Hollis Alpert
Encyclopedia
Hollis Alpert was an American
film critic and author
. Alpert was best known as the cofounder of the National Society of Film Critics
, which he started in his New York City
apartment
.
He joined the U.S. Army during World War II where he worked as a combat historian
. He often wrote historical accounts of major World War II battles. He also wrote pieces on the war which appeared in American magazines.
editor
for the New York Times from 1950 to 1956 following his departure from the Army. He simultaneously worked for a number of other publications at the same time as a freelance film
and book
reviewer. His freelance work led to his position as a film critic for the Saturday Review. He stayed at the Saturday Review as a reviewer until 1975. Alpert then worked for the American Film Magazine as an editor for the next six years. In 1966 he was a member of the jury at the 16th Berlin International Film Festival
.
was founded in Hollis Alpert's New York City living room in 1966 by a group of film critics who had been denied membership into the New York Film Critics Circle, a group favored critics who worked in mainstream newspapers and publications. Alpert was working for the Saturday Review at the time. The New Yorker
film critic, Pauline Kael
, was also instrumental in the founding of the society, along with Alpert.
The National Society of Film Critics referred to itself as a "national" group, despite the fact that all of its founding members were from New York, because most of its members wrote for publications with a readers nationwide. Many joined Alpert's new group in order to counteract the influence of then New York Times film critic, Bosley Crowther
. There are now over 60 members of the society who write for weekly and daily newspapers, as of 2007.
According to another founding member, Joe Morgenstern
, Alpert "was widely seen as a serious, knowledgeable, dedicated film critic. The Saturday Review . . . was a considerable presence on the scene then when movie reviews mattered and were taken seriously as an intellectual matter."
in Naples, Florida
, on November 18, 2007. He was 91 years old.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film critic and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
. Alpert was best known as the cofounder of the National Society of Film Critics
National Society of Film Critics
The National Society of Film Critics is an American film critic organization. As of December 2007 the NSFC had approximately 60 members who wrote for a variety of weekly and daily newspapers.-History:...
, which he started in his 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...
apartment
Apartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
.
Early life
Hollis Alpert was born in Herkimer, New York on September 24, 1916 to Abram and Myra Alpert. Alpert's father, Abram, left the family when he was still very young. His mother, Myra, ran a bra and girdle factory.He joined the U.S. Army during World War II where he worked as a combat historian
Military history
Military history is a humanities discipline within the scope of general historical recording of armed conflict in the history of humanity, and its impact on the societies, their cultures, economies and changing intra and international relationships....
. He often wrote historical accounts of major World War II battles. He also wrote pieces on the war which appeared in American magazines.
Career
Alpert took a job as an assistant fictionFiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
for the New York Times from 1950 to 1956 following his departure from the Army. He simultaneously worked for a number of other publications at the same time as a freelance film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and book
Book
A book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of hot lava, paper, parchment, or other materials, usually fastened together to hinge at one side. A single sheet within a book is called a leaf or leaflet, and each side of a leaf is called a page...
reviewer. His freelance work led to his position as a film critic for the Saturday Review. He stayed at the Saturday Review as a reviewer until 1975. Alpert then worked for the American Film Magazine as an editor for the next six years. In 1966 he was a member of the jury at the 16th Berlin International Film Festival
16th Berlin International Film Festival
The 16th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from June 24 to July 5, 1966.-Jury:* Pierre Braunberger * Franz Seitz* Emilio Villalba Welsh* Khwaja Ahmad Abbas* Pier Paolo Pasolini* Lars Forssell* Hollis Alpert...
.
National Society of Film Critics
The National Society of Film CriticsNational Society of Film Critics
The National Society of Film Critics is an American film critic organization. As of December 2007 the NSFC had approximately 60 members who wrote for a variety of weekly and daily newspapers.-History:...
was founded in Hollis Alpert's New York City living room in 1966 by a group of film critics who had been denied membership into the New York Film Critics Circle, a group favored critics who worked in mainstream newspapers and publications. Alpert was working for the Saturday Review at the time. The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
film critic, Pauline Kael
Pauline Kael
Pauline Kael was an American film critic who wrote for The New Yorker magazine from 1968 to 1991. Earlier in her career, her work appeared in City Lights, McCall's and The New Republic....
, was also instrumental in the founding of the society, along with Alpert.
The National Society of Film Critics referred to itself as a "national" group, despite the fact that all of its founding members were from New York, because most of its members wrote for publications with a readers nationwide. Many joined Alpert's new group in order to counteract the influence of then New York Times film critic, Bosley Crowther
Bosley Crowther
Bosley Crowther was a journalist and author who was film critic for The New York Times for 27 years. His reviews and articles helped shape the careers of actors, directors and screenwriters, though his reviews, at times, were unnecessarily mean...
. There are now over 60 members of the society who write for weekly and daily newspapers, as of 2007.
According to another founding member, Joe Morgenstern
Joe Morgenstern
Joe Morgenstern is a Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic for The Wall Street Journal.-Career:Morgenstern graduated from Lehigh University in 1953. His first journalism experience was as news clerk at the New York Times...
, Alpert "was widely seen as a serious, knowledgeable, dedicated film critic. The Saturday Review . . . was a considerable presence on the scene then when movie reviews mattered and were taken seriously as an intellectual matter."
Death
Hollis Alpert died of pneumoniaPneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
in Naples, Florida
Naples, Florida
Naples is a city in Collier County, Florida, United States. As of July 1, 2007, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population at 21,653. Naples is a principal city of the Naples–Marco Island Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated total population of 315,839 on July 1, 2007...
, on November 18, 2007. He was 91 years old.
Novels
- "Some other time" (1960)
- "For Immediate Release" (1963)
- "Smash" (1973)
- "How to Play Double Bogey Golf" (1975)
Histories
- "The Life and Times of Porgy and Bess" (1990)
- "Broadway! 125 Years of Musical Theatre" (1991)