Steven R. Kutcher

Last updated
Steven R Kutcher
PseudonymThe Bug Man of Hollywood
Born(1944-01-09)January 9, 1944
Manhattan, New York, U.S.
MediumFilm
Television
Radio
Live appearances
Watercolor
Genres Bug wrangling, bug art
Notable works and rolesArachnophobia, Jurassic Park, Spider-Man (2002)
Website http://BugsAreMyBusiness.com
http://BugArtBySteven.com

Steven R. Kutcher (born January 9, 1944) is an American entomologist who has worked for decades as a "wrangler" of insects and other arthropods in the entertainment industry. [1] [2] In doing so, he has gained media attention as "The Bug Man of Hollywood." [3] [4] In recent years, Kutcher has attracted additional notice [5] by using insects as "living brushes" to create "Bug Art," while continuing his work as a naturalist and educator.

Contents

Background, education, and training

Born in Manhattan, New York, a young Steven R. Kutcher collected fireflies in the Catskill Mountains. Kutcher continued to collect insects after his family moved to a suburb of Los Angeles, California, this time in the Santa Monica Mountains. At 19, Kutcher traveled 3000 miles around Mexico, exploring desert to tropical ecosystems.

Kutcher received a bachelors degree in entomology from the University of California, Davis, in 1968; and a Master of Science degree in biology from the California State University, Long Beach, in 1975. His formal studies focused on insect behavior — in particular the aggregating behavior of the milkweed bug, Oncopeltus fasciitis [6] — observed via time-lapse cinematography under experimental conditions.

In 1970, Kutcher began his work in the entertainment industry as "Larry J. Felix" in The Stein and Illes Radio Show, a comedy show on KUSC, in Southern California; James R. Stein and Robert Illes would both become Emmy Award–winning TV writers and producers. Kutcher received comedic training from Bill Cosby and once had Robin Williams as an audience. [2]

"The Bug Man of Hollywood"

Since 1977, Kutcher has manipulated the instinctive behaviors of arthropods, and the instinctive reactions of audiences, mostly in the horror, thriller, fantasy, and comedy genres. He has worked with insects on over 100 feature films, including Spider-Man (2002), Jurassic Park, and Arachnophobia. Kutcher has also worked on numerous popular television shows—including CSI: NY, MacGyver, and The X-Files – as well as TV commercials and online advertising for Fortune 500 corporations.

As "The Bug Man of Hollywood," Kutcher has himself been the subject of numerous interviews. He has appeared on TV talk shows, including The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and Late Night with David Letterman . In 1992, Kutcher appeared as a guest on the Emmy-nominated "Spider Episode" [7] of the TV talk show parody The Larry Sanders Show , starring Garry Shandling. In 1998, Kutcher appeared on the British TV children's show The Scoop, which won a BAFTA award. [8]

Manipulating insect behavior

Applying his expertise on arthropod behaviors, Kutcher manipulates instinctive responses such as positive or negative sensitivity to light, air pressure, or gravity to make bugs perform scripted tricks on cue, [2] such as:

"Bug Art"

In the 1980s, for a Steven Spielberg television project, Steven Kutcher made a fly walk through ink and leave footprints as directed. [10] Since 2000, Steven Kutcher has been creating "Bug Art," using various arthropods as "living brushes" to apply gouache and other nontoxic paints on watercolor paper. [11] "I use water-based, nontoxic paints that easily wash off", he says. "I have to take good care of them. After all, they are artists!" [5] The abstract to surrealistic compositions are shaped by Kutcher's methods of manipulating insect movements, and are often influenced by the works of Impressionist and other master painters. [12]

Contributions as scientist, naturalist, and educator

Steven Kutcher has given talks and live-insect demonstrations at hundreds of film festivals, seminars, workshops, museums, libraries, and schools (pre-K through post-graduate level). [2] Kutcher has been instrumental in creating annual insect fairs, as at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History and Los Angeles County Arboretum, which have been attended by more than 100,000 children and adults. Kutcher also served as a consultant in the development of the interactive insect exhibits at the Kidspace Children's Museum, [13] in Pasadena, California.

Kutcher has taught outdoor education workshops for such environmental organizations as the Audubon Society, the Sierra Club, and Tree People. With a milkweed butterfly garden of his own, Kutcher is on the board of the Monarch Program [14] Kutcher has consulted on the biology and control of arthropods for major corporations and government agencies, such as the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District.

For over 30 years, Kutcher has taught entomology, zoology, and biology courses at West Lost Angeles College, Culver City, but has also taught for four other community colleges. [2]

Partial Filmography

Theatrical films

In addition to serving as "bug wrangler" or entomology consultant for numerous student and independent films, Kutcher has worked on many feature films from major studios and production companies: [1] [2]

FilmYearFeatured "bugs"
We Bought a Zoo 2011Swarm of honey bees
G-Force 2009Tarantula, cockroach (test shots for animation)
National Treasure: Book of Secrets 2007Beetles etc.
The Hitcher 2007Spiders, scorpion
Antwone Fisher 2002Grasshoppers
Spider-Man 2002Spiders (wrangled live spiders and consulted on cgi spiders, as "The Spider Man Behind Spider-Man" [15] )
Wild Wild West 1998Tarantula
Lost Highway 1997Spider, moths
Mimic 1997Ants, termites
Alien: Resurrection 1997Spider (with web)
L.A. Confidential 1996Maggots (on body under house)
D3: The Mighty Ducks 1996Ants
Jack 1996Monarch butterflies
James and the Giant Peach 1996Dwarf tarantulas (in costume)
A Very Brady Sequel 1996Tarantula
Copycat 1995Carpenter ants (covering Sigourney Weaver)
Matilda 1995Cockroach (and newt)
A Walk in the Clouds 1995Butterflies
Leprechaun 2 1994Cockroaches (green) and tarantulas
Jurassic Park 1993Mosquitoes (live and "prehistoric," simulated by crane fly in "amber")
The Temp 1993Wasps, scorpions, cockroaches
Meet the Applegates 1991Praying mantis, tarantula
Arachnophobia 1990Spiders, crickets, etc.
Back to the Future Part II 1989Various insects (pinned etc. in displays)
The 'Burbs 1989Bees
Fright Night II 1989Mealworms etc.
Police Academy 6: City Under Siege 1989Cabbage white butterflies (as "moths")
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors 1987Dragonfly, fly
The Golden Child 1986Monarch butterfly
The Goonies 1985Leech (scene cut)
Exorcist II: The Heretic 1977Locusts (grasshoppers)

TV movies and series [2]

TV productionYearFeatured "bugs"
An Inconvenient Woman c. 1991Fly
Bernie Mac Show, The 2003Mealworm beetles
Boy Meets World c. 1997, 1999Snails, bees
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century c. 1980Dragonflies
Chicago Hope 2000Tarantula
Criminal Minds 2012, 2013, 2013Maggots, flies, waxworms, praying mantis
CSI: NY 2006Mealworms
Family Matters c. 1995Giant mealworms
Kung Fu: The Movie 1986Grasshopper
Larry Sanders Show, the (Emmy-nominated "The Spider Episode") 1996Tarantulas
Laverne and Shirley Reunion2002Cockroaches etc.
Life with Bonnie (The Bonnie Hunt Show) 2004Honey bee
MacGyver 1991Cockroaches
Mentalist, The 2013
Monk 2005Bees
Power Rangers 1994Praying mantis, cockroaches
Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo 1977Tarantulas
Women of Brewster Place, The 1989Cockroach
Wonder Woman 1978Ants
The X-Files 1999, 2005Flies, moths
The Young and the Restless 1991Ants

Music videos [2]

ArtistProjectYearFeatured "bugs"
Paula Abdul Butterflies (in display case)
Christina Aguilera "Fighter"2002Moths
Alice Cooper Welcome to My Nightmare Scorpions, mealworms
Godsmack "I Stand Alone"2002Scorpion
M.C. Hammer 1992Butterflies
Billy Idol "L.A. Woman"1990Cockroach, mealworm
Janet Jackson "Together Again" (Deeper Remix)1997Butterfly
Michael Jackson "Stranger in Moscow"1996Wasp
Korn 1996Cockroaches
No Doubt Don't Speak 1996Fly, mealworms

TV and online commercials [2]

Market segmentBrandsFeatured "bugs"
AutomobilesChrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Honda, Hyundai, Jeep, Kia, Lexus, Mini Cooper, Mitsubishi, Peugeot, Subaru, Toyota, VolkswagenBees, beetles, butterflies, dragonflies, flies, grasshoppers, ladybugs, scorpions, spider webs
Consumer electronicsApple, Dell, Goldstar, Hewlett Packard, Hitachi, Kodak, Nintendo Game Boy, Panasonic, Polaroid, Sega, Sony, TDK, VCR PlusAnts, bees, butterflies, flies, moths, praying mantids, snails
Consumer goods (misc.)Adidas, All, Anderson Windows, Avia, Dial Soap, Dockers, Evinrude, Galoop Toys, Gladlock, Hallmark, K-Mart, Kleenex, Levi Strauss, Lowes, Nike, Northern Bathroom Tissue, Omega Watch, Revlon, Sears, Snuggles, Standard Brands Paint, Stainmaster, Sunlight Detergent, SwatchBees, beetles, butterflies, caterpillars, cockroaches, flies, ladybugs, mosquitoes, moths, spiders
EnergyChevron, Florida Power and Light, Mobil, SempraAnts, beetles, butterflies, flies, ladybugs, spider webs
EntertainmentCartoon Network, PGA, Virginia Lottery, WCWAnts, beetles, cockroaches, flies, mealworms
Fast food and other restaurantsApplebee's, Carl's Jr., Dunkin' Donuts, KFC, McDonald's, Seven-Eleven, Souplantation, Taco BellBees, butterflies, moth cocoons, praying mantids
Finance and insuranceBlue Cross, Capital One, Chase, Fuji Bank, Hartford Insurance, Interstate Bank, Premier Insurance, Tri-County Health, Barclay'sBees, butterflies, caterpillars, ladybugs, millipedes, walkingsticks
Food and beveragesGerber's, Bud Light, Dr. Pepper, Dryer's, Gallo, Jolly Rancher, Mauna Loa, Michelob, Milk Advisory Board ("Got Milk?"), Moet, Orida potatoes, Pepsi, Planter's, Reese's Pieces, Rath Blackhawk bacon, Smith's Markets, Snickers, ZimaAnts, bees, butterflies, caterpillars, flies, Jerusalem crickets, moths, tarantulas and other spiders, wasps
Industrial and commoditiesAlcoa, Georgia Pacific, MonsantoAnts, butterflies, moths, spider webs
Pest controlCombat, Orkin, Ortho, Scott'sAnts, butterflies, cockroaches, grubs, termites
Public service announcements (PSAs)AD Council, Partnership for a Drug-Free AmericaBugs (misc.), leeches
TelecomAT&T, Atlantic Bell, Bell Canada, Qualcomm, Telecom Italia, VerizonBees, beetles, butterflies, cockroaches, mealworms, mosquitoes, praying mantids, scorpions, tarantulas

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 Steven R. Kutcher in IMDB
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Bugs Are My Business
  3. ↑ Bug Man of Hollywood Shares Tips on How to Train Bugs for the Big Screen, KCAL/KCBS TV.
  4. ↑ NPR Staff (8 March 2014). "Hollywood Bug Man Understands How Cockroaches Think". Weekend Edition Saturday. NPR.
  5. 1 2 Thomas, Nick (19 August 2007). "He Lets Creepy-Crawlies Get Their Feet Wet as Painters". The Washington Post.
  6. ↑ Kutcher, Steven (1971). "Two Types of Aggregation Grouping in the Large Milkweed Bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae)". Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences. 70 (2): 85–90.
  7. ↑ "The Larry Sanders Show (TV Series) The Spider Episode (1992)". IMDb.
  8. ↑ 1998 BAFTA Award for Children's Factual production
  9. ↑ "Snapdragon Apresenta - The Bug Circus Generator". YouTube .
  10. ↑ Bug Art by Steven, official Web site
  11. ↑ Bug Art video on YouTube
  12. ↑ Thomas, Nick (28 November 2007). "Exhibit Reviewed: The art of arthropods". Nature. 450 (7170): 613. doi: 10.1038/450613a . S2CID   4350804.
  13. ↑ "Kidspace Children's Museum".
  14. ↑ Kutcher, Steven (2002). "Two Incredible Journeys". The Monarch Quarterly. XII (2): 3.
  15. ↑ Trivedi, Bijal P. (2 May 2002). "The Spider Man Behind Spider-man". National Geographic Today.

Further reading

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