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Birdman of Alcatraz Overview:

Birdman of Alcatraz (1962) was a Biographical - Drama Film directed by John Frankenheimer and Charles Crichton (uncredited) and produced by Harold Hecht, Stuart Millar and Guy Trosper.

Academy Awards 1962 --- Ceremony Number 35 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best ActorBurt LancasterNominated
Best Supporting ActorTelly SavalasNominated
Best Supporting ActressThelma RitterNominated
Best CinematographyBurnett GuffeyNominated

Birdman of Alcatraz BlogHub Articles:

Birdman of Alcatraz (1962)

Birdman of Alcatraz Directed by John Frankenheimer Written by Guy Trosper from a book by Thomas E. Gaddis 1962/USA Norma Productions First viewing/Amazon Instant This film asks the question: Can a psychopath by rehabilitated by birds?  It fails to answer it. When we first meet Robert Stroud (Bur... Read full article


Birdman Of Alcatraz–A Comment

Robert Stroud. The name might be familiar, but you might think it’s the fellow who painted your house. But if somebody said Robert Stroud, Birdman of Alcatraz you’d immediately know who the person was talking about. But if you’re a certain age you’d only associate the name wi... Read full article


The Birdman of Alcatraz (1962)

Telling the semi-biographical story of Robert Stroud, Birdman relates his life from violent beginnings until his later years. Burt Lancaster superbly characterizes Stroud as a tragic hero. Despite a relatively simple plot following the progression in a man’s life, Birdman is worth seeing. Ul... Read full article


The Birdman of Alcatraz (1962)

Telling the semi-biographical story of Robert Stroud, Birdman relates his life from violent beginnings until his later years. Burt Lancaster superbly characterizes Stroud as a tragic hero. Despite a relatively simple plot following the progression in a man’s life, Birdman is worth seeing. Ul... Read full article


Birdman of Alcatraz

The word Alcatraz evokes images of prison bars, riots and some of the most notorious criminals of the twentieth century.  Among those imprisoned there were Al Capone and Baby Face Nelson, but in 1962 no one was more infamous than Robert Stroud, The Birdman of Alcatraz. Robert Stroud was first sent ... Read full article


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Birdman of Alcatraz Quotes:

No Quote for this film.
Birdman of Alcatraz Facts
Due to this popular movie, the real Robert Stroud became one of the most famous inmates of the federal prison at Alcatraz, second only to mob boss 'Al Capone (I)'.

Charles Crichton was fired several weeks into production to be replaced by John Frankenheimer.

Burt Lancaster was forced by United Artists to make four films for $150,000 a picture in the 1960s: The Young Savages, Birdman of Alcatraz, The Train and The Hallelujah Trail rather than his normal fee of $750,000, because of cost overruns at his production company, Hecht-Hill-Lancaster, for which he was personally responsible.

Robert Stroud was actually imprisoned in cell #42 located in the D Block. According to Frank Heaney, a former prison guard (1948-51), Stroud was anything but the sympathetic character as portrayed by Burt Lancaster. He was an extremely difficult and demented inmate who, though highly intelligent, was a vicious killer and a psychopath.

At one point, the real Robert Stroud had over 400 birds in his cell.

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