Casting By (2012)

The surprising, never-before-told tale of the indispensable yet unsung Casting Director - Iconoclasts whose keen eye, exquisite taste and gut instincts redefined Hollywood.

Director:

Tom Donahue

Stars:

Deborah Aquila, Risa Bramon Garcia, Ellen Chenoweth

3 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Deborah Aquila	...	Herself
Risa Bramon Garcia	...	Herself
Ellen Chenoweth	...	Herself
Marion Dougherty	...	Herself
Mike Fenton	...	Himself
Nessa Hyams	...	Herself
Lora Kennedy	...	Herself
Nancy Klopper	...	Herself
Ronna Kress	...	Herself
Ellen Lewis	...	Herself
Linda Lowy	...	Herself
Amanda Mackey	...	Herself
Wallis Nicita	...	Herself (as Wally Nicita)
John Papsidera	...	Himself
Don Phillips	...	Himself

Storyline

This documentary focuses on the role of the casting director in movie making and particularly on Marion Dougherty. She began work in the late 1940s sending up and coming young actors to be cast in the then new medium of television. It wasn't until the 1970s that the contribution on casting directors was recognized in film credits and even today there is no Oscar awarded for that role in filmmaking.

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Plot Keywords:

reference to abbott and costello | reference to panasonic technics | reference to barmum the broadway musical | new york city | pinup girl | 

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Genres:

Documentary

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Certificate:

TV-14

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 November 2013 (USA)

Also Known As:

Casting By: Revolution in Hollywood

Filming Locations:

Connecticut, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,900, 3 November 2013, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$7,900, 3 November 2013

Company Credits

Production Co:

Creative Chaos Ventures, HBO Documentary Films, Tashtego Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director Tom Donahue interviewed over 240 people for the film, but only 57 interviews made it into the movie. Sending emails to those who did not make the cut was a heartbreaking experience.

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Connections

Features Bonnie and Clyde (1967)

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Soundtracks

What Would Izzy Do?
Written by Thomas Carlo Bo and Anthony Leventhal
Performed by The Jersey City Jammers
Produced by Anthony Leventhal

User Reviews

No casting couch nonsense here...unsung heroes of TV and cinema get their due

Casting actors and actresses for movies and television shows would seem to be a thankless job, until one realizes that without the proper person in a role, the whole project might seem ill-conceived. East coast casting agent Marion Dougherty and her west coast counterpart, Lynn Stalmaster are the two principles spotlighted here, paving the way for their associates and colleagues to get the recognition they deserve for working with filmmakers in making the best casting choices possible. Despite a terrible early performance on TV's "Naked City", Dougherty took another chance on actor Jon Voight in 1968, sending him to meet with director John Schlesinger for "Midnight Cowboy"; Schlesinger and Jerome Hellman tested Voight but really wanted Michael Sarrazin for the part of Joe Buck, who wasn't available, causing Dougherty to actually push for Voight--as an agent might. This documentary from Tom Donahue includes some surprise commentators and lots of film clips. I would have liked to see more examples of movies in which the casting was off, but Donahue and his subjects are too polite to embarrass anyone. The intention is to shed light on an unsung profession and how it affects the show business world, and this is accomplished with great style. *** from ****