About

Known credits:
24
Birthday:
1950-02-04
Place of birth:
Toronto, Canada
Website:
N/A

Bruce Pittman

Overview

Bruce Pittman (born February 4, 1950) is a Canadian television and film director best known for directing the 1987 slasher Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II.[1] He also directed the 1989 film Where the Spirit Lives, which won the Gemini Award for Best TV movie and numerous international awards.

He is a member of the Directors Guild of Canada[2] and the Directors Guild of America.

Early life and career

Born in Toronto, Ontario, on February 4, 1950. Pittman attended Park Lawn Public School, Royal York Collegiate and Kipling Collegiate in Etobicoke.[3]

In 1966, he made his first student film, which received an Honorable Mention at the Kodak Student Film Festival in Rochester, New York.[3]

That year he began working at the Odeon Humber Theatre learning every aspect of film exhibition.[3]

From 1968 through 1972 Pittman worked at Famous Players in their publicity department, Communikon a market research company which was a subsidiary of Paramount Pictures and Allan King Associates directing their independent film distribution. He also opened the Revue Cinema in Toronto.[3]

Pittman began professional filmmaking in 1971 with documentary films about other filmmakers: Freddie Young and John Frankenheimer. In 1974 with Elwy Yost and Jim Hanley he co-created and was Producer/Director of TVOntario's long running show Saturday Night At The Movies.[3]

Beginning in 1977 Pittman embarked on directing dramatic films with a series of half hour programs based on Canadian short stories one of which, The Painted Door, was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Live Action Short. In 1984 he directed his first feature The Mark Of Cain followed by Confidential and Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II which 30 years later has developed into a minor cult classic.[3]

Over the next 27 years Pittman directed 19 feature length dramas and mini series and 98 episodes of 27 series for 12 North American networks.[3]

His directorial work has resulted in 102 award nominations and 57 wins in Canada and internationally for his films.[3]

Since 2004 he has worked exclusively on 51 independent dramatic and documentary productions.

Known for

Directing
2012 The Last Movie Directing Director 59
Average
2003 Shattered City: The Halifax Explosion Directing Director 59
Average
2003 Alien Tracker Directing Director N/A
N/A
2000 No Alibi Directing Director 58
Average
2000 Stolen from the Heart Directing Director 59
Average
1999 The Secret Path Directing Director 59
Average
1999 Locked in Silence Directing Director 59
Average
1997 Flood: A River's Rampage Directing Director 58
Average
1997 To Dance with Olivia Directing Director 58
Average
1996 To Brave Alaska Directing Director 58
Average
1996 Undue Influence Directing Director 59
Average
1996 Captive Heart: The James Mink Story Directing Director 58
Average
1995 Harrison Bergeron Directing Director 59
Average
1994 Blood Brothers Directing Director 59
Average
1990 Where the Spirit Lives Directing Director 58
Average
1987 Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II Directing Director 58
Average
1986 Mark of Cain Directing Director 59
Average
1986 Confidential Directing Director 58
Average
1984 The Painted Door Directing Director 58
Average
1981 The Olden Days Coat Directing Director N/A
N/A

Writing
1986 Confidential Writing Writer 58
Average

Production
1978 Talking Film Production Producer N/A
N/A
1974 Reflections of Murder Production Production Assistant 59
Average

Editing
1986 Confidential Editing Editor 58
Average