Cameron Crowe

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Cameron Crowe
Crowe in 2022
Born
Cameron Bruce Crowe

(1957-07-13) July 13, 1957 (age 66)
Palm Springs, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Journalist, author, writer, producer, director, actor, lyricist, playwright
Years active1972–present
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1986; div. 2010)​
Children2
Websitetheuncool.com

Cameron Bruce Crowe (born July 13, 1957) is an American filmmaker and journalist. He has received numerous accolades including an

rock bands on tour.[1]

Crowe's debut screenwriting effort,

Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay
.

His later films have received varying degrees of success. He directed the psychological thriller

We Bought a Zoo (2011), and the romantic comedy Aloha (2015). He has directed the music documentaries Pearl Jam Twenty (2011) and The Union (2011), produced David Crosby: Remember My Name (2019), and created the Showtime series Roadies
(2016).

Crowe has written two books,

Broadway in 2022, for which he received a Tony Award for Best Original Score
nomination.

Early life

Cameron Crowe was born in Palm Springs, California. His father, James A. Crowe, originally from Kentucky,[2] was a real estate agent.[3] His mother, Alice Marie (née George), "was a teacher, activist, and all-around live wire who did skits around the house and would wear a clown suit to school on special occasions."[4][5][6] She worked as a psychology professor and in family therapy and often participated in peace demonstrations and causes relating to the rights of farm workers. Crowe's grandfather was Greek.[7] Crowe was the youngest of three children with two sisters; one died when he was young. The family moved around often but spent a lot of time in the desert town of Indio, California. Crowe commented that Indio was where "people owned tortoises, not dogs".[4] His family finally settled in San Diego.

Crowe skipped kindergarten and two grades in elementary school,[8] and by the time he attended Catholic high school, he was quite a bit younger than the other students. To add to his alienation, he was often ill because he had nephritis.[9]

Crowe began writing for the school newspaper and by the age of 13 was contributing music reviews for an underground publication,

University of San Diego High School in 1972 at the age of 15.[citation needed] On a trip to Los Angeles, he met Ben Fong-Torres, the editor of Rolling Stone, who hired him to write for the magazine. He also joined the Rolling Stone staff as a contributing editor and became an associate editor. During this time, Crowe interviewed Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Neil Young, Eric Clapton, Eagles, Poco, Steely Dan, members of Led Zeppelin and more.[10]
Crowe was Rolling Stone's youngest-ever contributor.

Career

1973–1976: Journalist with Rolling Stone

Crowe's first cover story was about the Allman Brothers Band.[11] He went on the road with them for three weeks at the age of 16; he interviewed the band and the road crew.

Because Crowe was a fan of the 1970s

Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Fleetwood Mac, and others. Former colleague Sarah Lazin described of the youthful Crowe: "He was a pleasure to work with, a total professional. He was easygoing and eager to learn. Obviously, the bands loved him." Then-senior editor Ben Fong-Torres also said of Crowe: "He was the guy we sent out after some difficult customers. He covered the bands that hated Rolling Stone."[12]

1977–1981: Film debut and breakthrough

Fast Times at Ridgemont High

When Rolling Stone moved its offices from California to New York in 1977, Crowe decided to stay behind. He also felt the excitement of his career was beginning to wane. He appeared in the 1978 film American Hot Wax, but returned to his writing. Though he would continue to freelance for Rolling Stone on and off over the years, he turned his attention to a book.[13]

At the age of 22 he came up with the idea to pose undercover as a high school student and write about his experiences. Simon & Schuster gave him a contract, and he moved back in with his parents and enrolled as Dave Cameron at Clairemont High School in San Diego. Reliving the senior year he never had, he made friends and began to fit in. Though he initially planned to include himself in the book, he realized that it would jeopardize his ability to capture the essence of the high school experience.[13]

His book, Fast Times at Ridgemont High: A True Story, came out in 1981. Crowe focused on six main characters: a tough guy, a nerd, a surfer dude, a sexual sophisticate, and a middle-class brother and sister. He chronicled their activities in typical teenage settings—at school, at the beach, and at the mall, where many of them held afterschool jobs—and concentrated on details of their lives that probed into the heart of adolescence. This included scenes about homecoming and graduation as well as social cliques and sexual encounters.[13]

Before the book was released Fast Times at Ridgemont High was

optioned for a film. Released in 1982, the movie version lacked a specific plot and featured no major name stars. The studio did not devote any marketing effort toward it. It became a sleeper hit via word of mouth. The reviews of Fast Times at Ridgemont High were positive, and the film ended up launching the careers of some previously unknown actors, including Jennifer Jason Leigh, Eric Stoltz, Judge Reinhold, Phoebe Cates, Anthony Edwards, Nicolas Cage, Forest Whitaker, and Sean Penn
.

1984–1992: Teen films

The Wild Life

Following that success, Crowe wrote the screenplay for 1984's The Wild Life, the pseudo-sequel to Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Whereas its predecessor followed teenagers' lives in high school, The Wild Life traced the lives of several teenagers after high school living in an apartment complex.

Say Anything...

Filmmaker James L. Brooks noticed Crowe's original voice and wanted to work with him. Brooks executive produced Crowe's first directing effort, 1989's Say Anything..., about a young man pining away for the affections of the seemingly perfect girl. Say Anything... was positively received by critics.

Singles

Crowe's next project, 1992's Singles, described the romantic tangles among a group of six friends in their twenties in Seattle. The film starred Bridget Fonda and Matt Dillon, where Fonda played a coffee-bar waitress fawning over an aspiring musician, played by Dillon. Kyra Sedgwick and Campbell Scott co-starred as a couple wavering on whether to commit to each other. Music forms an integral backbone for the script, and the soundtrack became a best seller three months before the release of the film. Much of this was due to repeated delays while studio executives debated how to market it.

Singles successfully rode on the heels of Seattle's grunge music boom. During production, bands like Nirvana were not yet national stars, but by the time the soundtrack was released, their song "Smells Like Teen Spirit" had to be cut from the film because it was too costly to buy the rights. Crowe had signed members of Pearl Jam, shortly before their burgeoning, nationwide success, to portray Dillon's fictional band 'Citizen Dick'. He also appeared in this project, as a rock journalist at a club. Tim Appelo wrote in Entertainment Weekly, "With ... an ambling, naturalistic style, Crowe captures the eccentric appeal of a town where espresso carts sprout on every corner and kids in ratty flannel shirts can cut records that make them millionaires."[14]

1996–2000: Established career

Jerry Maguire

Branching into a new direction, Crowe wrote and directed

Golden Globe for his role as Jerry.[20]

Almost Famous

In 2000, Crowe used his music journalism experience roots to write and direct Almost Famous, about the experiences of a teenage music journalist who goes on the road with an emerging band in the early 1970s. The film starred newcomer Patrick Fugit as William Miller, the baby-faced writer who finds himself immersed in the world of sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll, and Kate Hudson co-starred as Penny Lane, a prominent groupie, or, as the film refers to her, a "Band-Aid". Digging into his most personal memories, Crowe used a composite of the bands he had known to come up with Stillwater, the emerging act that welcomes the young journalist into its sphere, then becomes wary of his intentions. Seventies rocker Peter Frampton served as a technical consultant on the film.[21]

William Miller's mother figured prominently in the film as well (often admonishing, "Don't take drugs!"). The character was based on Crowe's own mother, who even showed up at the film sets to keep an eye on him while he worked.[21] Though he asked her not to bother Frances McDormand, who played her character, the two ended up getting along well. He also showed his sister, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, rebelling and leaving home, and in real life, his mother and sister Cindy did not talk for a decade and were still estranged to a degree when he finished the film. The family reconciled when the project was complete.

In addition, Crowe took a copy of the film to London for a special screening with Led Zeppelin members

Grammy Award
for the soundtrack. Despite these accolades, box office returns for the film were disappointing.

2001–2015: Career fluctuations

Vanilla Sky

Crowe followed Almost Famous with the psychological thriller

Alejandro Amenabar's 1997 Spanish film Abre Los Ojos (Open Your Eyes). Sofia is played by Penélope Cruz in both Amenabar's original movie and Crowe's remake.[26]

Elizabethtown

Toronto Film Festival 2005

In 2005, Crowe directed the romantic tragicomedy Elizabethtown, starring Orlando Bloom and Kirsten Dunst, which opened to mixed reviews,[27] scoring 45 on Metacritic

, the same as his previous effort, Vanilla Sky.

We Bought a Zoo

With production on Aloha delayed, Crowe set his next feature, the family comedy-drama

Jonsi.[30]

Aloha

Main article: Aloha (2015 film)

It was announced in early June 2008 that Crowe would return to write and direct his seventh feature film, initially titled Deep Tiki and Volcano Romance, set to star Ben Stiller and Reese Witherspoon, and to be released by Columbia Pictures. Filming was expected to begin in January 2009,[31] but this was postponed.[32]

The project resurfaced in 2013. Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone, Rachel McAdams, Alec Baldwin, Bill Murray, John Krasinski and Danny McBride joined the cast of the film; filming began in Hawaii in September 2013.[33] The film's final title was Aloha and it was released on May 29, 2015, by Sony Pictures to negative critical reviews.

2011–present: Career expansion

Music documentaries

In November 2009, he began filming a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the album The Union, a collaboration between musicians

Tribeca Film Festival.[34]

In an interview with Pearl Jam on March 9, 2009, bassist Jeff Ament said that their manager Kelly "has had the idea to do a 20-year anniversary retrospective movie so he's been on board with [film director] Cameron Crowe for the last few years."[35] The band's guitarist Mike McCready also stated in March, "We are just in the very early stages of that, . . . starting to go through all the footage we have, and Cameron's writing the treatment."[36] Preliminary footage was being shot as of June 2010.[37] A trailer for the movie, which featured Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder choosing between three permanent markers in a shop before turning to the camera and saying "Three's good... Twenty is better", was shown before select movies at the 2011 BFI London Film Festival. The film premiered at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival and also had an accompanying book and soundtrack.[38]

Television debut

Main article: Roadies (TV series)

On June 26, 2016, Crowe's comedy-drama series Roadies premiered on the Showtime television channel. The show, starring Luke Wilson, Carla Gugino and Imogen Poots, tells the story of a colorful road crew who work behind the scenes for a fictional rock band, The Staton-House Band. The pilot episode was written and directed by Crowe, as well as the series finale.[39]

Broadway debut

In 2019, he started writing the

Broadway run but was stalled due to the COVID-19 shutdown. The production ran at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on Broadway from October 2022 to January 2023 with 77 performances.[40] The musical received mixed reviews from critics.[41] Crowe himself received a Best Original Score nomination at the 76th Tony Awards.[42]

Unrealized projects

In 1997, it was reported that Crowe was in talks to direct a biopic about Phil Spector, with Tom Cruise in talks to portray him.[43] The film was to have been distributed by Universal Pictures.[44] Crowe stated in 2005 that the film was unlikely to be made due to Spector's murder of Lana Clarkson and conviction.[45] It has also been said that the film was never made due to the failure of finding a third act to the story.[46][47]

Crowe also attempted to make a biopic about Marvin Gaye titled My Name is Marvin.[48] That project fell apart in 2010 due to casting and budget issues.[49]

Works

  • Wilder, Billy; Crowe, Cameron (1999). Conversations with Wilder. Knopf.
    ISBN 978-0-375-40660-7
    .
  • Crowe, Cameron (1981). Fast Times at Ridgemont High: A True Story. Simon and Schuster.
    ISBN 978-0-671-25290-8
    .

Personal life

Crowe married Nancy Wilson of the rock band Heart in July 1986. Their twin sons were born in January 2000. Crowe and Wilson separated in June 2008 and Wilson filed for divorce on September 23, 2010, citing "irreconcilable differences". The divorce was finalized on December 8, 2010.[50]

Filmography

Film

Year Film Director Writer Producer Notes
1982 Fast Times at Ridgemont High No Yes No
1984 The Wild Life No Yes Yes
1989 Say Anything... Yes Yes No
1992 Singles Yes Yes Yes
1996 Jerry Maguire Yes Yes Yes Nominated - Academy Award for Best Picture
Nominated - Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay
Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Nominated - Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing
2000 Almost Famous Yes Yes Yes Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay
BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay
Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
Nominated - BAFTA Award for Best Film
Nominated - Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing
2001 Vanilla Sky Yes Yes Yes
2005 Elizabethtown Yes Yes Yes
2011 The Union Yes Yes Yes Documentary
Pearl Jam Twenty Yes Yes Yes Documentary
We Bought a Zoo Yes Yes Yes
2015 Aloha Yes Yes Yes
2019 David Crosby: Remember My Name No No Yes Documentary

As an actor

Year Film Role Note
1978 American Hot Wax Delivery Boy
1984 The Wild Life Cop #2
1992 Singles Club Interviewer
2002 Minority Report Bus Passenger Uncredited
2018 The Other Side of the Wind Party Guest Filmed in 1972

Music videos

Year Band Song Album
1983 Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers "Change of Heart" Long After Dark
1992 Paul Westerberg "Dyslexic Heart" Singles: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
1992 Alice in Chains "Would?" Dirt / Singles: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
2009 Pearl Jam "The Fixer" (live) Backspacer

Television

Year Title Notes
2016 Roadies
Showtime
series; also creator

Theatre

Year Title Notes
2019 Almost Famous Book and lyrics writer;
Broadway debut
Nominated - Tony Award for Best Original Score

Awards and nominations received by Crowe movies

Year Film Academy Awards
BAFTA Awards
 Golden Globe Awards
Nominations Wins Nominations Wins Nominations Wins
1996 Jerry Maguire 5 1 3 1
2000 Almost Famous 4 1 6 2 4 2
2001 Vanilla Sky 1 1
Total 10 2 6 2 8 3

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External links

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