IMDb > Bird (1988)
Bird
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Bird (1988) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.1/10   6,478 votes »
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Down 19% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Clint Eastwood
Writer (WGA):
Joel Oliansky (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Bird on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
30 September 1988 (USA) See more »
Genre:
Biography | Drama | Music See more »
Tagline:
"There are no second acts in American lives." - F. Scott Fitzgerald
Plot:
The troubled life and career of the jazz musician, Charlie "Bird" Parker. Full summary » | Full synopsis »
Plot Keywords:
See more »
Awards:
Won Oscar. Another 10 wins & 6 nominations See more »
NewsDesk:
(82 articles)
Blu-ray Review: ‘Clint Eastwood: 20 Film Collection’ Highlights Legendary Career
 (From HollywoodChicago.com. 5 June 2013, 9:01 AM, PDT)
Zulu to close Cannes
 (From eyeforfilm.co.uk. 12 April 2013, 4:00 PM, PDT)
‘Zulu’ to Close Cannes Film Festival
 (From Variety - Film News. 12 April 2013, 8:03 AM, PDT)
User Reviews:
A saxophonist who truly altered the direction of jazz history with his music… See more (35 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Forest Whitaker ... Charlie 'Bird' Parker

Diane Venora ... Chan Parker

Michael Zelniker ... Red Rodney

Samuel E. Wright ... Dizzy Gillespie

Keith David ... Buster Franklin
Michael McGuire ... Brewster

James Handy ... Esteves

Damon Whitaker ... Young Bird

Morgan Nagler ... Kim

Arlen Dean Snyder ... Dr. Heath

Sam Robards ... Moscowitz

Penelope Windust ... Bellevue Nurse
Glenn Wright ... Alcoholic Patient (as Glenn T. Wright)
George Orrison ... Patient with Checkers

Bill Cobbs ... Dr. Caulfield
Hamilton Camp ... Mayor of 52nd Street
Chris Bosley ... First Doorman
George T. Bruce ... Second Doorman
Joey Green ... Gene

John Witherspoon ... Sid

Tony Todd ... Frog
Jo De Winter ... Mildred Berg (as Jo de Winter)
Richard Zavaglia ... Ralph the Narc

Anna Levine ... Audrey

Al Pugliese ... Owner - Three Deuces
Hubert Kelly ... Wilson
Billy J. Mitchell ... Prince (as Billy Mitchell)
Karl Vincent ... Stratton

Lou Cutell ... Bride's Father
Roger Etienne ... Parisian Emcee
Jason Bernard ... Benny Tate
Gretchen Oehler ... Southern Nurse
Richard McKenzie ... Southern Doctor

Tony Cox ... Pee Wee Marquette

Diane Salinger ... Baroness Nica
Johnny Adams ... Bartender
Natalia Silverwood ... Red's Girlfriend
Duane Matthews ... Engineer
Slim Jim Phantom ... Grainger
Matthew Faison ... Judge
Peter Crook ... Bird's Lawyer
Alec Paul Rubinstein ... Recording Producer
Patricia Herd ... Nun

Steve Zettler ... Owner - Oasis Club
Ann Weldon ... Violet Welles

Charley Lang ... D.J. at the Paramount

Tim Russ ... Harris

Richard Jeni ... Morello
Don Starr ... Doctor at Nica's

Richard Mawe ... Medical Examiner
rest of cast listed alphabetically:

Jim Lane ... Reporter at Funeral (uncredited)
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Directed by
Clint Eastwood 
 
Writing credits
(WGA)
Joel Oliansky (written by)

Produced by
Clint Eastwood .... producer
David Valdes .... executive producer
 
Original Music by
Lennie Niehaus 
 
Cinematography by
Jack N. Green 
 
Film Editing by
Joel Cox 
 
Casting by
Phyllis Huffman 
 
Production Design by
Edward C. Carfagno 
 
Set Decoration by
Thomas L. Roysden 
John Sweeney (uncredited)
 
Costume Design by
Glenn Wright (uncredited)
 
Makeup Department
Kathryn Blondell .... hair stylist
Michael Hancock .... makeup artist
Lola Kemp .... hair stylist
 
Production Management
David Valdes .... production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
L. Dean Jones Jr. .... first assistant director
Marsha Scarbrough .... second second assistant director
Tena Psyche Yatroussis .... second assistant director
 
Art Department
Edward Aiona .... property master
Larry Boyd .... set dresser
Judy Cammer .... set designer
Joseph C. Fama .... construction foreman (as Joe Fama)
Bill Gay .... assistant property master (as William D. Gay)
Kelly Hudson .... construction painter
Ronald C. Jacobs .... lead man (as Ron Jacobs)
Bob Lawless .... stand-by painter (as Robert Lawless)
Joe Mendoza .... drapery
Michael Muscarella .... construction coordinator
Mark Rich .... assistant property master
Danny Rogers .... graphic designer
Ciro Vuoso .... construction foreman (as Ciro Vuosos)
 
Sound Department
Rick Alexander .... sound re-recording mixer (as Dick Alexander)
Willie D. Burton .... sound mixer
Virginia Cook-McGowan .... sound editor
Teri E. Dorman .... sound editor
Jay Engel .... adr editor (as Jay N. Engel)
Les Fresholtz .... sound re-recording mixer
Dee Dee Goldner .... assistant sound editor
Robert W. Harris .... cable person
Robert G. Henderson .... supervising sound editor
David M. Horton .... sound editor
Joseph A. Ippolito .... sound editor
Marvin E. Lewis .... boom operator
Alan Robert Murray .... supervising sound editor
Walter Newman .... sound editor
Vern Poore .... sound re-recording mixer
Brooke Henderson Ward .... assistant sound editor
Marshall Winn .... sound editor
James Ashwill .... foley mixer (uncredited)
 
Special Effects by
Joe Day .... special effects
Chuck Gaspar .... special effects supervisor
 
Visual Effects by
Bill Hansard .... process projection (as Bill Hansard Sr.)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Jack Anderson .... additional camera operator
Danny Falkengren .... grip (as Dan Falkengren)
Leroy Hershkowitz .... best boy electric
Norman G. Langley .... camera operator
Bruce Logan .... process photographer
Jack E. McLean Jr. .... electrician
Dennie C. Modes .... playback operator
Hal Nelson .... best boy grip
Víctor Pérez .... gaffer (as Victor Perez)
Marcia Reed .... still photographer
Tony Rivetti .... first assistant camera: "a" camera, steadicam (as Anthony J. Rivetti)
Rick Robinson .... assistant camera
Charles Saldana .... key grip
T. Daniel Scaringi .... grip
Sidney Sidell .... assistant camera (as Jerry Sidell)
Sabrina Simmons .... second assistant camera
Michael J. Spehar .... electrician (as Mike Spehar)
Tom Stern .... lighting consultant
Sandy Williams .... dolly grip (as Walter L. Williams)
Joseph D. Steuben .... camera operator (uncredited)
 
Casting Department
Olivia Harris .... casting assistant
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Bob Christenson .... wardrobe: men (as Robert Christenson)
Deborah Hopper .... costume supervisor
Nancy McArdle .... wardrobe: women
Alfred Tiegs .... wardrobe: men
Glenn Wright .... costume supervisor: men
 
Editorial Department
Donah Bassett .... negative cutter
Michael Cipriano .... assistant film editor
Jack Garsha .... color timer
 
Music Department
Chuck Berghofer .... musician
Ron Carter .... musician
Chuck Domanico .... musician
Robert Fernandez .... scoring mixer (as Bobby Fernandez)
Patti Fidelibus .... music contractor
John Guerin .... musician: drums
Donald Harris .... music editor
Charles McPherson .... musician: alto saxophone, "Bird" solos
Lennie Niehaus .... music supervisor
John E. Oliver .... sideline musicians (as John Oliver)
Steve Wax .... music consultant
 
Transportation Department
Keith Dillin .... transportation coordinator
Randy Luna .... driver
 
Other crew
Marco Barla .... unit publicist
Judie Hoyt .... assistant to producer
Linda Sony Kinney .... production secretary
David R. Lawson .... first aid
Antoinette Levine .... location manager
Michael Maurer .... production accountant
Lloyd Nelson .... script supervisor
Tom Rooker .... production associate
Antoinette Simmrin .... location manager
Danny Wagner .... stand-in (uncredited)
 
Thanks
Nica De Koenigswarter .... special thanks
Leonard Feather .... special thanks
Dizzy Gillespie .... special thanks
Buddy Jones .... special thanks
Chan Parker .... special thanks
Red Rodney .... special thanks
 

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Additional Details

Also Known As:
See more »
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
161 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Dolby
Certification:
Finland:K-10 | Norway:10 | Sweden:11 | USA:R | Germany:12 | Iceland:12 | Australia:M | Argentina:13 | UK:15 | Spain:13 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:12 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12
Filming Locations:
Greystone Park & Mansion - 905 Loma Vista Drive, Beverly Hills, California, USASee more »
Company:
Malpaso Company, TheSee more »

Did You Know?

Trivia:
Forest Whitaker won the Best Actor Award at Cannes for his performance as Charlie Parker in this film. However, Whitaker wasn't even nominated for the Best Actor Academy Award for the same part. But around eighteen years later Whitaker did eventually win a Best Actor Oscar for playing Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland (2006).See more »
Goofs:
Audio/visual unsynchronized: At the Jewish wedding, the first shot of the orchestra shows both horns playing. But only the trumpet is heard, the saxophone joins later on.See more »
Quotes:
Chan Parker:Dizzy sent you a birthday card. Seems he's back in town. Do you owe him a phone call?
Charlie Parker:I owe Dizzy everything...except a phone call.
See more »
Movie Connections:
Featured in Eastwood... A Star (1992) (TV)See more »
Soundtrack:
April in ParisSee more »

FAQ

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User Reviews

   (Review this title)
24 out of 25 people found the following review useful.
A saxophonist who truly altered the direction of jazz history with his music…, 1 January 2008
Author: Righty-Sock (robertfrangie@hotmail.com) from Mexico

"Bird" traces the life of Charlie Parker, a 1940's soloist jazz great whose improvisation abilities led him to become one of the most acclaimed figure in his own lifetime… However, his self-destructive behavior and association with drugs and alcohol caused him to die before he could fully comprehend the public appreciation of his genius…

Eastwood worked with a cast of relative unknown stars, and managed to create an entire period piece on the relatively low budget show…

Sensitively acted, visually designed, this dramatic story of the troubled life of a man of tremendous warmth and compassion, Eastwood delivers a compelling portrait of an artist with an ambitious presentation of love including a magnificent score, and stunning sound… (The film's sound captured an Oscar.)

Whitaker gives an excellent performance, with an especially inevitable death scene at the age of 34… Diane Venora is impressive as the wife of this great jazz musician… Their last conversation by phone presented the legend Parker's with his conscientious of his near-death, his lost effort, his feeling of loneliness, but also his kindness, his love, and his care to his entire family… A great scene not to be missed!

Was the above review useful to you?
See more (35 total) »

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