Steve Yeager (filmmaker)

Last updated
Steve Yeager
Born1948 (age 7576)
Occupation(s)Filmmaker, educator, stage director, writer, actor
Years active1970-present
SpousePatty Barzyk

Steve Yeager (born 1948) is an independent filmmaker from Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. He is best known for his film on the indie filmmaking of fellow director John Waters, titled Divine Trash , [1] which won the Filmmakers Trophy for Best Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival in 1998.

Contents

Career overview

Steve Yeager got his start as a resident director at the Corner Theatre ETC, an experimental theatre company in Baltimore, Maryland (a branch of Ellen Stewart's New York-based Cafe La Mama ETC), with such productions as Pigeons by Lee Dorsey and Marguerite by C. Richard Gillespie. Yeager also directed an original play entitled Chiaroscuro while working at Corner. It was during this period that Steve Yeager also had occasion to work with two emerging talents of the day: Howard Rollins, in a 1972 production of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men; and Kathleen Turner, who appeared in Yeager's highly regarded original adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde in 1978. After 1982, Yeager devoted his talents primarily to filmmaking endeavors. In 1985, he won the Grand Prize for Best Documentary at the Houston International Film Festival for Aquarium, a ten-minute film on the National Aquarium in Baltimore. [2]

In 1990, Yeager released his first feature film drama, On The Block. The film offered a gritty look at life in and around The Block, Baltimore's infamous red-light district, and featured an appearance by Howard Rollins in a key role, as well as a cameo by burlesque legend Blaze Starr. [3]

Steve Yeager's 1998 documentary film Divine Trash examines the global underground film movement, and features previously unreleased footage of John Waters' early life and behind-the-scenes capers of his Dreamland crew, including Divine, the 300-pound female impersonator Glenn Milstead. Those interviewed about the making of Pink Flamingos and the context in which it emerged include actors, critics and Baltimore's film industry people of the era. Yeager's sequel to Divine Trash, In Bad Taste , a documentary on Waters' post-Pink Flamingos career, aired in January 2000 on the Independent Film Channel. Yeager played the role of a reporter in both Pink Flamingos and Polyester .

In 2009, Steve Yeager finished work on a new narrative feature film Crystal Fog, which offers a glimpse into relationships within the gay community. The film drew its inspiration, however loosely based,from the life of Yeager's younger brother, who had died approximately twelve years earlier. The film was shot in and around Baltimore during the summer of 2008, and had its initial cast and crew screening in Baltimore in June, 2009. [4] [5] [6] In 2010, Yeager began filming "The Rosens", a narrative feature film detailing the betrayal of family values between three brothers after the death of the family matriarch.

Throughout his work in film, Steve Yeager has continued to direct for the stage, generally in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. Notable productions include Streamers by David Rabe, S.L.A.G. by David Hare, A View From The Bridge by Arthur Miller, and Michael V. Gazzo's A Hatful of Rain , voted one of the Ten Best Theatre productions of 2008 by the Baltimore City Paper.

Young Filmmakers Workshop

In 2002, Yeager co-founded, along with Lane Keller, the Young Filmmakers Workshop with Steve Yeager (YFW), an organization designed to provide young people between the ages of 10–17 an opportunity to realize their dreams of becoming filmmakers, actors, and artisans through the creation of both narrative and documentary motion pictures. The resulting works are ultimately screened at a local art deco movie palace in an event that includes a red carpet premiere and awards.

Other projects

In September, 2006 Yeager directed Suzanne Shepherd - A Gift of Fire, a documentary film about acclaimed New York City actor, director, and teacher Suzanne Shepherd, whose notable and varied roles include Tony Soprano's mother-in-law on the series The Sopranos , as well as featured appearances in Goodfellas , Lolita , Uncle Buck , Living Out Loud , and John Waters' A Dirty Shame .

An unfinished Yeager work, Beyond the Bridge, a biographical film about Howard Rollins, debuted at Baltimore's Senator Theater in 2007. [7]

Yeager is co-author of a book about Divine, called My Son Divine, written with Glenn Milstead's mother Frances. He teaches film and acting-related courses at Towson University [8] and at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Filmography

YearFilm TitleFunction/RoleNotes
1972 Pink Flamingos Actor; Role: Nat Kurzan, television reporterWhile he was on set playing the reporter, Steve Yeager was also filming behind-the-scenes "making of" footage of John Waters and company, which would later be used in the creation of Divine Trash.
1981 Polyester Actor; Role: Cameo
1985AquariumDirector, editor(Documentary Short) Recipient of the Grand Prize for Best Documentary at the Houston International Film Festival, 1985.
1990On The BlockDirector, Co-writer(Drama) Cast includes Howard Rollins in a featured role.
1998 Divine Trash Director(Documentary) Guest appearances by John Waters, Robert Shaye, Mink Stole, Divine (archive footage), Edith Massey (archive footage), Herschell Gordon Lewis, Danny Mills, Mary Vivian Pearce, Vincent Peranio, Paul Swift, John Pierson, Hal Hartley, Steve Buscemi, Jim Jarmusch, Channing Wilroy, Mary Avara. Recipient of Filmmakers Trophy for Best Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival in 1998.
2000 In Bad Taste Director(Television Documentary) Follow-up film to Divine Trash. Guest appearances by John Waters, Steve Buscemi, Johnny Depp, Divine, Debbie Harry, Ricki Lake, Patricia Hearst, Danny Mills, Edith Massey, Mink Stole, Sam Waterston, Kathleen Turner, David Lochary, Channing Wilroy
2001The ConnectionDirectorNarrative feature film adapted from playwright Jack Gelber's drama about heroin addiction.
2005If The Bough BreaksDirector(Television Documentary) Film depiction of how the medical malpractice crisis affects both doctors and patients, aired on PBS 2006.
2006Suzanne Shepherd - A Gift of FireDirector
2007The Howard Rollins StoryDirector
2009Crystal FogWriter/Director/Actor(Drama) Original script and story based loosely on the troubled life and times of Steve Yeager's late younger brother.
2010The RosensWriter/DirectorOriginal script relating strained relationships between brothers after the death of their mother.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Divine (performer)</span> American actor, singer and drag queen (1945–1988)

Harris Glenn Milstead, better known by the stage name Divine, was an American actor, singer, and drag queen. Closely associated with independent filmmaker John Waters, Divine was a character actor, usually performing female roles in cinematic and theatrical productions, and adopted a female drag persona for his music career.

<i>Pink Flamingos</i> 1972 American film directed by John Waters

Pink Flamingos is a 1972 American black comedy film by John Waters. It is part of what Waters has labelled the "Trash Trilogy", which also includes Female Trouble (1974) and Desperate Living (1977). The film stars the countercultural drag queen Divine as a criminal living under the name of Babs Johnson, who is proud to be "the filthiest person alive". While living in a trailer with her mother Edie, son Crackers, and companion Cotton, Divine is confronted by the Marbles, a pair of criminals envious of her reputation who try to outdo her in filth. The characters engage in several grotesque, bizarre, and explicitly crude situations, and upon the film's re-release in 1997 it was rated NC-17 by the MPAA "for a wide range of perversions in explicit detail". It was filmed in the vicinity of Baltimore, Maryland, where Waters and most of the cast and crew grew up.

David Crawford Lochary was an American actor, one of the regular "Dreamlander" actors in early films of the controversial "trash" film director John Waters. He starred in such films as Pink Flamingos, Female Trouble, and Multiple Maniacs, in which he typically played exotically-dressed, sophisticated perverts. Lochary co-wrote The Diane Linkletter Story with Divine, and worked as an uncredited hair and makeup artist on many of Waters' films. Lochary met Divine at beauty school and used to style his wigs and makeup for parties. Divine later commented that he had "never even heard the word 'drag' before David."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Waters</span> American filmmaker, actor, comedian, writer, and artist (born 1946)

John Samuel Waters Jr. is an American filmmaker, writer, actor, and artist. He rose to fame in the early 1970s for his transgressive cult films, including Multiple Maniacs (1970), Pink Flamingos (1972) and Female Trouble (1974). Waters wrote and directed the comedy film Hairspray (1988), which was later adapted into a hit Broadway musical and a 2007 musical film. Other films he has written and directed include Desperate Living (1977), Polyester (1981), Cry-Baby (1990), Serial Mom (1994), Pecker (1998), and Cecil B. Demented (2000). His films contain elements of post-modern comedy and surrealism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Howard Rollins</span> American actor (1950–1996)

Howard Ellsworth Rollins Jr. was an American stage, film, and television actor. Howard Rollins was known for his role as Andrew Young in 1978's King, George Haley in the 1979 miniseries Roots: The Next Generations, Coalhouse Walker Jr. in the 1981 film Ragtime, Captain Davenport in the 1984 film A Soldier's Story, and as Virgil Tibbs on the NBC/CBS television crime drama In the Heat of the Night (1988–1994).

Mary Vivian Pearce is an American actress. She has worked primarily in the films of John Waters.

<i>The Diane Linkletter Story</i> 1970 film by John Waters

The Diane Linkletter Story is a 1970 16mm short film by American filmmaker John Waters starring Divine, Mary Vivian Pearce, and David Lochary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dreamlanders</span> John Waters acting group

Dreamlanders are the cast and crew of regulars whom John Waters has used in his films. The term comes from the name of Waters' production company, Dreamland Productions.

<i>Divine Trash</i> 1998 American film

Divine Trash is a 1998 American documentary film directed by Steve Yeager about the life and work of filmmaker John Waters, and the making of the 1972 film Pink Flamingos, which is written and directed by Waters and stars Divine.

Edna Turnblad is a fictional character from the 1988 film Hairspray and its stage musical adaption of the same name, as well as its film and television adaptations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Van Smith</span> Costume designer and makeup artist

Walter Avant "Van" Smith, Jr. was an American costume designer and make-up artist. He worked primarily in the films of John Waters, designing the costumes and make-up for every John Waters film from 1972 to 2004. Because of his work with Waters, he is considered one of the Dreamlanders, Waters' ensemble of regular cast and crew members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guilford, Baltimore</span> United States historic place

Guilford is a historic neighborhood in the northern part of Baltimore, Maryland.

Vincent Peranio is a retired American production designer, art director, set designer, and actor.

George Figgs is an American actor and projectionist. He began his career portraying characters in the early films of John Waters. Because of his work with Waters, he is considered one of the Dreamlanders, Waters' ensemble of regular cast and crew members.

Corner Theatre E.T.C. was an experimental theater located in Baltimore, Maryland, existing from 1968 to 1987 as a nonprofit cultural organization.

Linda Chambers is an American playwright, screenwriter, actress and college instructor living and working in Baltimore, Maryland.

Stanley Keyes is an American playwright, screenwriter, and actor.

Robert Maier is an American writer, director, producer and production manager, best known for his long collaboration with filmmaker John Waters.

<i>I Am Divine</i> 2013 film by Jeffrey Schwarz

I Am Divine is a 2013 American documentary film produced and directed by Jeffrey Schwarz of the Los Angeles-based production company Automat Pictures. The documentary focuses on the American actor, singer, and drag performer Divine, born Harris Glenn Milstead, a lifelong friend and collaborator of filmmaker John Waters.

References

  1. Holden, Stephen (March 31, 2000). "Divine Trash (1998) FILM REVIEW; How a Fan of the Wicked Witch Became a Succes de Scandale". The New York Times .
  2. Google Books
  3. Baltimore Sun
  4. Baltimoregaylife.com
  5. Baltimore Sun
  6. Baltimore Sun
  7. Four.pairlist.net Archived 2014-02-01 at the Wayback Machine
  8. Pages.towson.edu