Josef Shaftel

American film producer, director and writer

Josef Shaftel (14 March 1919–9 March 1999) was an American film producer, director and writer. He made a number of films in England.^[1]

Shaftel was particularly prolific in the late 1960s and early 1970s.^[2] In 1970 he raised seven million pounds to film a slate of six movies for Cinerama.^[3] This included The Statue, The Last Grenade, Goodbye Gemini (originally called Ask Agamemnon), The Assassination of Trotsky and Say Hello to Yesterday.^[4]

In April 1972 Shaftel announced he would make sixteen films worth $20 million. However by April 1973 he was in receivership.^[5]

He declared bankruptcy in 1976.<ref."Film boss'£2 million debts". Western Daily Press. 18 March 1976. p. 3.</ref>

Selected credits

Film

The Man Who Watched Trains Go By (1952) aka The Paris Express - producer
The Naked Dawn (1955) - producer
No Place to Hide (1956) - producer, director
The Naked Hills (1956) - producer, director, writer
The Biggest Bundle of Them All (1968) - producer, story^[6]
The Bliss of Mrs Blossom (1968) - producer, story
The Last Grenade (1970) - producer
Goodbye Gemini (1970) - producer
Say Hello to Yesterday (1971) - producer
The Statue (1971) - producer
The Trojan Women (1971) - executive producer
The Assassination of Trotsky (1972) - executive producer
Where Does It Hurt? (1972) - executive producer
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1972) - executive producer
The Spiral Staircase (1975) - executive producer
The Sell-Out (1976) - producer
Gulliver's Travels (1977) - executive producer
Erotic Images (1983) - executive producer
My Therapist (1983) - executive producer

Television

The Californians (1957) - writer
General Electric Theatre - producer
The Untouchables (1959-61) - producer
US Steel Hour (1961) - producer
Straightaway (1961–1962 television series) - producer
The Beachcomber (1962) - producer
Summer Playhouse (1964) - producer

References

^ "Shaftel to do Don Giovanni". Variety. 23 April 1952. p. 13.
^ A. H. WEILER. (Jan 1, 1967). "'Sister George' Preens for the Movies: More About Movie Matters". The New York Times. p. 63.
^ Day-Lewis, Sean (8 January 1970). "Title Producer's £7m 'films in Britain' plan". Daily Telegraph. p. 16.
^ Day-Lewis, Sean (8 January 1970). "Title Producer's £7m 'films in Britain' plan". Daily Telegraph. p. 16.
^ Walker, Alexander (1985). National heroes : British cinema in the seventies and eighties. Harrap. p. 126.
^ p. 19i Annakin, Ken so You Wanna Be a Director? Tomahawk Press 2001