I'm King Kong!: The Exploits of Merian C. Cooper (2005)
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- 57min
- Documentary, Biography
- Movie
This documentary explores the incredible life of Merian C. Cooper, from his time as a soldier and pilot in three different wars, to his exploits in Hollywood, as a director, producer and cinematic innovator.
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Photos and Videos
Cast
| Alec Baldwin | ... |
Narrator (voice)
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| Merian C. Cooper | ... |
Self (archiveFootage) (archiveSound)
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David Strohmaier | ... |
Self - Interviewee
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| James D'Arc | ... |
Self - Interviewee
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| Theodore Roosevelt | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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Paul M. Jensen | ... |
Self - Interviewee
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Ted Curtis Jr. | ... |
Self - Interviewee
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| Herbert Hoover | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Terry Moore | ... |
Self - Interviewee
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| Robert Armstrong | ... |
Carl Denham (archiveFootage)
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| Bruce Cabot | ... |
Jack Driscoll (archiveFootage)
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| Ernest B. Schoedsack | ... |
Self (archiveFootage) (archiveSound)
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| Haile Selassie | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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Marguerite Harrison | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Rudy Behlmer | ... |
Self - Interviewee
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| Fay Wray | ... |
Self - 1997 Interview (archiveFootage)
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| Ray Harryhausen | ... |
Self - Interviewee
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| Harry Carey Jr. | ... |
Self - Interviewee
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| Ray Bradbury | ... |
Self - Interviewee
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| Bob Burns | ... |
Self - Interviewee
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| Craig Barron | ... |
Self - Interviewee
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| James DeValera Mansfield | ... |
Self - Interviewee
(as James Mansfield)
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| Dorothy Jordan | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Miriam Hopkins | ... |
Becky Sharp (archiveFootage)
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| Daniel Selznick | ... |
Self - Interviewee
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David 'Tex' Hill | ... |
Self - Interviewee
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| John Ford | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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Mark Cotta Vaz | ... |
Self - Interviewee
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| John Wayne | ... |
Ethan Edwards (archiveFootage)
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| James Karen | ... |
Self - Interviewee
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| Lowell Thomas | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Paul Mantz | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Cary Grant | ... |
Self (uncredited) (archiveFootage)
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| Joel McCrea | ... |
Self - from Most Dangerous Game (uncredited) (archiveFootage)
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| David O. Selznick | ... |
Self (uncredited) (archiveFootage)
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| Sandra Shaw | ... |
Blonde Held by Kong (uncredited) (archiveFootage)
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Directed by
| Christopher Bird | ||
| Kevin Brownlow | ||
Produced by
| Tom Brown | ... | executive producer: Turner Classic Movies |
| George Feltenstein | ... | executive producer: Turner Entertainment |
| Roger Mayer | ... | executive producer: Turner Entertainment |
| Melissa Roller | ... | supervising producer: Turner Classic Movies |
| Patrick Stanbury | ... | producer |
Music by
| Carl Davis | ||
Editing by
| Christopher Bird | ||
Editorial Department
| Nick Adams | ... | colorist |
| Fred Baillod | ... | on-line editor |
| Rhonda Crowfoot | ... | telecine transfers |
Art Department
| Paul Bebbington | ... | graphics |
Sound Department
| Paul Cote | ... | sound |
| Cynthia Daniels | ... | sound |
| Daniel Gamburg | ... | sound |
| Andrew Halley | ... | sound |
| Jan Holzner | ... | assistant sound engineer |
| Mark Owen | ... | dubbing mixer |
| William Skinner | ... | sound (as Bill Skinner) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Paul Casio | ... | camera operator |
| Jim Fox | ... | camera operator |
| Patrick Loungway | ... | camera operator |
| James Miller | ... | camera operator |
| Ken Morse | ... | camera operator: rostrum camera |
| Martin Testar | ... | camera operator |
Music Department
| Chris Dibble | ... | music mixer / music recordist |
| James Fitzpatrick | ... | conductor |
| Vlastimil Kabrle | ... | orchestra leader |
| Nic Raine | ... | orchestrator |
| Lucie Svehlova | ... | orchestra leader |
| Paul Wing | ... | music associate |
Additional Crew
| Craig Barron | ... | illustrator: King Kong special effects |
| Rudy Behlmer | ... | audio interviews |
| Kevin Brownlow | ... | audio interviews |
| James D'Arc | ... | curator |
| Greg Kimble | ... | mastering: Smilebox |
| Lynne Wake | ... | additional stills researcher / production assistant |
| Ann Williams | ... | additional film researcher |
Thanks
| Christopher Babarski | ... | grateful thanks |
| Annelie Bergman | ... | grateful thanks |
| Janet Bergstrom | ... | grateful thanks |
| Malcolm Blackmoor | ... | grateful thanks |
| Becky Boomer | ... | grateful thanks |
| Kevin Brownlow | ... | acknowledgment: film source / acknowledgment: still photographs provided by |
| Bob Burns | ... | grateful thanks |
| Lawrence Stephen Butler | ... | grateful thanks (as Lawrence Butler) |
| Nick Comley | ... | grateful thanks |
| Richard Cooper | ... | grateful thanks |
| Michael Crawford | ... | grateful thanks |
| Heather Cuffy | ... | grateful thanks |
| Dennis Doros | ... | grateful thanks |
| Sam Elliott | ... | grateful thanks |
| Alexa Foreman | ... | grateful thanks |
| Beverley Gallegos | ... | grateful thanks |
| Norm Gillespie | ... | grateful thanks |
| Ray Harryhausen | ... | acknowledgment: still photographs provided by |
| David 'Tex' Hill | ... | acknowledgment: still photographs provided by (as David L. 'Tex' Hill) |
| Peter Jackson | ... | grateful thanks |
| Jeff Joseph | ... | grateful thanks |
| Tom Karsch | ... | grateful thanks |
| Karen Kavanagh | ... | grateful thanks |
| Arthur Lennig | ... | grateful thanks |
| Janet Lorenz | ... | grateful thanks |
| Patrick Loungway | ... | grateful thanks |
| Scott MacQueen | ... | grateful thanks |
| Elaine Mae Woo | ... | grateful thanks |
| Bahman Maghsoudlou | ... | grateful thanks |
| Jo Manser | ... | grateful thanks (as Joe Manser) |
| Mike Mashon | ... | grateful thanks |
| Dick May | ... | grateful thanks |
| Maggie Mock | ... | grateful thanks (as Maggie Clough) |
| Marvin Paige | ... | grateful thanks |
| L. Tom Perry | ... | special thanks: for generous support |
| Rebecca Prime | ... | grateful thanks |
| Michelle Rosenblatt | ... | grateful thanks |
| Ron Rutberg | ... | grateful thanks |
| Christel Schmidt | ... | grateful thanks |
| Caroline Sisneros | ... | grateful thanks |
| John Sittig | ... | special thanks: Smilebox |
| Farah Spainhour | ... | grateful thanks |
| Patrick Stanbury | ... | acknowledgment: film source / acknowledgment: still photographs provided by |
| David Strohmaier | ... | special thanks: Smilebox |
| Charles Tabesh | ... | grateful thanks |
| Joshua Tager | ... | grateful thanks |
| Serge Viallet | ... | acknowledgment: film source |
| Marc Wanamaker | ... | grateful thanks (as Mark Wanamaker) |
| Eric Weber | ... | grateful thanks |
| Liz Weller | ... | grateful thanks |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Turner Classic Movies (TCM) (2005) (United States) (tv) (original airing)
- Warner Home Video (2005) (United States) (DVD)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) (stills source)
- American Film Institute (AFI) (audio interviews)
- Bison Archives (stills source)
- Brigham Young University (film source)
- Brigham Young University (stills source)
- British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (grateful thanks)
- British Film Institute (BFI) (film source)
- British Film Institute (BFI) (stills source)
- Cinerama Productions Corp. (film source)
- Clips and Footage (film source)
- Crystal Pictures Inc. (film source)
- Film Images (film source)
- Frameline Productions (opening title design)
- Getty Images (film source)
- La Compagnie des Taxis-Brousse (film source)
- Library of Congress (film source)
- Lobster Films (film source)
- National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) (film source)
- Pacific Theatres (film source)
- Paramount Pictures (stills source)
- Photoplay Productions (film source)
- SabuCat Productions (film source)
- Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University (special thanks for generous support)
- Sveriges Television (SVT) (film source)
- The American Museum of Natural History (film source)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
A chronological celebration of the life and contributions to movies of Merian C. Cooper (1893-1973), adventurer turned filmmaker. Tossed from the Naval Academy and wanting to make his father proud, he becomes a bomber pilot in World War I, assists the Polish resistance, escapes from a Soviet prison, and becomes a documentary filmmaker. He brings his camera close to stampeding elephants and lunging tigers. With "King Kong," he used stop-motion animation. Other innovations include his use of aviation in movie making and his embrace of Technicolor and Cinemascope. Archival interviews of Cooper and his partner, Monty Schoedsack, add to the soundtrack. Talking heads also comment.
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | This documentary was released on DVD in the King Kong (1933) Two-Disc Special Edition the same day it was aired on Turner Classic Movies, Nov. 22 2005. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Edited from The Big Parade (1925). See more » |