Director Michael Ritchie died April 16th at the age of 62. A Wisconsin native, Ritchie studied at Harvard before succumbing to the attractions of the theatre. He started working in television during the 1960s where he directed episodes of The Big Valley and The Man from UNCLE among others. He moved into feature films with Downhill Racer (1969) at star Robert Redford's invitation and later directed Redford again in The Candidate (1972). The latter is a classic look at American political life that hasn't lost any of its power or insights over the years. This was the start of Ritchie's most productive period when he made several films that were both popular and critically acclaimed. You can find his sly wit and sense of critical drama in Smile (1975), The Bad News Bears (1976) and Semi-Tough (1978). By the 1980s, though, Ritchie's films focused less on social criticism and more on stars. The Survivors (1983) with Robin Williams remains under-rated but Ritchie-directed vehicles for Eddie Murphy (1986's The Golden Child), Bette Midler (1980's Divine Madness) and Chevy Chase (two Fletch films) didn't quite achieve their potential. Some of the old Ritchie spark and intelligence appeared in the made-for-cable The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom (1993) which earned him a Directors Guild Award. One of his final films was the long-awaited screen adaptation of The Fantasticks (1995) which partly brought Ritchie back to his theatrical roots.
ANN SOTHERN: 1909 - 2001
Actress Ann Sothern passed away on March 15th at the age of 89. Her film career spanned sixty years and included a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for The Whales of August (1987) and several Emmy nominations for her roles in the TV shows Private Secretary (1953) and The Ann Sothern Show (1958). Sothern was born as Harriette Lake in North Dakota. She made her first film appearance in 1927 in small roles (so small, in fact, that some sources omit any films before 1929) before deciding to work on Broadway instead. Shortly afterwards she signed with Columbia Pictures where studio head Harry Cohn insisted she change her name because there were already too many actors with the last name of Lake. So "Ann" came from her mother's name Annette and "Sothern" from Shakespearean actor E.H. Sothern. For most of the 1930s she appeared in light comedies working with Eddie Cantor, Maurice Chevalier, Mickey Rooney and Fredric March. However, it wasn't until she switched to MGM (after a brief period with RKO) and made the film Maisie (1939) that Sothern hit pay dirt. It proved enormously popular and led to a series of nine more films through 1947 when she moved into dramas and musicals. During the 50s, Sothern made a mark with her TV series but returned to mostly second tier movies in the 1960s and 1970s. Finally she earned an Oscar nomination for her work in 1987's The Whales of August (in which, incidentally, her daughter Tisha Sterling played her at an earlier age). Turner Classic Movies plans to host a retrospective film tribute to her in July. Check back for details in June.
The Golden Child
Brief Synopsis
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After a Tibetan boy, the mystical Golden Child, is kidnapped by the evil Sardo Numspa, humankind's fate hangs in the balance. On the other side of the world in Los Angeles, the priestess Kee Nang seeks the Chosen One, who will save the boy from death. When Nang sees social worker Chandler Jarrell on television discussing his ability to find missing children, she solicits his expertise despite his skepticism over being chosen.
Cast & Crew
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Michael Ritchie
Director
Eddie Murphy
Charles Dance
Charlotte Lewis
Victor Wong
Randall Cobb
Film Details
Also Known As
Golden Child
MPAA Rating
Genre
Adventure
Comedy
Fantasy
Release Date
1986
Distribution Company
Paramount Pictures
Location
New York City, New York, USA; India; Los Angeles, California, USA; Monmoth Lakes, California, USA; Tibet, China
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 34m
Synopsis
After a Tibetan boy, the mystical Golden Child, is kidnapped by the evil Sardo Numspa, humankind's fate hangs in the balance. On the other side of the world in Los Angeles, the priestess Kee Nang seeks the Chosen One, who will save the boy from death. When Nang sees social worker Chandler Jarrell on television discussing his ability to find missing children, she solicits his expertise despite his skepticism over being chosen.
Director
Michael Ritchie
Director
Cast
Eddie Murphy
Charles Dance
Charlotte Lewis
Victor Wong
Randall Cobb
James Hong
J L Reate
Charles Levin
Kenneth Frith
Roger Frost
Lead Person
Cliffy Magee
Tau Logo
Peter Kwong
Bindra Joshi
Randall Cobb
Kinko Tsubouchi
Chantara Nop
Phok Ok
Govind Chipalu
Wally Taylor
Bob Tzudiker
Frank Welker
Voice
Eric Douglas
Bennett Ohta
Jack Eberhart
Lead Person
Judy Hudson
Jeff Soo Hoo
Ron Packham
Pons Maar
Shakti
Marilyn Schreffler
Voice
Tiger Chung Lee
Crew
Ellen Adolph
Production Auditor
Greg Agalsoff
Boom Operator
Jim Alexander
Sound Mixer
Emin Aljuwani
Craft Service
Jess Anscott
Other
John A Armstrong
Animator
Carl Assmus
Other
Gordon Baker
Animator
Stewart Barbee
Camera Operator
Elizabeth Barrington
Stunts
John Barry
Music
Greg Beaumonte
Other
William R Beck
Visual Effects
Barry Bedig
Property Master
Rohinton Behramshan
Photography
Hans Beimler
Assistant Director
Pamela Bentkowski
Foley Editor
Irving Berlin
Song
Ray Bickel
Stunts
Cameron Birnie
Assistant Art Director
Simone Boisseree
Stunts
Mike Bolles
Other
Conrad Bonderson
Other
Tim Boxell
Technical Advisor
James T Boyle
Lighting Technician
Barbara Brennan
Rotoscope Animator
Sue Brooks
Assistant
Alexandra Brouwer
Assistant
Joseph Brown
Production Assistant
Kris Brown
Other
Robbie Buchanan
Song Performer
Robbie Buchanan
Original Music
Rob Burton
Animator
Jeff Cadiente
Stunts
Paul Calabria
Animal Trainer
Judy Cammer
Set Designer
Jeff Carson
Music Editor
Lanny Cermak
Other
Vartan Chakirian
Craft Service
Michael Chaney
Dolly Grip
Karen Chase
Stunts
Ken Chase
Makeup
Wade Childress
Photography
Phil Chong
Stunts
Terry Chostner
Camera Operator
Namita Chukherburti
Wardrobe
Robin Chukherburti
Property Master
Blair Clark
Other
John Clayton
Construction
Fetteroff Colen
Production Assistant
Michel Colombier
Song
Michel Colombier
Original Music
Michel Colombier
Music
Steve Conrow
Props
Al Contreras
Grip
Lane Cooper
Stunts
Kim Costalupes
Assistant Editor
Mario Costillo
Props
Juan Croucier
Song
Bob K Cummings
Stunts
Dan Curry
Consultant
Frank Davis
Production Assistant
Vincent Deadrick
Stunts
Warren Demartini
Song
Karin Dew
Animal Trainer
Mike Dobie
Sound Editor
Jeff Doran
Other
Karen Dube
Other
Christopher Duddy
Other
Sheila Duignan
Other
Larry Duran
Stunts
Cheryl Durham
Production Accountant
Randal M Dutra
Visual Effects
Pamela Easley
Effects Coordinator
Juno J. Ellis
Adr Editor
W Alexander Ellis
Assistant Director
Sue Ennis
Theme Lyrics
Julia Evershade
Sound Editor
Emil Farkas
Stunts
Scott Farrar
Camera Operator
John Paul Fasal
Sound Effects
Dennis Feldman
Coproducer
Dennis Feldman
Screenplay
Edward Feldman
Producer
Shari Feldman
Costumes
Wayne Finkelman
Costume Designer
Bob Finley
Pyrotechnics
Robert Finley Iii
Other
Joe Finnegan
Stunts
George Fisher
Stunts
Kenneth Frith
Production Assistant
Michael Fulmer
Visual Effects
Arish Fyzee
Assistant Director
Carlos M Gallardo
Grip
Donna Garrett
Stunts
Michael Gershman
Camera Operator
Mickey Gilbert
Stunt Coordinator
Troy Gilbert
Stunts
Danny Gill
Special Effects
Len Glascow
Stunts
Daniel C Gold
Assistant Camera Operator
Joyce Gordon
Props
Caroleen Green
Matte Painter
Judee Gustafson
Sound Editor
Shama Habibullah
Production Manager
Joanne Hafner
Rotoscope Animator
Jim Hagedorn
Camera Operator
Robert S Hahn
Camera Operator
Cecelia Hall
Sound Editor
Chris Hammond
Storyboard Artist
David Hanks
Camera Assistant
Kimberly Harris
Sound Editor
Richard A Harris
Editor
Orwin Harvey
Stunts
Thomas E Hayes
Lighting Technician
Toby Heindel
Camera Assistant
David Heron
Other
Joe Hicks
Grip
Robert Hill
Camera Assistant
Larry Holt
Stunts
Craig Hosoda
Other
Jeff Imada
Stunts
Ronald A Jacobs
Sound Editor
Yeti Jindal
Location Manager
John C Johnson
Production
Ralph Johnson
Lighting Technician
Dan Jordan
Grip
Rajesh Joshi
Photography
Sean Joyce
Matte Painter
Susan V Kalinowski
Hair
Jay Kamen
Adr Editor
Pamela J Kaye
Production Accountant
Ira Keeler
Visual Effects
Gary Kieldrup
Property Master Assistant
Bill Kimberlin
Editor In Chief
John Knoll
Animator
Brad Kuehn
Other
Ajit Kumar
Assistant Director
Ron Lambert
Color Timer
Gregg Landaker
Sound
Jim Lapidus
Costumes
Steve Laporte
Makeup
David Lebell
Stunts
Gene Lebell
Stunts
Carol Lefko
Casting Associate
Al Leong
Stunts
Victoria Lewis
Visual Effects
Ellen Lichtwardt
Animation Supervisor
James Lim
Camera Operator
Roger Lipsey
Props
Robert J Litt
Sound
Greg Luntzel
Photography
Tom Mack
Assistant Director
Mike Mackenzie
Other
Marvin March
Set Decorator
Tamia Marg
Other
Eddie Marks
Costume Supervisor
Kim Marks
Camera Operator
Dan Marrow
Transportation Captain
Robert Marta
Camera Operator
Antonio Martinez Garcia
Costumes
Bob Mayne
Transportation Captain
Patrick Mcardle
Camera Assistant
Matt Mccolm
Stunts
George Mcdowell
Production Assistant
Roberto Mcgrath
Photography
Pat Mcgroarty
Stunts
Bill Mcintosh
Stunts
Ken Mcleod
Technical Advisor
Charles R Meeker
Executive Producer
John C. Meier
Stunts
Sam Mendoza
Props
Eric M Miller
Stunts
Tawny Mobley-davis
Other
Patricia Mock
Casting
Craig Mohagen
Other
David Moll
Property Master
Jack Mongovan
Rotoscope Animator
Deborah M Morgan
Camera Assistant
Gary Morgan
Stunts
Jody Muggenthaler
Production Accountant
Claudia Mullaly
Visual Effects
G S Murthy
Cashier
Dawn Nallick
Stunts
Edward R. Nedin
Lighting Technician
Mark T. Noel
Special Effects
Kerry Nordquist
Photography
Peter Norman
Unit Director
Rod Nunnally
Art Department
Emmitt-leon O'neill
Assistant Director
Alan Oliney
Stunts
James Orendorff
Construction
Ken Orme
Property Master Assistant
Noon Orsatti
Stunts
Chris Oswald
Stunts
Chris Thomas Palomino
Stunts
Udo Pampel
Other
Michael Pangrazio
Matte Painter
Mark Pappas
Sound Editor
Lynda Paradise
Art Director
Film Details
Also Known As
Golden Child
MPAA Rating
Genre
Adventure
Comedy
Fantasy
Release Date
1986
Distribution Company
Paramount Pictures
Location
New York City, New York, USA; India; Los Angeles, California, USA; Monmoth Lakes, California, USA; Tibet, China
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 34m
Articles
TCM Remembers - Michael Ritchie
TCM Remembers - Michael Ritchie
Director Michael Ritchie died April 16th at the age of 62. A Wisconsin native, Ritchie studied at Harvard before succumbing to the attractions of the theatre. He started working in television during the 1960s where he directed episodes of The Big Valley and The Man from UNCLE among others. He moved into feature films with Downhill Racer (1969) at star Robert Redford's invitation and later directed Redford again in The Candidate (1972). The latter is a classic look at American political life that hasn't lost any of its power or insights over the years. This was the start of Ritchie's most productive period when he made several films that were both popular and critically acclaimed. You can find his sly wit and sense of critical drama in Smile (1975), The Bad News Bears (1976) and Semi-Tough (1978). By the 1980s, though, Ritchie's films focused less on social criticism and more on stars. The Survivors (1983) with Robin Williams remains under-rated but Ritchie-directed vehicles for Eddie Murphy (1986's The Golden Child), Bette Midler (1980's Divine Madness) and Chevy Chase (two Fletch films) didn't quite achieve their potential. Some of the old Ritchie spark and intelligence appeared in the made-for-cable The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom (1993) which earned him a Directors Guild Award. One of his final films was the long-awaited screen adaptation of The Fantasticks (1995) which partly brought Ritchie back to his theatrical roots.
ANN SOTHERN: 1909 - 2001
Actress Ann Sothern passed away on March 15th at the age of 89. Her film career spanned sixty years and included a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for The Whales of August (1987) and several Emmy nominations for her roles in the TV shows Private Secretary (1953) and The Ann Sothern Show (1958). Sothern was born as Harriette Lake in North Dakota. She made her first film appearance in 1927 in small roles (so small, in fact, that some sources omit any films before 1929) before deciding to work on Broadway instead. Shortly afterwards she signed with Columbia Pictures where studio head Harry Cohn insisted she change her name because there were already too many actors with the last name of Lake. So "Ann" came from her mother's name Annette and "Sothern" from Shakespearean actor E.H. Sothern. For most of the 1930s she appeared in light comedies working with Eddie Cantor, Maurice Chevalier, Mickey Rooney and Fredric March. However, it wasn't until she switched to MGM (after a brief period with RKO) and made the film Maisie (1939) that Sothern hit pay dirt. It proved enormously popular and led to a series of nine more films through 1947 when she moved into dramas and musicals. During the 50s, Sothern made a mark with her TV series but returned to mostly second tier movies in the 1960s and 1970s. Finally she earned an Oscar nomination for her work in 1987's The Whales of August (in which, incidentally, her daughter Tisha Sterling played her at an earlier age). Turner Classic Movies plans to host a retrospective film tribute to her in July. Check back for details in June.
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States Winter December 12, 1986
Released in United States on Video July 1987
Began shooting February 18, 1986.
Released in United States Winter December 12, 1986
Released in United States on Video July 1987
