Tanto Cardinal, and August Schnelenberg, 1994, winner American Indian Film Festival, winner First Americans in the Arts, winner best TV film and screenplay by the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, nominee Humanitas Award for best teleplay. - Shake Rattle and Roll, CBS mini-series, part 2, co-teleplay.
- Little Richard, NBC movie, starring Leon, directed by Robert Townsend, 2000, co-written.
- On the BeachOn the Beach (2000 film)On the Beach is an apocalyptic television movie released in 2000, airing originally on Showtime. It is a remake of the 1959 film, and is based on the 1957 novel by Nevil Shute. It starred Armand Assante, Bryan Brown, and Rachel Ward...
, Showtime, starring Armand Assante, Rachel Ward, and Blair Brown, directed by Russell Mulcahy. 2000, co-teleplay, mini-series nominated for Golden Globe, 2001.
He is currently working on an adaptation of The Rose for a stage musical.