Birdman of Alcatraz (film)
Birdman of Alcatraz is a 1962 American biographical drama film directed by John Frankenheimer and starring Burt Lancaster. It is a largely fictionalized version of the life of Robert Stroud, who was sentenced to solitary confinement after having killed a prison guard. A federal prison inmate, he became known as the "Birdman of Alcatraz" because of his studies of birds, which had taken place when he was incarcerated at Leavenworth Prison where he was allowed to keep birds in jail. When moved to Alcatraz, Stroud was never allowed to keep any birds.
| Birdman of Alcatraz | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster by Saul Bass | |
| Directed by | John Frankenheimer |
| Screenplay by | Guy Trosper |
| Based on | Birdman of Alcatraz 1955 book by Thomas E. Gaddis |
| Produced by | Harold Hecht Stuart Millar Guy Trosper |
| Starring | Burt Lancaster Karl Malden Thelma Ritter Neville Brand Edmond O'Brien Telly Savalas |
| Cinematography | Burnett Guffey |
| Edited by | Edward Mann |
| Music by | Elmer Bernstein |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
Release date |
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Running time | 143 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $2.6 million |
| Box office | $3 million (US/Canada) |
The film was adapted by Guy Trosper from the 1955 book by Thomas E. Gaddis. It was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Burt Lancaster), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Telly Savalas), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Thelma Ritter), and Best Cinematography, Black-and-White.