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People

Bert I. Gordon

Known For
Directing

Known Credits
1

Gender
Male

Birthday
September 24, 1922 (103 years old)

Place of Birth
Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA

Bert I. Gordon

Biography

Bert Ira Gordon (born September 24, 1922 in Kenosha, WI) was an American film director most famous for such science fiction and horror B-movies as The Amazing Colossal Man and Village of the Giants.

Most of Gordon's work was in the idiom of giant monster films, for which he used rear-projection to create the special effects. His nickname "Mister B.I.G." was a reference both to his initials and to his preferred technique for making super-sized creatures.

Gordon held a degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He began his career directing television commercials before moving to film in 1954 to produce Serpent Island. In 1957, he began his prolific association with American International Pictures.

In 1960, he wrote, produced and directed The Boy and the Pirates, starring then active and popular child star Charles Herbert alongside Gordon's own daughter, Susan. The trio appeared together in the celebrity lineup at the 2006 Monster Bash in Pittsburgh, as The Walt Disney Company's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) spiked interest in previous "pirate" films.

Empire of the Ants (1977) featured a pre-Dynasty Joan Collins, who later said of the film that it was her worst acting experience, but by then the loosely-based modernized H. G. Wells tale had been elevated to cult film status.

While none of his films received significant critical attention, his work attained popularity in some circles. Cult TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K) has featured several of his films, which the accompanying episodes are often regarded as some of the show's best.

Gordon passed away on March 8, 2023, at 100 years old.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Bert I. Gordon, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known For

Directing

2015Secrets of a Psychopath...Director
1989Satan's Princess...Director
1985The Big Bet...Director
1983The Witching...Director
1982Let's Do It!...Director
1981Burned at the Stake...Director
1977Empire of the Ants...Director
1976The Food of the Gods...Director
1973The Mad Bomber...Director
1972Necromancy...Director
1970How to Succeed with Sex...Director
1966Picture Mommy Dead...Director
1965Village of the Giants...Director
1962The Magic Sword...Director
1961Famous Ghost Stories...Director
1960Tormented...Director
1960The Boy and the Pirates...Director
1958Earth vs. the Spider...Director
1958War of the Colossal Beast...Director
1958Attack of the Puppet People...Director
1957The Amazing Colossal Man...Director
1957The Cyclops...Director
1957Beginning of the End...Director
1955King Dinosaur...Director
1954Serpent Island...Director

Writing

2015Secrets of a Psychopath...Writer
1985The Big Bet...Writer
1982Let's Do It!...Writer
1981Burned at the Stake...Writer
1977Empire of the Ants...Screenstory
1976The Food of the Gods...Screenplay
1973The Mad Bomber...Screenplay
1972Necromancy...Writer
1970How to Succeed with Sex...Screenplay
1965Village of the Giants...Screenstory
1962The Magic Sword...Screenstory
1961Famous Ghost Stories...Story
1961Famous Ghost Stories...Writer
1960Tormented...Story
1960The Boy and the Pirates...Story
1958Earth vs. the Spider...Screenstory
1958War of the Colossal Beast...Screenstory
1958Attack of the Puppet People...Story
1957The Amazing Colossal Man...Screenplay
1957The Cyclops...Writer
1955King Dinosaur...Story
1954Serpent Island...Writer

Production

2015Secrets of a Psychopath...Executive Producer
1989Satan's Princess...Producer
1985The Big Bet...Producer
1982Let's Do It!...Producer
1981Burned at the Stake...Producer
1977Empire of the Ants...Producer
1976The Food of the Gods...Producer
1973The Mad Bomber...Producer
1972Necromancy...Producer
1966Picture Mommy Dead...Producer
1965Village of the Giants...Producer
1962The Magic Sword...Producer
1961Famous Ghost Stories...Producer
1960Tormented...Producer
1960The Boy and the Pirates...Producer
1958Earth vs. the Spider...Producer
1958War of the Colossal Beast...Producer
1958Attack of the Puppet People...Producer
1957The Amazing Colossal Man...Producer
1957The Cyclops...Producer
1957Beginning of the End...Producer
1955King Dinosaur...Producer
1954Serpent Island...Producer

Editing

1982Let's Do It!...Editor
1954Serpent Island...Supervising Editor

Visual Effects

1977Empire of the Ants...Visual Effects
1976The Food of the Gods...Visual Effects
1965Village of the Giants...Visual Effects
1962The Magic Sword...Visual Effects
1960Tormented...Visual Effects
1960The Boy and the Pirates...Visual Effects

Camera

1973The Mad Bomber...Director of Photography
1954Serpent Island...Director of Photography

Crew

1958Earth vs. the Spider...Special Effects
1958War of the Colossal Beast...Special Effects
1958Attack of the Puppet People...Special Effects
1957The Cyclops...Special Effects
1957Beginning of the End...Special Effects

Acting

2021Hollywood in the Atomic Age: Monsters! Martians! Mad Scientists!as Self (archive footage)