Robert Altman: Retrospective Biography of a Hollywood Rebel

Robert Altman never really fit into contemporary Hollywood. He was a rebellious eccentric often at odds with studio chiefs and diva actors. But he believed that "filmmaking was a chance to live many lifetimes" and in the end it seems he was right.

Altman made 36 motion pictures over a career that spanned 40 years. He never won an Oscar but did receive an honorary award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2006. The Academy said the award was in recognition of "a career that has repeatedly reinvented the art form and inspired film-makers and audiences alike."

Altman's love-hate affair with Hollywood started in his early twenties. Altman had finished service in the Air Force, got married and became fascinated with movies. He moved to Los Angeles with his first wife Lavonne Elmer in 1947 at the age of 22. He tried acting, appearing in the film The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and also tried his hand at screenwriting but his first attempts to enter the industry were discouraging.

He spent a short time as a publicity director with a pet tattoo business. He managed to get President Truman to "identi-code" his dog with a custom tattoo before giving up on the venture and returning to his hometown of Kansas City. In 1950, he joined the Calvin Company, a film production company in Kansas City. After a few months he began directing films for the firm including documentaries, training films, and educational films. His knowledge about the process grew and while at Calvin he worked on about sixty films on various subjects.

In 1951, he began writing, producing and directing more challenging projects including the TV series The Pulse of the City. In 1953, his work finally hit the big screen with his directorial debut The Deliquents. This work caught the attention of Alfred Hitchcock and Altman left the Calvin Company, returned to Hollywood and began directing Hitchcock's TV show. Many more television show directorial projects followed including Whirlybirds and Bonanza. But Altman kept an eye on his real passion and yearned to direct for the silver screen.

In 1969, he was offered the script for the motion picture MASH which became his first big screen success as a director. Set during the Korean War, the motion picture MASH centered around the staff of a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital. Altman's direction proved the perfect match to the black comedy script. The movie won an Oscar for its screenplay and spawned the successful TV series.

The success of Altman's first big screen project also marked the beginning of a frequent feature of his career: conflict with studios. When Altman spoke of MASH's debut on the big screen he said "it wasn't released, it escaped" referring to clashes in artistic vision. This and subsequent controversy did little to derail his career and Altman was established as a Hollywood player.

His next film was based on the Raymond Chandler novel, The Long Goodbye in 1973. His work was criticized by fans of Chandler for deviating too far from the book and critics called the film "a spit in the eye to a great writer."

In 1975, the film Nashville secured Altman's directorial style and became a career highlight. The film was shot for around $2M in about 45 days but proved a stunning tapestry of characters. The actors in the film were encouraged to write and perform their own songs. This unique twist led to an Oscar for Keith Carradine for his composition "I'm Easy." It was Nashville that introduced audiences to an improvised, overlapping dialogue that would become central to Altman's work and dubbed "Altmanesque." Nashville lost Best Picture Oscar to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest but was recognized by the New York Film Critics Circle and awarded for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress (Lily Tomlin) and Best Director.

A slew of hits and misses followed including 3 Women, A Wedding and A Perfect Couple and Popeye, starring Robin Williams. It wasn't until 1992 that Altman scored another critical and box office success with The Player. It wasn't the movie's plot so much as Altman's ability to gather more than 60 actors, directors and producers to help him poke fun at the film industry. Altman called the film "an easy indictment" adding that what goes on in Hollywood is much uglier than in the movie. The Player won awards from Bafta and the Cannes Film Festival but again missed the Oscar for Best Picture.

Altman was 67 at the time The Player was released but equated retirement with death. He kept directing and expanding his career directing Short Cuts in 1993 and the 2001 British whodunit Gosford Park, both adding more critical acclaim to his career. Gosford Park became Altman's second-most successful film after MASH, grossing $87.7M at the box office. Part of the movie's success was accredited to Altman's reputation as "the actors' friend."

In early 2006, Altman made his London theatrical debut at the age of 81 directing Arthur Miller's play "Resurrection Blues" with an eclectic ensemble. Later in 2006, he received the Lifetime Achievement Oscar award from The Academy. In his acceptance speech he said "I can't think of a better reward - to me it's better for all of my work than for just a couple of things."

Robert Altman passed away November 20, 2006 at the age of 81. His death marks the end of an inventive and individualistic career that left an indelible mark on the film industry. His quest to relay truthful human behavior through his movies was realized and his legacy will influence generations of filmmakers to come.