Barry Levinson (Rain Man, The Natural, Diner) reflects on his first big break on the local Los Angeles comedy show, Lohman and Barkley, his early apprenticeship with Mel Brooks as a writer, and his working methods and philosophy, including the importance of improvisation on the set.
Barry Levinson began his career in Hollywood as a comedy writer and performer, winning two Emmys for his work on The Carol Burnett Show in 1974 and 1975. He went on to write Silent Movie (1976) and High Anxiety (1977) for Mel Brooks, then co-wrote the Oscar-nominated script ...And Justice for All (1979) with Valerie Curtin.
Levinson’s first foray into directing came with Diner (1982), which was the first of his Baltimore hometown-inspired films and garnered him another Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay. Next, Levinson directed The Natural (1984), followed by Young Sherlock Holmes (1985), Good Morning Vietnam (1987), and Rain Man (1988), which received four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, as well as a DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement. Levinson also directed the second installment of his Baltimore Trilogy, Avalon (1990) and Bugsy (1991), both of which earned him DGA Award nominations.
Other popular films he directed include the third of his Baltimore-inspired films, Tin Men (1987), Toys (1992), Disclosure (1994), and Wag the Dog (1997). He also produced and directed acclaimed television series like Homicide: Life on the Street (1993-1999) for which he won two Directing Emmys and a DGA Award nomination, as well as the Emmy and DGA Award-nominated movie for television You Don’t Know Jack (2010).
IMDB ProfileMeet the interviewer(s):Bob Balaban
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