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Robert Wise 1914 – 2005

Robert Wise, director of The Sound of Music, died yesterday at the age of 91. The four-time Oscar-winner was reported to have suffered heart failure and passed away at the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Robert Wise was the very definition of the working director.

Not many people can claim they had their stamp on no less then three icons of American popular culture.

Robert Wise was one of those people.

His first major role came as an editor for the Orson Welles classic, and AFI rated #1 film of all time, Citizen Kane. Years later he won an Academy Award for the beloved musical, The Sound of Music, considered by many to be the greatest filmed musical of all time. Finally, he entered semi-retirement after directing Star Trek’s big screen debut.

I know that he directed far more films then the three listed above. In fact, two of my own personal favorites being The Haunting and The Day the Earth Stood Still. Although I rarely speak of him when I list my own artistic inspirations, I owe much to Robert Wise, as do most directors. Robert Wise was the perfect model of the director that could take any piece and make it into something special.

People claimed he lacked a distinct style. I disagree. His style shifted and changed to meet the mood of the script, of the actors. Very few directors can claim such ability.

Even fewer do so.

Rest Mr. Wise, you have more then earned it. I’m gonna’ go home tonight, pour myself a cold one and crank my West Side Story soundtrack until the neighbors are forced to sing along with me!