Kenneth Utt
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Utt was an American
film producer and production designer, notable for producing The Silence of the Lambs, which he won an Oscar for Best Picture.
on July 13, 1921. He received a scholarship to Juilliard School
where he studied vocals in hopes of becoming an opera singer. Utt served in the Army Air Corps during World War II
. He returned home and became a stage and radio actor, appearing in shows like Carousel
.
Utt began working in production on stage performances of Peter Pan and began producing films in the 1970s, for films like Midnight Cowboy
and The Wiz
. Utt produced Jonathan Demme
's Married to the Mob
, The Silence of the Lambs and Philadelphia
, with Lambs and Philadelphia earning awards at the Oscars and Utt receiving Best Picture for Lambs.
in Manhattan
at the age of 72. The cause was bone cancer. He is survived by his wife Angie and son Timothy.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film producer and production designer, notable for producing The Silence of the Lambs, which he won an Oscar for Best Picture.
Career
Utt was born in Winston-Salem, North CarolinaWinston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina, with a 2010 population of 229,617. Winston-Salem is the county seat and largest city of Forsyth County and the fourth-largest city in the state. Winston-Salem is the second largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region and is home to...
on July 13, 1921. He received a scholarship to Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
where he studied vocals in hopes of becoming an opera singer. Utt served in the Army Air Corps during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He returned home and became a stage and radio actor, appearing in shows like Carousel
Carousel (musical)
Carousel is the second stage musical by the team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II . The work premiered in 1945 and was adapted from Ferenc Molnár's 1909 play Liliom, transplanting its Budapest setting to the Maine coastline...
.
Utt began working in production on stage performances of Peter Pan and began producing films in the 1970s, for films like Midnight Cowboy
Midnight Cowboy
Midnight Cowboy is a 1969 American drama film based on the 1965 novel of the same name by James Leo Herlihy. It was written by Waldo Salt, directed by John Schlesinger, and stars Dustin Hoffman and newcomer Jon Voight in the title role. Notable smaller roles are filled by Sylvia Miles, John...
and The Wiz
The Wiz (film)
The Wiz is a 1978 musical film produced by Motown Productions and Universal Pictures, and released by Universal on October 24, 1978. An urbanized retelling of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz featuring an entirely African-American cast, The Wiz was adapted from the 1975 Broadway musical...
. Utt produced Jonathan Demme
Jonathan Demme
Robert Jonathan Demme is an American filmmaker, producer and screenwriter. Best known for directing The Silence of the Lambs, which won him the Academy Award for Best Director, he has also directed the acclaimed movies Philadelphia, Rachel Getting Married, the Talking Heads concert movie Stop...
's Married to the Mob
Married to the Mob
Married to the Mob is a 1988 American comedy film directed by Jonathan Demme, starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Matthew Modine.Michelle Pfeiffer, in something of a departure from her previous roles, gave an acclaimed lead performance as a gangster's widow from Brooklyn, opposite Matthew Modine as the...
, The Silence of the Lambs and Philadelphia
Philadelphia (film)
Philadelphia is a 1993 American drama film that was one of the first mainstream Hollywood films to acknowledge HIV/AIDS, homosexuality and homophobia. It was written by Ron Nyswaner and directed by Jonathan Demme. The film stars Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington...
, with Lambs and Philadelphia earning awards at the Oscars and Utt receiving Best Picture for Lambs.
Death
Utt died on January 19, 1994 at Mount Sinai HospitalMount Sinai Hospital, New York
Mount Sinai Hospital, founded in 1852, is one of the oldest and largest teaching hospitals in the United States. In 2011-2012, Mount Sinai Hospital was ranked as one of America's best hospitals by U.S...
in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
at the age of 72. The cause was bone cancer. He is survived by his wife Angie and son Timothy.