Blake Edwards

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Blake Edwards
Born	William Blake Crump July 26, 1922 (1922-07-26) (age 86) Tulsa, Oklahoma
Years active	1942–present
Spouse(s)	Patricia Walker (1953–1967) Julie Andrews (1969–)

William Blake Crump (born July 26, 1922), better known as Blake Edwards, is an Academy Award–winning American film director, screenwriter, and producer.

Contents 1 Career 2 Personal life 3 In popular culture 4 Filmography 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Career

Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Edwards was the son of a stage director. He began his career as an actor and script-writer, including seven screenplays for Richard Quine.

His early career as a script-writer was for radio. His hard-boiled private detective scripts for Richard Diamond, Private Detective became NBC's answer to Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe, reflecting Edwards' unique humor. Edwards also created, wrote and directed the 1959 TV series Peter Gunn, with music by Henry Mancini. In the same year Blake Edwards produced, with Mancini's musical theme Mr. Lucky, an adventure series on CBS starring John Vivyan and Ross Martin. Mancini's association with Edwards continued in his film work, significantly contributing to their success.

Edwards' most popular films have been comedies, the alcoholism-themed melodrama Days of Wine and Roses being a notable exception. His most fruitful collaboration has been with Peter Sellers in the Pink Panther movies.

In 2004, Edwards received an Academy Honorary Award for cumulative achievements over the course of his film career. His acceptance speech was noted for not mentioning Peter Sellers, his long time collaborator.

[edit] Personal life

Edwards' second wife (from 1969) is Julie Andrews, who has appeared in a number of his films including Darling Lili, 10, Victor/Victoria and the autobiographical satire S.O.B., in which Andrews played a character who was a caricature of herself. In 1995, he wrote the book for the stage musical adaptation of Victor/Victoria, also starring Andrews.

Edwards and Andrews have five children together,^[1]. The two oldest ones, Jennifer and Geoffrey, are from his previous marriage, the middle one, Emma, is from Andrews' first marriage and the youngest ones are two adopted orphans from Vietnam, Amelia Leigh and Joanna Lynne. Edwards and Andrews adopted them in the early '70s. All of the children, except Joanna, have appeared in his movies. Edwards himself is the grandson of prolific silent film director J. Gordon Edwards.

[edit] In popular culture

• Edwards was portrayed by John Lithgow in the film The Life and Death of Peter Sellers.

[edit] Filmography

• Bring Your Smile Along (1955)
• He Laughed Last (1956)
• Mister Cory (1957)
• This Happy Feeling (1958)
• Operation Petticoat (1959)
• High Time (1960)
• Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
• Experiment in Terror (1962)
• The Grip Of Fear (1962)
• Days of Wine and Roses (1962)
• The Pink Panther (1963)
• A Shot in the Dark (1964)
• The Great Race (1965)
• What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? (1966)
• Gunn (1967)
• The Party (1968)
• Darling Lili (1969)
• Wild Rovers (1971)
• The Carey Treatment (1972)
• The Tamarind Seed (1974)
• The Return of the Pink Panther (1975)
• The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976)
• Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978)
• 10 (1979)
• S.O.B. (1981)
• Trail of the Pink Panther (1982)
• Victor/Victoria (1982)
• Curse of the Pink Panther (1983)
• The Man Who Loved Women (1983)
• Micki and Maude (1984)
• A Fine Mess (1986)
• That's Life (1986)
• Blind Date (1987)
• Sunset (1988)
• Skin Deep (1989)
• Switch (1991)
• Son of the Pink Panther (1993)

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Senses of Cinema: Great Directors Critical Database
• Blake Edwards at the Internet Movie Database
• Blake Edwards at the TCM Movie Database

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Peter O'Toole	Academy Honorary Award 2004	Succeeded by Sidney Lumet

v • d • e Blake Edwards The Pink Panther The Pink Panther (1963) · A Shot in the Dark (1964) · Return of the Pink Panther (1975) · The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976) · Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978) · Trail of the Pink Panther (1982) · Curse of the Pink Panther (1983) · Son of the Pink Panther (1993) 1950s Bring Your Smile Along · He Laughed Last · Mister Cory · This Happy Feeling · The Perfect Furlough · Operation Petticoat 1960s High Time · Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) · Experiment in Terror · Days of Wine and Roses (1962) · The Great Race · What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? · Gunn · The Party 1970s Darling Lili (1970) · Wild Rovers · The Carey Treatment · The Tamarind Seed · 10 (1979) 1980s S.O.B. 1981) · Victor/Victoria (1982) · The Man Who Loved Women (1983) · Micki + Maude (1984) · A Fine Mess (1985) · That's Life! (1986) · Blind Date (1987) · Sunset (1988) · Skin Deep (1989) 1990s Switch (1991) Productions Panhandle (1948) · Soldier in the Rain (1963) Television Four Star Playhouse (1952–1956) · Peter Gunn (1958–1961) · Mr. Lucky (1959–1960) · The Dick Powell Show (1961–1963) · Justin Case (1988) · Peter Gunn (1989) · Julie (1992) · Victor/Victoria (1995)