This year’s National Arts Club Medal of Honor Dinner paid tribute to Peter Bogdanovich, best known for his much-lauded 1971 film, The Last Picture Show, which garnered eight Academy Award nominations (including his own for Best Director) and won two for Supporting Actor and Actress.
American-born Bogdanovich, the son of immigrant parents who fled Nazi Europe, began his career in the 1950s, in front of the camera, after studying under Stella Adler. Bogdanovich also made a name for himself as a film writer and penned articles for Esquire before directing his first film, Targets, in 1968. Other Bogdanovich-directed films include: At Long Last Love, What’s Up Doc?, Paper Moon, Daisy Miller, and most recently, The Cat’s Meow. He now appears regularly in HBO’s The Sopranos as the analyst of Dr. Mel., the psychologist portrayed by Lorraine Bracco.
In his acceptance speech, Bogdanovich reflected on his nine-year relationship with Cybill Shepherd and how the press tore them apart. He shared with the crowd the advice he once received from Cary Grant: “You can’t go around telling the world you are happy and in love—‘cause the world isn’t and they don’t want to hear it.” Bogdanovich also thanked the late Dorothy Stratten and her younger sister, Louise, for “teaching him how to love.” Historic note: While having an affair with Dorothy, a Playboy playmate whom he was directing in They All Laughed, she was murdered by her jealous husband. The grief-stricken Bogdanovich later married Louise, a union which lasted 13 years, ending in 2001.
In the A-mix: Raymond Franza, Sean Lennon, Eric Stoltz, Cliff Robertson, Louise Lasser, Annette Insdorf, Ken Burns, Foster Hirsch, and The Sopranos’ Dominic Chianese, who was so inspired by the man of honor’s speech that he gave an impromptu toast to his co-star, some-time director, and pal. This is surely not “the last picture show” for this dedicated filmmaker....
