Literary manager | Producer | Ken Atchity: Charlie Matthau

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Shepherd University’s President’s Lecture Series Presents An Evening With Charlie Matthau April 22

SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — Shepherd University’s President’s Lecture Series will present An Evening with Charlie Matthau on Monday, April 22, at 6:30 p.m. in the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.

Matthau is a film and television director and actor and the son of actors Walter Matthau and Carol Grace. As a child, he appeared with his father in such films as Charley Varrick, The Bad News Bears, and House Calls. Matthau directed two movies that starred his father, The Grass Harp, based on a novella by Truman Capote, and the made-for-TV movie The Marriage Fool. He also directed Doin’ Time on Planet Earth, Her Minor Thing, Baby-O, and Freaky Deaky, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. Matthau’s newest film, The Book of Leah, based on a true story about a young Jewish teenager in the 1980s who learned to defend herself after a violent sexual trauma.

Alan Gibson, adjunct professor of French and Spanish, will lead an on-stage discussion with Matthau about what it was like growing up as Hollywood royalty, what he learned from his dad, and who his mentors were. Gibson and Matthau will discuss the current state of the film industry and how it’s evolved from the early days of Matthau’s career.

Gibson, who is an executive producer of The Book of Leah, has written three novels under the name A. B. Gibson—The Dead of Winter, Leave No Trace, and his newest thriller High Voltage. Gibson is also producer of The Seeding, a feature-length horror film currently in development with Matthau and based on The Dead of Winter.

For more information, contact Karen Rice, director of Shepherd’s Lifelong Learning program, at 304-876-5135 or krice@shepherd.edu.

An Interview with Charlie Matthau

2012 Tribeca Film Festival - Tribeca Talks: Freaky Deaky

Charlie Matthau has directed successful feature films in various genres and has also directed several network television projects. In addition to the critically acclaimed The Grass Harp, he has also directed Doin’ Time on Planet, Her Minor Thing, Baby-O, Freaky Deaky, and is in post-production on The Book of Leah which stars Armand Assante. A graduate of USC Film School, he has also produced and written several films. He has won several awards for directing including Best Director of the Year from The Academy of Family Films, and the AFI Platinum Circle award. He is currently developing Bodyguard of Lies, a World War Two thriller, and several other film and television projects including the limited series 1920: The Year of the Six Presidents based on the book by top historian David Pietrusza.

What are some of your earliest and most fond memories growing up with encouraging parents in such a creative atmosphere?

I was blessed to be raised by older and more mature parents. My father was 42 when I was born and he did not become really famous until I was about 4 years old. I think I benefited greatly from being raised by folks who were not overly consumed with their careers, or their success. My father enjoyed being a film star, but he also could see through the baloney of Hollywood.

What was it like to have Charlie Chaplin as your godfather? What was he like?

Charlie was very quiet and sensitive, and modest considering he was the greatest movie star in the world for many years, and practically invented motion pictures.

As a shy child what was the most difficult thing about being in front of the camera? How exactly did your father make acting more fun for you?

I never really enjoyed acting as I don’t enjoy being vulnerable and open emotionally. But when I acted with my father, he taught me that acting is listening. That helped me not be focused upon myself but instead be in the moment, and hopefully be more natural.

You have said he taught you that acting is about listening. Can you elaborate a little more on that? Do you think in today’s world people tend to listen less than they should in most circumstances?

What?…I absolutely do. When you are talking you are not learning.

How has being shy changed for you now as an adult vs as a child? Do you still sometimes struggle with that shyness?

I am still naturally shy, but as one gets older and gets life experience, you realize that engaging with others is not so scary and very little of what we do or say will matter in 100 years or even 100 minutes.

How did it feel to have the chance to work with your father and Carol Burnett on The Marriage Fool?

It was a joy. I am in awe of their talent, their chemistry and of what beautiful human beings they are, or in the case of my father, were.

How was it to work with Crispin Glover on Freaky Deaky? What is he like as an individual?

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Crispin since we both attended The Mirman School for Gifted Children in Bel Air California. We were both there for many years and even acted in the school play together. He is extremely smart, uncynical, collaborative and funny. I wish I could work with him on every project.

Who have been some of your favorite actors to have worked with so far? Have any been more challenging than the others?

There have been so many. Getting to work with my father and Jack Lemmon, Piper Laurie, Sissy Spacek, Mary Steenburgen, Joe Don Baker, Charlie Durning and all those wonderful actors on Grass Harp was a priceless experience I will always treasure. I’m glad the film turned out so well so that I did not embarrass them or waste their time. I recently worked with Armand Assante, and he is a world class talent and gentleman.

What do you think it takes create a piece of work that everyone involved in can be proud of?

It takes a good script, creating a safe, collaborative and fun environment, and a lot of luck.

Are you still planning to bring about The 1920 Electiontelevision series? Can you tell us a little more about that?

The election of 1920, the first modern election, is surprisingly similar to 2020. The main issues were isolationism, anti-intellectualism, terrorism, immigration, a presidential sex scandal, women’s rights, and the manipulation of new media to sway voters. In 1920, it was radio and in 2020 it is social media like Facebook. It was also the year we had our first woman president, Mrs Woodrow Wilson who ran the country for a year and a half when her husband had a stroke.

I understand The Book of Leah is almost finished as well. Why did you decide to work on that particular film at this time?

I was blessed to be hired to direct the film by its Producer and Writer Leslie Neilan. She wrote a beautiful story about a young woman’s coming of age that is extraordinarily sensitive and intelligent. Usually, the assignments that I get offered as a director are not of a high standard, but this was truly a gift and I am grateful to have had the opportunity. I got to work with amazing actors like Armand, Brianna Chomer, Kate Linder, Melanie Neilan, Morgan Lindholm, Gigi Freedman, Ornella Thelmudottir, Ty Olowin, Jimmy Van Patten and Freddie Cole, who is a jazz legend. I could listen to that man sing all day.

I also got to work with many nice crew people including the producers Ken Achity, Alan Gibson, Ellison Miller, Mark and Arlene Fromer and, for the 5th time, with my favorite DP and mentor John Connor.

Do you still work with the Maria Gruber Foundation? Can you tell us more about what it is they do there?

The Maria Gruber Foundation was started by my friend Simona Fusco. I was Simona’s first boyfriend and I’ve been bragging about it ever since. She named it after her beautiful mother who passed away from cancer but whose beautiful spirit lives on in Simona and her daughter Amber. Our government really needs to spend more on cancer research, because it kills a lot of its citizens.

Do you think it is important that those in a position to help others who are in need do so whatever way they can?

I sure do. Otherwise, really, what is the point of it all? I know certain people have really helped me through the years, and I’d be a disaster without them.

What projects do you hope to bring into existence in the years ahead?

My favorite project is Bodyguard of Lies which is the most amazing true story you have never heard of. It is about Juan Pujol, a failed chicken farmer who saved at least 14 million lives in the Second World War. You know, a good chicken farmer will do that for you.

Is there anything you’d like to say before you go?

Just that it is a pleasure to re-connect with you after several years. Thank you for remembering me and for your kindness and graciousness.

Filmmaker Charlie Matthau is close to finishing the independent feature The Book of Leah starring Armand Assante, which tells the story of a teenage rape victim who rebuilds herself as a karate fighter and seeks revenge on her attacker.

Brianna Joy Chomer plays Leah Gold, who after sneaking into a night

Getty Courtesy of Stan Rosenfield & Associates

club with her friends, is sexually assaulted in 1980s Chicago. The police do not take her case seriously, trying to blame Leah for being a minor, and the way she dressed. Her high-class family, embarrassed by the incident, sends Leah to a girls school, where she ultimately meets her uncle, played by four-time Golden Globe nominee Assante, who is a Holocaust survivor.

More than another female Karate Kid film, there are layers in The Book of Leah which echo a lot of what we’ve read lately about sexual assault; how alleged victims like Christine Blasey Ford and Patti Davis remained quiet about their incidents for several decades for many reasons. The Book of Leah puts a spotlight on the injustice that rape victim weather; the disbelief some face by those in authority after pointing a finger at their attackers.

In the film, Assante’s Adam Siegel forms a strong bond with Leah and builds her into a karate champ. Also starring in the pic is jazz singer and pianist Freddy Cole in his first feature role as a musical mentor to Leah, Kate Linder as Leah’s mother, Ty Olwin as the love interest, and Melanie Neilan as Leah’s friend.

Based on a true story, The Book of Leah was written by Leslie Neilan and Alan Roth. Neilan also produces with Kenneth Atchity. Matthau’s directorial credits include such pics as the 2012 feature take of Elmore Leonard’s Freaky Deaky starring Christian Slater, Billy Burke and Crispin Glover as well as 1995’s The Grass Harp based on the Truman Capote novel in which Matthau directed his Oscar-winning father Walter Matthau, Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie. The Grass Harp won best English Language Film at the 1996 Palm Springs Film Festival.

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Charlie Matthau talks about The Book of Leah, his father's inspiration and the Oscar race!

Listen to "THE OSCARS FILM DIRECTOR CHARLES MATTHAU" on Spreaker.

It’s The Oscars on TALKish, The Halli Casser-Jayne Show. Join Halli and director Charles Matthau for an Oscar celebration, February 28th, 3 pm ET.

The Oscars! Hooray for Hollywood and hooray for the Oscars! This year’s 90th Academy Awards is the subject of The Halli Casser-Jayne Show, Wednesday, February 28, 3 pm ET. Joining Halli at her table is director, writer, producer, actor, and raconteur, Charles Matthau.

He attended The Oscars when he was but a boy. Director Charles Matthau was weaned on film. His father was Academy Award-winning actor and comedian, Walter Matthau, best known for his role as Oscar Madison in The Odd Couple. Charles began acting when he was a kid; as a child he appeared in such films as Charley Varrick, The Bad News Bears and House Calls before at the ripe young age of 24, he turned to directing with The Grass Harp, from a novella by Truman Capote, and the made-for-TV movie The Marriage Fool. A graduate of the film school at the University of Southern California, Matthau also has directed Doin’ Time on Planet Earth, Her Minor Thing, Baby-O, and Freaky Deaky starring Christian Slater based on Elmore Leonard’s book, which Matthau also wrote. His latest film is The Book of Leah, starring Armand Assante currently in post production.

Film, Academy Awards, movies, actors, directors…it’s The Oscars on TALKish, The Halli Casser-Jayne Show. Join Halli and director Charles Matthau for an Oscar celebration, February 28th, 3 pm ET. The party takes place at Halli Casser-Jayne dot com.