Bert Schneider
Encyclopedia
Berton "Bert" Schneider is an American
movie producer, who was behind a number of important and topical films of the late-1960s and early-1970s. The son of Abraham Schneider, onetime president of Columbia Pictures
, the younger Schneider tended toward the rebellious. He briefly attended Cornell University
but was expelled.
Because of his radical activities, the army rejected him. In the early Sixties, he went to work for Columbia's television division Screen Gems
. In 1965, Schneider teamed up with Bob Rafelson
to form Raybert Productions
. It was Schneider and Rafelson who brought The Monkees
, a situation comedy
about a fictional rock band
(who became a real group to meet public demand, and their own aspirations), to network television, in 1966.
The success of the Monkees allowed Schneider and Rafelson to break into feature films, first with the counterculture
film Head
in 1968, starring The Monkees and featuring a screenplay cowritten by Jack Nicholson
. Unfortunately, the movie bombed in its initial release, with Monkees fans disappointed that the disjointed, stream-of-consciousness ring of stories wasn't just an expanded episode, and 'hipper' audiences staying away in droves. A retrospective showing in 1973 helped turn critical opinion around, and today Head is largely praised and enjoyed as a Sixties period piece
.
They had their first major success with Easy Rider
the next year (1969), which ushered in the era of New Hollywood
, then followed it up with Five Easy Pieces
, which Rafelson directed, in 1970. Schneider and Rafelson added a partner, Stephen Blauner
, and Raybert turned into BBS Productions. They went on to make a series of groundbreaking films, including Peter Bogdanovich
's The Last Picture Show
(1971) and Rafelson's The King of Marvin Gardens
(1972).
In 1975, Schneider earned a Best Documentary Oscar
for producing Hearts and Minds
(1974).
Peter Fonda
based his character Terry Valentine in The Limey
partly on Schneider, according to Fonda's interview on the DVD.
Schneider was once married and divorced to Judy, they had 2 children, Jeff and Audrey.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
movie producer, who was behind a number of important and topical films of the late-1960s and early-1970s. The son of Abraham Schneider, onetime president of Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
, the younger Schneider tended toward the rebellious. He briefly attended Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
but was expelled.
Because of his radical activities, the army rejected him. In the early Sixties, he went to work for Columbia's television division Screen Gems
Screen Gems
Screen Gems is an American movie production company and subsidiary company of Sony Pictures Entertainment's Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group that has served several different purposes for its parent companies over the decades since its incorporation....
. In 1965, Schneider teamed up with Bob Rafelson
Bob Rafelson
Robert "Bob" Rafelson is an Emmy Award winning American film director, writer and producer. He was an early member of the New Hollywood movement in the 1970s and is most famous for directing and co-writing the film Five Easy Pieces, starring Jack Nicholson, as well as being one of the creators of...
to form Raybert Productions
Raybert Productions
Raybert Productions was a 1960s production company, founded by Robert Rafelson and Bert Schneider. Its principal works were the wildly successful situation comedy The Monkees , and the 1969 movie Easy Rider...
. It was Schneider and Rafelson who brought The Monkees
The Monkees (TV series)
The Monkees is an American situation comedy that aired on NBC from September 1966 to March 1968. The series follows the adventures of four young men trying to make a name for themselves as rock 'n roll singers. The show introduced a number of innovative new-wave film techniques to series...
, a situation comedy
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
about a fictional rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
(who became a real group to meet public demand, and their own aspirations), to network television, in 1966.
The success of the Monkees allowed Schneider and Rafelson to break into feature films, first with the counterculture
Counterculture
Counterculture is a sociological term used to describe the values and norms of behavior of a cultural group, or subculture, that run counter to those of the social mainstream of the day, the cultural equivalent of political opposition. Counterculture can also be described as a group whose behavior...
film Head
Head (film)
Head is a 1968 psychedelic comedy-adventure major motion picture, starring TV group The Monkees , and distributed by Columbia Pictures...
in 1968, starring The Monkees and featuring a screenplay cowritten by Jack Nicholson
Jack Nicholson
John Joseph "Jack" Nicholson is an American actor, film director, producer and writer. He is renowned for his often dark portrayals of neurotic characters. Nicholson has been nominated for an Academy Award twelve times, and has won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice: for One Flew Over the...
. Unfortunately, the movie bombed in its initial release, with Monkees fans disappointed that the disjointed, stream-of-consciousness ring of stories wasn't just an expanded episode, and 'hipper' audiences staying away in droves. A retrospective showing in 1973 helped turn critical opinion around, and today Head is largely praised and enjoyed as a Sixties period piece
Period piece
-Setting:In the performing arts, a period piece is a work set in a particular era. This informal term covers all countries, all periods and all genres...
.
They had their first major success with Easy Rider
Easy Rider
Easy Rider is a 1969 American road movie written by Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and Terry Southern, produced by Fonda and directed by Hopper. It tells the story of two bikers who travel through the American Southwest and South with the aim of achieving freedom...
the next year (1969), which ushered in the era of New Hollywood
New Hollywood
New Hollywood or post-classical Hollywood, sometimes referred to as the "American New Wave", refers to the time from roughly the late-1960s to the early 1980s when a new generation of young filmmakers came to prominence in America, influencing the types of films produced, their production and...
, then followed it up with Five Easy Pieces
Five Easy Pieces
Five Easy Pieces is a 1970 American drama film written by Carole Eastman and Bob Rafelson, and directed by Rafelson. The film stars Jack Nicholson, Karen Black, and Susan Anspach. The cast also includes Billy 'Green' Bush, Fannie Flagg, Ralph Waite, Sally Struthers, Lois Smith, Toni Basil, and...
, which Rafelson directed, in 1970. Schneider and Rafelson added a partner, Stephen Blauner
Stephen Blauner
Jules Stephen "Boom Boom" Blauner was Bobby Darin's manager and very close friend, producer, and member of BBS Productions.-Early life:...
, and Raybert turned into BBS Productions. They went on to make a series of groundbreaking films, including Peter Bogdanovich
Peter Bogdanovich
Peter Bogdanovich is an American film historian, director, writer, actor, producer, and critic. He was part of the wave of "New Hollywood" directors, which included William Friedkin, Brian De Palma, George Lucas, Martin Scorsese, Michael Cimino, and Francis Ford Coppola...
's The Last Picture Show
The Last Picture Show
The Last Picture Show is a 1971 American drama film directed by Peter Bogdanovich, adapted from a semi-autobiographical 1966 novel of the same name by Larry McMurtry....
(1971) and Rafelson's The King of Marvin Gardens
The King of Marvin Gardens
The King of Marvin Gardens is a 1972 American drama film. It stars Jack Nicholson, Bruce Dern, Ellen Burstyn and Scatman Crothers. It is one of several collaborations between Nicholson and director Bob Rafelson. The majority of the film is set in a wintry Atlantic City, New Jersey, with the plot...
(1972).
In 1975, Schneider earned a Best Documentary Oscar
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
for producing Hearts and Minds
Hearts and Minds (film)
Hearts and Minds is a 1974 American documentary film about the Vietnam War directed by Peter Davis. The film's title is based on a quote from President Lyndon B. Johnson: "the ultimate victory will depend on the hearts and minds of the people who actually live out there"...
(1974).
Peter Fonda
Peter Fonda
Peter Henry Fonda is an American actor. He is the son of Henry Fonda, brother of Jane Fonda, and father of Bridget and Justin Fonda...
based his character Terry Valentine in The Limey
The Limey
The Limey is a 1999 American crime film, directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Lem Dobbs. The film features Terence Stamp, Lesley Ann Warren, Luis Guzmán, Peter Fonda and Barry Newman.Filming locations included Big Sur and L.A.-Plot:...
partly on Schneider, according to Fonda's interview on the DVD.
Schneider was once married and divorced to Judy, they had 2 children, Jeff and Audrey.