R.I.P. Horton Foote

COMMENTS (12)

• The real deal. Simple as that.

  Comment by Robert Kuhn — Wednesday March 4, 2009 @ 3:12pm PST  Reply to this post

• He wrote with and about character, with and about honor, with and about family. Remember when those things mattered?

  Comment by Nat Segaloff — Wednesday March 4, 2009 @ 4:04pm PST  Reply to this post

• A great writer. His Oscars came at a time when the awards were more based on talent than politics.

  He will be missed.

  Comment by savvydude — Wednesday March 4, 2009 @ 4:10pm PST  Reply to this post

• Had the pleasure to work with him. Humble and so lovely, capturing the world’s biggest ideas in the smallest of moments.

  Comment by Garbo — Wednesday March 4, 2009 @ 4:33pm PST  Reply to this post

• Not to be a cynic, but the line is even money that the Academy doesn’t include him in next years tribute….

  Comment by anonymous — Wednesday March 4, 2009 @ 4:46pm PST  Reply to this post

• He wrote a series of plays called The Orphans’ Home Cycle (and then The Young Man From Atlanta – which was sort of a sequel for which he won the Pulitzer prize). I think these are some of the best American plays ever written. Very simple and understated, but beautiful and powerful and epic. This is a sad loss.

  Comment by top6 — Wednesday March 4, 2009 @ 4:51pm PST  Reply to this post

• What a talent. Each of those films mentioned won their stars, consummate performers, Oscars (Peck/Duvall/Page). While winning an Oscar is proof of nothing, these are still three of the finest performances I can think of — detailed, intimate and contained but brimming with possibility. While all three are brilliant, the Page performance had me in tears in the theatre. What a counterpoint of character writing to what’s passing for character at the local cineplex.

  Comment by KR — Wednesday March 4, 2009 @ 5:14pm PST  Reply to this post

• Sorry to see him go. He was the reason I became a screenwriter. A sweet man and a great writer.

  Comment by Quinton Peeples — Wednesday March 4, 2009 @ 5:51pm PST  Reply to this post

• I met him when he spoke at a small film conference in Orlando in 2001. He was the most kind, soft-spoken, genuine guy. He said to write what you know — and as he said, who knew that his small town life would help him with To Kill A Mockingbird. That’s proof, right there. A stellar guy. God Bless, Horton!

  Comment by SJ — Wednesday March 4, 2009 @ 6:10pm PST  Reply to this post

• THE YOUNG MAN FROM ATLANTA is a superb play, and I found the Broadway production with Rip Torn and Shirley Knight unforgettable.

  Incredibly, this play has never even been produced in LA.

  Maybe not so imcredible….

  Comment by Dixon Steele — Wednesday March 4, 2009 @ 6:26pm PST  Reply to this post

• He could make you see eternity in the smallest moment. His art was simple and true. I am so grateful for his work and saddened there will be no more. I saw the divine in his characters.

  Comment by Lyn Greene — Wednesday March 4, 2009 @ 9:48pm PST  Reply to this post

• The gold standard.

  Comment by Qikfingers — Thursday March 5, 2009 @ 5:31am PST  Reply to this post