Robert F. Colesberry
Robert F. Colesberry Jr. | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | February 9, 2004 | (aged 57)
Occupation(s) | Film and television producer; actor |
Years active | 1976–2004 |
Spouse | Karen L. Thorson (1992-2004; his death) |
Robert F. Colesberry Jr. (March 7, 1946 – February 9, 2004) was an American
Early life
Colesberry was born in Philadelphia.[1][2] Colesberry served as an artillery lieutenant in the Army in the mid-1960s.[2][3] Colesberry also briefly played baseball and operated a bar in Wildwood, New Jersey.[3]
Career
After being discharged from the Army, he attended
Colesberry began working on films in New York.[3] He was assistant director for Andy Warhol's Bad (1977) and first assistant director on Alan Parker's musical film Fame (1980).[2] Colesberry was then a producer for Barry Levinson's The Natural (1984), and Martin Scorsese's black comedies The King of Comedy (1982) and After Hours (1985).[3]
Colesberry received Oscar and
In 1999, Colesberry began his association with HBO as
In 2000, Colesberry created the HBO series The Wire, written by Simon and Burns.[3] Simon, Burns, Colesberry, and George Pelecanos were the "brain trust" of The Wire.[4] Colesberry had a recurring cameo on the series as homicide detective Ray Cole.[1][2]
Colesberry was posthumously awarded a
Personal life
In 1992, Colesberry was married to Karen L. Thorson; Thorson was also a filmmaker and producer on The Wire.[1]
Colesberry was a longtime resident of both New York City and Amagansett, New York.[5]
Death
Colesberry died in Manhattan at the age of 57 from complications following cardiac surgery on February 9, 2004.[1] Following his death, the Robert F. Colesberry Scholarship Fund for young filmmakers was established in his honor at the NYU Tisch School.[2][5] Colesberry was survived by his wife Karen L. Thorson; two sisters, Jean Brown and Christine Strittmatter; and 11 nephews and nieces.[2][3]
Colesberry's death occurred soon after his directing debut on The Wire second-season finale, "
Filmography
He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.
Film
Year | Title | Credit | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1976 | Little Girl... Big Tease | Associate producer | ||
1982 | The King of Comedy | Associate producer | ||
1983 | Baby, It's You | Associate producer | ||
1984 | Reckless | Associate producer | ||
The Natural | Associate producer | |||
Falling in Love | Associate producer | |||
1985 | After Hours | |||
1987 | Housekeeping | |||
1988 | The House on Carroll Street | |||
Mississippi Burning | ||||
1990 | Come See the Paradise | |||
1991 | Billy Bathgate | |||
1994 | Being Human | |||
The Road to Wellville | ||||
1995 | The Scarlet Letter | Co-producer | ||
1997 | The Devil's Own | |||
1998 | Long Time Since | Executive producer | ||
1999 | Ride with the Devil | |||
2001 | Peroxide Passion | Executive producer | ||
K-PAX | Final film as a producer |
- As an actor
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
1978 | Rockers | Tourist |
1984 | Reckless | Marine Recruiter |
1988 | Mississippi Burning | Cameraman |
1991 | Billy Bathgate | Jack Kelly |
- Second unit director or assistant director
Year | Film | Role |
---|---|---|
1977 | Andy Warhol's Bad | First assistant director |
Short Eyes | Assistant director | |
1980 | Windows | |
Fame | First assistant director |
- Production manager
Year | Film | Role |
---|---|---|
1976 | Little Girl... Big Tease | Unit production manager |
1979 | Boardwalk | Production supervisor |
1982 | The King of Comedy | Production manager |
1983 | Baby, It's You | |
1984 | Reckless | Unit production manager |
The Natural | ||
Falling in Love | ||
2001 | K-PAX |
- Soundtrack
Year | Film | Song |
---|---|---|
1980 | Fame | Lyrics: "Hot Lunch Jam" |
- Miscellaneous crew
Year | Film | Role |
---|---|---|
1977 | Thieves | Production coordinator |
1978 | The Wiz | Assistant production coordinator |
1983 | Copkiller | Production coordinator |
- Location management
Year | Film | Role |
---|---|---|
1977 | Nasty Habits | Location coordinator: USA |
1978 | Fingers | Location coordinator |
- Thanks
Year | Film | Role |
---|---|---|
2004 | A Dirty Shame | Special thanks |
Television
Year | Title | Credit | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1978 | Summer of My German Soldier | Associate producer | Television film |
1985 | Death of a Salesman | Television film | |
2000 | The Corner | Executive producer | |
2001 | 61* | Television film | |
2002−04 | The Wire | Executive producer |
- As an actor
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
2000 | The Corner | Judge |
2002−03 | The Wire | Det. Ray Cole |
- Second unit director or assistant director
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
1978 | ABC Weekend Special | Assistant director |
2003 | The Wire | Second unit director |
- Production manager
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2001 | 61* | Unit production manager | Television film |
- Soundtrack
Year | Title | Song | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1982 | Fame | Lyrics: "Hot Lunch Jam" | Uncredited
|
1983 | Un, dos, tres... responda otra vez | Lyrics: "S' Wonderful" "Hot Lunch Jam" |
|
1993 | Lo Kolel Sherut | Writer: "Pesha" |
- As director
Year | Title |
---|---|
2003 | The Wire |
- Thanks
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
2008 | The Wire | Dedicatee |
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Robert F. Colesberry Jr.; Producer for Film and Television, 57 (February 17, 2004), New York Times.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Robert Colesberry, 57; TV Producer Helped Create 'The Wire' (February 13, 2004), Los Angeles Times.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Robert F. Colesberry, 57, co-creator of "The Wire" (February 13, 2004), Baltimore Sun.
- ^ Brett Martin, Difficult Men: Behind the Scenes of a Creative Revolution: From The Sopranos and The Wire to Mad Men and Breaking Bad (Penguin 2013), p. 63.
- ^ a b Rafael Alvarez, The Wire: Truth Be Told, p. 247.
- ^ Jimmy J. Aquino, "Rock Box" Track of the Day: The Pogues, "The Body of an American" (February 5, 2011).
- ^ Alan Sepinwall, The Revolution Was Televised: The Cops, Crooks, Slingers, and Slayers Who Change (Simon & Schuster 2013), p. 83.
- ^ http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/crew/robert_f_colesberry.shtml HBO: The Wire: Cast and Crew: Crew Bio: Robert F. Colesberry - Executive Producer. Retrieved on May 21-2009.
External links
- Robert F. Colesberry at IMDb