John LaZar | |
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Occupation | Actor |
John LaZar (born May 22, 1946) is an American actor of both stage and screen, best remembered for his lead role as Ronnie 'Z-man' Barzell in the Russ Meyer film Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970), co-written by Meyer and Roger Ebert. [1]
LaZar grew up in San Francisco, California and is of Mediterranean and Native American heritage. He trained at the American Conservatory Theater and has studied acting with Uta Hagen.[ citation needed ] A veteran of many Shakespearean stage productions, Lazar is also a martial arts expert and fencer.[ citation needed ]
LaZar later appeared in Russ Meyer's Supervixens (1975) and Roger Corman's Deathstalker II (1987).
Roger William Corman is an American film director, producer, and actor. Known under various monikers such as "The Pope of Pop Cinema", "The Spiritual Godfather of the New Hollywood", and "The King of Cult", he is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are low-budget cult films including some which are adapted from the tales of Edgar Allan Poe.
Russell Albion Meyer was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, and editor. He is known primarily for writing and directing a series of successful sexploitation films that featured campy humor, sly satire and large-breasted women, such as Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!. Meyer often named Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970) as his definitive work.
Lloyd Vernet Bridges Jr. was an American film, stage and television actor who starred in a number of television series and appeared in more than 150 feature films. He was the father of four children, including the actors Beau Bridges and Jeff Bridges. He started his career as a contract performer for Columbia Pictures, appearing in films such as Sahara (1943), A Walk in the Sun (1945), Little Big Horn (1951) and High Noon (1952). On television, he starred in Sea Hunt 1958 to 1961. By the end of his career, he had re-invented himself and demonstrated a comedic talent in such parody films as Airplane! (1980), Hot Shots! (1991), and Jane Austen's Mafia! (1998). Among other honors, Bridges was a two-time Emmy Award nominee. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 1, 1994.
Beyond the Valley of the Dolls is a 1970 American satirical musical melodrama film starring Dolly Read, Cynthia Myers, Marcia McBroom, Phyllis Davis, John LaZar, Michael Blodgett, and David Gurian. The film was directed by Russ Meyer and screenwritten by Roger Ebert from a story by Ebert and Meyer.
Supervixens is a 1975 American film directed by American filmmaker Russ Meyer. The cast features Meyer regulars Charles Napier, Uschi Digard, and Haji. The film also features Shari Eubank in one of her only two film roles and Christy Hartburg in her only film role.
Cherry, Harry & Raquel! is a 1969 American action exploitation film produced and directed by American film director Russ Meyer.
Cirio Hermoso Santiago was a Filipino film producer, director and writer. He used the screen names Cirio Santiago, Cirio H. Santiago, Leonardo Hermoso, and Leonard Hermes.
Dolly Martin is an English pinup model and actress. She is best remembered for her appearance in Playboy magazine and as the lead character in Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. She sometimes is credited as Margaret Read, Dolly Read Martin or Dolly Martin.
Lewis Teague is an American film director, whose work includes Alligator, Cat's Eye, Cujo, The Jewel of the Nile, The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion!, Navy SEALs and Wedlock.
Erica Gavin is an American film actress best known for playing the title role in Russ Meyer's 1968 film Vixen!
The 1960s and 1970s marked the rise of exploitation-style independent B movies; films which were mostly made without the support of Hollywood's major film studios. As censorship pressures lifted in the early 1960s, the low-budget end of the American motion picture industry increasingly incorporated the sort of sexual and violent elements long associated with so-called ‘exploitation’ films. The demise of the Motion Picture Production Code in 1968, coupled with the success of the exploitation film Easy Rider the following year, fueled the trend throughout the subsequent decade. The success of the B-studio exploitation movement had a significant effect on the strategies of the major studios during the 1970s.
John Furlong was an American actor. He dubbed the voice of Russ Meyer in all of Meyer's film appearances.
Stuart Gage Lancaster was an American actor known for roles in Russ Meyer films.
Michael Blodgett was an American actor, novelist, and screenwriter. Of his many film and television appearances he is best known for his performance as gigolo Lance Rocke in Russ Meyer's 1970 cult classic Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. He retired from acting in the late 1970s and began a writing career.
Deathstalker II, also known as Deathstalker II: Duel of the Titans, is a 1987 Argentine-American fantasy comedy-adventure film directed by Jim Wynorski and a sequel to 1983's Deathstalker. It was written by Neil Ruttenberg and starring John Terlesky, Monique Gabrielle, John LaZar and María Socas. Terlesky replaced Rick Hill, the protagonist from the previous film, in the starring role of Deathstalker. This is the last sword and sorcery movie that Roger Corman produced in Argentina during the 80s.
Deathstalker, also known as El cazador de la muerte, is a 1983 Argentine-American sword and sorcery film directed by James Sbardellati, and starring Rick Hill, Barbi Benton, Bernard Erhard and Lana Clarkson.
James Iglehart is a former American actor who appeared in six films during the 1970s and was the leading actor in the 1973 blaxploitation film Savage!.
Jennifer Gan was an American stage, film and television actress. She appeared in sixteen film and TV titles in the 1960s and early 1970s.
Julie Ann Corman is an American film producer. She is married to film producer and director Roger Corman.
RM Films International is a film distribution company based in Hollywood, California. It was started by filmmaker Russ Meyer to distribute his movies. Since Meyer's death in 2004, RM Films International has been owned and operated by the Russ Meyer Charitable Trust and is a recognized 501(c) private foundation.