Biography for
Richard Fleischer

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Date of Birth

8 December 1916, Brooklyn, New York, New York, USA

Date of Death

25 March 2006, Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA (natural causes)

Nickname

Dick

Spouse

Mary Dickson

(26 June 1943 - 25 March 2006) (his death) 3 children

Trivia

Son of animator Max Fleischer.

Brother of Ruth Fleischer.

Nephew of Dave Fleischer.

Brother-in-law of Seymour Kneitel.

Biography in: John Wakeman, editor. "World Film Directors, Volume One, 1890-1945." Pages 345-351. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1987.

Father of Bruce Fleischer

Father of Mark Fleischer.

Grandfather of Claire Fleischer.

Enjoyed playing the game tiddlywinks with his granddaughter Vivian.

At his LA mansion, had a pool in the shape of Mickey Mouse's head.

Grandsons, Nick (b. 1985) and Skyler (b. 1987). Granddaughters, Vivian (b. 1993), Claire (b. 1990) and Helen (b. 1996).

His father's animation studios was one of the biggest competitors to Walt Disney's studio. Ironically, Disney ended up hiring Richard to direct his studio's first live-action feature, 20000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954).

Father of Jane Fleischer Reid.

Personal Quotes

I liked the first Conan film [Conan the Barbarian (1982)] very much; in fact, I saw a lot of The Vikings (1958) in it. It was a very well-made film, and it had many excellent dramatic qualities. [John Milius] gave it a sort of Wagnerian feel. I thought he did an excellent job. It was a heavy picture, but then the theme was very heavy - and it was imaginative in its design. Its problems came because it, for the most part, lacked humor. There were some jokes, but too much of the film was unrelieved drama.

The Happy Time (1952) was exactly the kind of film I was looking for - a human comedy about a young boy's coming of age. No melodrama, no murders, no evil wooden puppets!

Every silver lining has a black, ugly cloud hanging over it.

[on George C. Scott] George just likes to block a scene out in a routine way. And then he does it and we shoot. He starts really acting when the camera goes. And throughout a film, 90% of the "takes" I've printed with George Scott in them have been first or second takes. And if I have to use the second "take," it's because in the first one something mechanical went wrong or some other actor blew a line.

[on working with Arnold Schwarzenegger on Conan the Destroyer (1984)] Arnold has done a fantastic job -- and real progress in this art of acting, but as he has an accent I've been obliged to work him twice as hard.

[about writer/producer Martin Rackin] Rackin was a real character. He was a fast-talking, breezy, nervous, con-man type who blinked his eyes a lot. You always had the feeling that he was some sort of a street-corner shell-game operator keeping an eye open for the cops.

Salary

The Happy Time (1952)	$750/week
Flicker Flashbacks No. 7, Series 5 (1948)	$100/week
Flicker Flashbacks No. 6, Series 5 (1948)	$100/week
Flicker Flashbacks No. 5, Series 5 (1948)	$100/week
Flicker Flashbacks No. 4, Series 5 (1948)	$100/week
Flicker Flashbacks No. 3, Series 5 (1948)	$100/week
Flicker Flashbacks No. 2, Series 5 (1947)	$100/week
Flicker Flashbacks No. 1, Series 5 (1947)	$100/week
Flicker Flashbacks No. 6, Series 4 (1947)	$100/week
Flicker Flashbacks No. 3, Series 2 (1945)	$100/week
Flicker Flashbacks No. 1, Series 1 (1943)	$100/week

Where Are They Now

(2004) Los Angeles, California.

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