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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
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Birdman of Alcatraz BlogHub Articles:

Birdman of Alcatraz (1962)

By Beatrice on Aug 27, 2017 From Flickers in Time

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

By Tom on Jun 22, 2014 From The Old Movie House

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)

By 4 Star Film Fan on Jan 10, 2013 From 4 Star Films

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)

By 4 Star Film Fan on Jan 10, 2013 From 4 Star Films

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

By Alyson on Sep 11, 2012 From The Best Picture Project

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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Quotes from Birdman of Alcatraz:

No Quote for this film.
Facts from Birdman of Alcatraz
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.
Robert Stroud is shown ending the Battle of Alcatraz of 1946 by throwing the guns seized by the inmates out to the authorities and ensuring them that they can re-enter the premises without risk. In fact the guns were still in the possession of two of the would-be escapees when their bodies were found in a corridor.
According to the biography of Robert Stroud on the Court TV website, he killed the prison guard because he was denied a visit from his brother, not his mother as portrayed in the film.
Cecil Corwin, the guard in D Block, is renamed Hapling. Burns is shown shooting Hapling dead the moment he enters D Block. In fact Corwin was shot while held hostage with other guards by a third party, convict Joseph Paul Cretzer (aka "Dutch"). Corwin survived, though another guard, William Miller from C Block, died of his injuries.
At one point, the real Robert Stroud had over 400 birds in his cell.
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