Known for movies

Short Info

SpouseGabrielle Taurek, Toby Carr Rafelson
MarkOften casts Jack Nicholson
FactAntalya International Golden Orange Film Festival, Antalya, Turkey [October 2009]


Bob Rafelson is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. He is best known for directing and producing the films Five Easy Pieces (1970), The King of Marvin Gardens (1972), and The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981).

Rafelson was born on February 21, 1933 in New York City, to a Jewish family. His father, Irving Rafelson, was a lawyer and his mother, Frances (née Goldman), was a homemaker. He has one sister, Barbara.

Rafelson was educated at Phillips Exeter Academy and Yale University, where he studied art and architecture. After graduating from Yale, he worked as a set designer for several years before moving into film.

Rafelson’s first film as a director was Head (1968), starring The Monkees. His next film, Five Easy Pieces (1970), was a critical and commercial success, and earned Jack Nicholson an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.

Rafelson’s other films include The King of Marvin Gardens (1972), The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981), and Black Widow (1987). He has also produced several films, including The Breakfast Club (1985) and Three Men and a Baby (1987).

Rafelson has been married three times. His first wife was the actress and singer Nancy Lee Andrews; they were married from 1956 to 1959. His second wife was the actress and screenwriter Toby Halbrooks; they were married from 1967 to 1970. His third wife is the producer Wendy Weisman; they have been married since 1983.

Rafelson has three children: two sons, Peter and Benjamin, and a daughter, Rebecca.

Rafelson’s net worth is estimated to be $40 million.

General Info

Full NameBob Rafelson
ProfessionActor, Film director, Film producer, Screenwriter, Film Editor
EducationDartmouth College
NationalityAmerican

Family

SpouseGabrielle Taurek, Toby Carr Rafelson
ChildrenPeter Rafelson, E.O. Rafelson, Harper Rafelson, Julie Rafelson
SiblingsDonald Rafelson

Accomplishments

AwardsPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series, New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director, New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Film
NominationsAcademy Award for Best Picture, Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, Golden Globe Award for Best Director - Motion Picture, Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Feature Film, National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director, Writers Guild of America Award for...
MoviesFive Easy Pieces, The Postman Always Rings Twice, The King of Marvin Gardens, Easy Rider, Black Widow, Stay Hungry, Blood and Wine, Mountains of the Moon, Head, No Good Deed, Man Trouble, The Last Picture Show, Poodle Springs, Tales of Erotica, The Mother and the Whore, The Last Movie, Brubaker, Alw...
TV ShowsThe Monkees

Social profile links

Marks

#Marks / Signs
1Often casts Jack Nicholson

Quotes

#Quote
1[In a 1981 interview] In '7, I said I'll be lucky if I direct ten pictures in my life. It looks like I'm on schedule.

Facts

#Fact
1Antalya International Golden Orange Film Festival, Antalya, Turkey [October 2009]
2Directed two actors in Oscar nominated performances: Jack Nicholson and Karen Black in Five Easy Pieces (1970).
3Serbia - tribute and Achievement Award. [2008]
4Tbilisi International Film Festival (Georgia) - tribute and Achievement Award. [2007]
5Kazmierek, Poland - Achievement Award. [2006]
6George Eastman House (Rochester, NY) - tribute. [2006]
7New York State Writers Institute (Albany, NY) - tribute. [2005]
8Guadalajara - retrospective tribute. [2005]
9Taormina BNL Film Festival - Achievement Award. [2005]
10Denver International Film Festival - tribute. [2004]
11Roger Ebert Overlooked Film Festival - Blood and Wine (1996). [2003]
12International Thessalonica Film Festival - tribute. [2002]
13Moscow Film Festival - tribute. [2002]
14Mar del Plata (Argentina) - tribute. [2003]
15Midnight Sun Film Festival (Finland) - tribute. [2000]
16Aspen Film Festival Tribute Award. [1999]
17Telluride Film Festival. [1997]
18San Sebastian Film Festival - retrospective tribute. [1996]
19San Sebastian Film Festival - Blood and Wine (1996) (international premiere).
20Venice International Film Festival - jury and tribute. [1983]
21Cannes Film Festival - The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981) (international premiere). [1981]
22New York Film Festival - The King of Marvin Gardens (1972). [1972]
23New York Film Festival - Five Easy Pieces (1970). [1970]
24Cartengra - Five Easy Pieces (First Prize). [1970]
25Edinburgh - Five Easy Pieces (1970) (premiere). [1970]
26Cannes Film Festival - Head (1968) and Easy Rider (1969) (international premiere). [1968]
27Festivals - invites and screenings:.
28Father of Peter Rafelson.
29He opened Belgrade Film Festival - FEST 2007.
30Co-created The Monkees, along with Bert Schneider.
31Nephew of Samson Raphaelson.

Pictures

Movies

Producer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Postman Always Rings Twice1981producer
Stay Hungry1976producer
The Mother and the Whore1973producer - uncredited
The King of Marvin Gardens1972producer
The Last Picture Show1971producer - uncredited
Five Easy Pieces1970producer
Easy Rider1969producer - uncredited
Head1968producer
The MonkeesTV Series producer - 49 episodes, 1966 - 1968 executive producer - 9 episodes, 1968
Channing1963-1964TV Series associate producer - 4 episodes
The Greatest Show on Earth1963TV Series associate producer - 2 episodes

Director

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Lionel Richie Collection2003Video documentary video "All Night Long"
No Good Deed2002
Erotic Tales - Porn.com2002Short
Afterthoughts2002TV Movie documentary
Poodle Springs1998TV Movie
Tales of Erotica1996segment "Wet"
Blood and Wine1996
Picture Windows1995TV Series 1 episode
Wet1994Short
Man Trouble1992
Mountains of the Moon1990
Black Widow1987
Lionel Richie: All Night Long1986Video short
Modesty1981Short
The Postman Always Rings Twice1981
Stay Hungry1976
The King of Marvin Gardens1972
Five Easy Pieces1970
Head1968
The Monkees1966-1968TV Series 6 episodes

Writer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Erotic Tales - Porn.com2002Short
Tales of Erotica1996segment "Wet 1995"
Blood and Wine1996story
Wet1994Short
Mountains of the Moon1990screenplay
Modesty1981Short
Brubaker1980story - uncredited
Stay Hungry1976screenplay
The King of Marvin Gardens1972story
Five Easy Pieces1970story
Head1968written by
The MonkeesTV Series 1 episode, 1967 written by - 1 episode, 1968
The Greatest Show on Earth1963TV Series writer - 1 episode
The Witness1961TV Series 1 episode
Play of the Week1960TV Series adaptation - 6 episodes

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Erotic Tales - Porn.com2002ShortMatty Bonkers
Leaving Las Vegas1995Man at Mall
Wet1994ShortRejected customer (uncredited)
Always1985Sam
Mora1982Gangster
Stay Hungry1976Man on Sidewalk with Painting (uncredited)
The Monkees1966-1968TV SeriesInterviewer / World's Oldest Flower Child / Narrator

Miscellaneous

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Witness1960-1961TV Series story editor - 3 episodes

Editor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Erotic Tales - Porn.com2002Short

Soundtrack

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Head1968writer: "Ditty Diego", "Get Tuff" - uncredited

Thanks

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Texasville1990special thanks
Days of Heaven1978special thanks

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Here Is Something Beautiful (Etc.Documentary announcedHimself
The Postman Always Rings Twice: Selected Scenes Commentary2014Video documentaryHimself
America Lost and Found: The BBS Story2010Himself
Five Easy Pieces: BBStory2010Video documentaryHimself
Reflections of a Philosopher King2010Video documentary shortHimself
Soul Searching in Five Easy Pieces2010Video documentary shortHimself
Sodankylä ikuisesti2010TV Series documentaryHimself
No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos2008DocumentaryHimself
Making the Monkees2007TV Movie documentaryHimself
The Making of 'Blood and Wine'2006Video documentaryHimself
El Magacine1999TV SeriesHimself
Who Is Henry Jaglom?1997DocumentaryHimself
De película1987TV SeriesHimself
Notre Dame de la Croisette1981DocumentaryHimself
Head1968Himself (uncredited)
The 19th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards1967TV SpecialHimself

Archive Footage

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Biography2007TV Series documentaryHimself
Hey, Hey We're the Monkees1997TV Movie documentaryHimself

Awards

Won Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
2005Taormina Arte AwardTaormina International Film Festival
1970NYFCC AwardNew York Film Critics Circle AwardsBest DirectorFive Easy Pieces (1970)
1967Primetime EmmyPrimetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Comedy SeriesThe Monkees (1966)

Nominated Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
2002Golden St. GeorgeMoscow International Film FestivalNo Good Deed (2002)
1996Golden SeashellSan Sebastián International Film FestivalBlood and Wine (1996)
1977WGA Award (Screen)Writers Guild of America, USABest Comedy Adapted from Another MediumStay Hungry (1976)
1972Silver RibbonItalian National Syndicate of Film JournalistsBest Foreign Director (Regista del Miglior Film Straniero)Five Easy Pieces (1970)
1971OscarAcademy Awards, USABest PictureFive Easy Pieces (1970)
1971OscarAcademy Awards, USABest Writing, Story and Screenplay Based on Factual Material or Material Not Previously Published or ProducedFive Easy Pieces (1970)
1971Golden GlobeGolden Globes, USABest DirectorFive Easy Pieces (1970)
1971Golden GlobeGolden Globes, USABest Screenplay - Motion PictureFive Easy Pieces (1970)
1971DGA AwardDirectors Guild of America, USAOutstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion PicturesFive Easy Pieces (1970)

2nd Place Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
1971Golden LaurelLaurel AwardsBest Producer-Director

Source: IMDb, Wikipedia

Write A Comment

Pin It