Roger Corman: The legendary director has died

Independent director Roger Corman (1926-2024) is dead. The filmmaker and producer from Detroit became known as the “King of B-Movies”, among other things, he celebrated with low-budget classics such as “The Last Seven” (1955). and “Little Shop of Horrors” (1960) successes. As a producer, he also supported some of Hollywood’s most famous actors and directors and helped them achieve their breakthrough.

According to a statement from his family, Corman died on Thursday at the age of 98 at his home in Santa Monica, California. “He was generous, open-hearted and kind to all who knew him,” the statement said. “When asked how he would like to be remembered, he said, ‘I was a filmmaker, just that.'”

Supporter of Hollywood’s most famous filmmakers

From 1955 onwards, Roger Corman was involved as a producer and director in the creation of hundreds of B movies. He also provided aspiring filmmakers such as James Cameron (69), Francis Ford Coppola (85), Ron Howard (70) and Martin Scorsese (81) with work and became a mentor for them. Actors such as Jack Nicholson (87), Robert De Niro (80), Bruce Dern (87) and Peter Fonda (1940-2019) were also supported by him.

In 2009, Roger Corman was awarded an honorary Oscar. In his acceptance speech, according to The Hollywood Reporter, he applauded those who take risks: “A lot of my friends and people who started with me are here tonight, and they’re all succeeding,” he said. “Some of them were successful to an extraordinary degree. And I think they were successful because they had the courage to take risks. But they gambled because they knew the odds were in their favor; they knew that they had the ability to create what they wanted to create.” The director added that he believes “that the best films today are made by original, innovative filmmakers who have the courage to dare and take risks.”