Bob Rafelson, a well-known film director, writer, and producer, died yesterday at the age of 89. His wife, Gabrielle Taurek Rafelson, confirmed the news, confirming that he died on July 23 with his family by his side. Rafelson died as a result of his lung cancer struggle. Having stated that, no information about his funeral has been released.
The career of Bob Rafelson in the entertainment sector
Bob Rafelson began his career as a story editor on the TV show Play of the Week. In 1960, he authored an episode of The Witness, followed by The Greatest Show on Earth in 1963. Rafelson moved to Hollywood with his family in 1962 and began working as an associate producer on different television series and films. In 1965, after meeting producer Bert Schneider, the two founded Raybert Productions, with their first project being a TV program centered on a rock ‘n’ roll band. Rafelson’s escapades as a member of a band in Mexico inspired the program. The series, titled The Monkees, aired on NBC for two seasons. In addition, as producers, the team received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 1967.
Rafelson and Schneider then founded the record label Colgems and produced the feature picture Head. Jack Nicholson co-wrote the screenplay, and their subsequent cooperation resulted in a few more films such as Five Easy Pieces, The King of Marvin Gardens, and others.
Easy Rider, the second film produced by Raybert Productions, was released in 1969. Its success allowed the corporation to pursue more ventures. Schneider’s boyhood pal Stephen Blauner joined the cast, and the firm was renamed BBS Productions. Their successful oeuvre includes Five Easy Pieces, The Last Picture Show, and Hearts and Minds, the latter of which received four Academy Award nominations.
Rafelson went on to direct The King of Marvin Gardens, which was released in 1972. It was BBS Productions’ last feature, although it failed to match the popularity of Five Easy Pieces. Stay Hungry, a 1976 comedy-drama film based on a book by Charles Gaines, was Rafelson’s next project. In 1978, he began work on another picture, Brubaker, but was sacked after just 10 days.
Rafelson and Jack Nicholson maintained their relationship in 1981, appearing in films such as The Postman Always Ring Twice, Black Widow, Mountains of the Moon, Blood, and Wine, and others. He has contributed to the Los Angeles Times Magazine and John Brockman’s book The Greatest Inventions of the Past 2,000 Years.
Twitter users pay tribute
Bob Rafelson has received acclaim for his immaculate work as a film director throughout the years. Following his death, Twitter was inundated with tributes:
RIP Bob Rafelson: my favourite film of his was THE KING OF MARVIN GARDENS pic.twitter.com/XyiYJzqlAW
— Jesse Hawken (@jessehawken) July 24, 2022
RIP Bob Rafelson the producer who gave us Head
— Molly Lambert 🦔 (@mollylambert) July 24, 2022
