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Richard Zampella

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Richard Zampella
Born
Richard C. Zampella

(1966-03-30) March 30, 1966 (age 60)
Pompton Plains, New Jersey, U.S.
OccupationFilm Producer
Years active2006–present

Richard C. Zampella (born March 30, 1966) is an American film and multimedia producer whose work includes documentary films on American cultural and historical subjects. His work includes Inside High Noon, which was presented and distributed by American Public Television and aired on public television stations, Sergeant York: Of God and Country, and Cooper & Hemingway: The True Gen (2013), which was named a Critics' Pick by The New York Times.[1] His later work includes Elmore Leonard: "But Don't Try to Write" (2021), a documentary on the life and work of Elmore Leonard that was distributed by American Public Television and aired on public television stations.[2]

Early life

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Zampella was born in Pompton Plains, New Jersey.

Career

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Hospitality and early career

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Prior to his work in film, Zampella worked in the New York hospitality industry, including at the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center. He was featured on the cover of the Daily News Sunday Magazine in 1992 as an aspiring actor and waiter at the Rainbow Room and was quoted in an accompanying article describing restaurant work as "an opportunity for character study."[3] In 1998, he was quoted in newspaper coverage about the Rainbow Room's uncertain future and identified as one of the restaurant's tailcoated waiters.[4] He also worked at several prominent New York establishments, including the Westin Essex House and the Plaza Hotel.[5]

Film and media

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Before transitioning into film production, Zampella worked as an actor in television and film, including appearances in series such as Guiding Light and in films such as The Thomas Crown Affair. He also served in the United States Army, including four years of active-duty service in the Intelligence Corps and 12 years in the Army Reserves.[6]

Zampella began collaborating with John Mulholland in 2006 as a producing partner and is the managing partner of Transmultimedia Entertainment, a New Jersey-based film and media production company. Their work focuses on documentary films exploring film history, politics, and biography, including productions distributed nationally on public television.

  • Inside High Noon, narrated by Matthew Rhys, examines the production, legacy, and historical context of the 1952 film High Noon, including its troubled production and its connection to the Hollywood blacklist. It was presented and distributed by American Public Television and aired on public television stations in the United States, and has also been broadcast internationally. Zampella served as editor and producer.[7][8][9][10]
  • Elmore Leonard: "But Don't Try to Write" (2021) examines the life and work of Elmore Leonard. The program premiered on public television and was distributed by American Public Television.[11][12]
  • Sergeant York: Of God and Country, narrated by Liam Neeson, explores the cultural and political context of the 1941 film Sergeant York.

Preservation and stewardship

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Zampella is the owner of Idylease, a historic property in West Milford, New Jersey. He purchased the estate from a family trust in 2016, having grown up at the property where his father, Arthur Dante Louis Zampella, owned and operated a nursing home and medical practice from 1954 to 1992.[17][18] Originally opened on January 1, 1903, Idylease has been described in regional media as a surviving example of the area's resort-era architecture and a cultural landmark reflecting West Milford's history as a recreational destination.[19][20]

Recognition

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Cooper & Hemingway: The True Gen (2013) was named a Critics' Pick by The New York Times.[21]

References

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  1. ^ Webster, Andy (October 11, 2013). "Cooper & Hemingway: An Alliance of Actor and Writer". The New York Times.
  2. ^ "Elmore Leonard: But Don't Try to Write". PBS Western Reserve.
  3. ^ "Waiting No Longer". Daily News. New York. October 18, 1992. pp. 170, 184.
  4. ^ "Famed Rainbow Room fades away". St. Cloud Times. December 20, 1998.
  5. ^ "Idylease's owner plots its future". West Milford Messenger. March 25, 2023.
  6. ^ "Remembering Idylease and Arthur Zampella". NorthJersey.com. April 19, 2018.
  7. ^ "Film about 'High Noon' produced by West Milford resident". West Milford Messenger. February 18, 2023.
  8. ^ "Inside High Noon". PBS.
  9. ^ "Inside High Noon". KPBS. October 28, 2024.
  10. ^ "High Noon documentary explores Gary Cooper". NorthJersey.com. February 24, 2023.
  11. ^ "Elmore Leonard: But Don't Try to Write". PBS Western Reserve.
  12. ^ "Elmore Leonard: But Don't Try to Write". PBS America.
  13. ^ "Film explores the lifelong friendship of Ernest Hemingway and Gary Cooper". Virginia Tech News. February 2, 2015.
  14. ^ "Film Review: Cooper and Hemingway: The True Gen". Variety. 2013.
  15. ^ "Review: Cooper & Hemingway: The True Gen". Los Angeles Times. December 6, 2013.
  16. ^ "An Uncompelling Study: Cooper & Hemingway: The True Gen". Village Voice. 2013.
  17. ^ "Idylease's owner plots its future". West Milford Messenger. March 25, 2023.
  18. ^ "Remembering Idylease and Arthur Zampella". NorthJersey.com. April 19, 2018.
  19. ^ "Idylease marks 123 years". West Milford Messenger.
  20. ^ "West Milford's 1903 inn seeks historic listing". NorthJersey.com. August 22, 2019.
  21. ^ Webster, Andy (October 11, 2013). "Cooper & Hemingway: An Alliance of Actor and Writer". The New York Times.
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