James B. Harris

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James B. Harris
Born (1928-08-03) August 3, 1928 (age 97)
New York City, United States
Occupation(s) Film director, screenwriter, producer

James B. Harris (born August 3, 1928) is an American film screenwriter, producer and director.

Contents

Early life

Born in New York City, he attended the Juilliard School [1] before entering the film industry.

Career

Harris worked with film director Stanley Kubrick as a producer on The Killing (1956), Paths of Glory (1957), and Lolita (1962). Harris' directorial debut was the Cold War thriller The Bedford Incident (1965). He also directed the actor James Woods in two films: the prison-guard drama Fast-Walking (1982) with actress Kay Lenz, and the thriller Cop (1988), based on a James Ellroy novel, which Woods co-produced. Harris also directed the 1993 thriller Boiling Point . [2]

The Turner Classic Movies website describes Harris as a "veteran Hollywood industry figure who has served triple duty as a producer, director, and screenwriter". [3] A 2002 interview between Harris and Hollywood Five-O includes discussion of his works as well as of Kubrick, Marlon Brando, Laurence Olivier, Lolita , and various other topics. It includes photos of Harris and screencaps of Kirk Douglas, Sue Lyon (who portrayed Lolita), James Mason, and Peter Sellers. [4]

Personal life

Harris is the brother of composer J. Robert Harris. [4]

In 2020, Michelle Phillips told journalist Sarah Weinman that Harris engaged in a forced sexual relationship with actress Sue Lyon during her stay in England to film Lolita when she was 14 years old. [5] When contacted by Weinman, the 92-year-old Harris refused to respond to the allegation. At the time Stanley Kubrick's Lolita was in production, the age of consent in the UK was 16 years old but 18 in Lyon's home state of California. [6] Harris was nearly 18 years older than Lyon, and a married man.

Filmography

YearFilmProducerWriterDirectorNotes
1956 The Killing Yes
1957 Paths of Glory YesAlso acting cameo as uncredited private during the attack
1962 Lolita YesAlso actor as Jack Brewster
1965 The Bedford Incident YesYes
1973 Some Call It Loving YesYesYes
1977 Telefon Yes
1982 Fast-Walking YesYesYes
1988 Cop YesYesYes
1993 Boiling Point YesYesYes
2006 The Black Dahlia Yes

References

  1. ↑ Brennan, Sandra. "James B. Harris – Biography". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times . Archived from the original on February 8, 2013. Retrieved September 10, 2012.
  2. ↑ Maslin, Janet (April 17, 1993). "Review/Film; A Cop, a Crook, Shootouts, You Know". The New York Times .
  3. ↑ "Overview for James B. Harris". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved September 10, 2012.
  4. 1 2 "The Five-O Interview". Hollywood Five-O, Inc. 2002. Retrieved September 10, 2012.
  5. ↑ Molly M. (August 11, 2021). "How Filming 1962's Lolita Destroyed Actress Sue Lyon's Life". Grunge. Archived from the original on August 16, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  6. ↑ Weinman, Sarah (October 24, 2020). "The Dark Side of Lolita: Sue Lyon was 14 when she starred in the film; The producer slept with her anyway". Airmail. Retrieved August 3, 2023.


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