Biography

Rick Schmidlin produced a Special Theatrical Edition of Elvis: That's the Way It Is (1970) for Turner Entertainment and Turner Classic Movies. This film was completely re-cut and remixed. Included in this new version are nine additional new musical performances and many personal moments of Elvis working with his band that have been never been seen before. It premiered before 2,500 screaming fans in Memphis on August 12, at The Orpheum Theater as the main theme of "Elvis Week 2000". During 1979 through 1980 Rick was the assistant light director at The Whiskey A Go Go on the Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood. Later as a lighting director Rick toured the U.S. and Europe numerous times with the bands X, The Blasters and The Cramps. In 1982 Rick produced music videos for the celebrated punk band X "Hungry Wolf" & "Motel Room" and later "True Love Part 2". Rick then developed a career in film full time and he became assistant to the producer on David Cronenberg's _Fly, The_ and location manager on the feature film Hoosiers (1986).

After working on those films Rick produced the long form home video The Doors: Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1987) which was voted #1 non-theatrical of 1987 by Video magazine. He also later produced four other major projects for The Doors and MCA Home Video including The Doors Collection (1999) - a special edition Laserdisc/ DVD. During 1987 Rick was personal assistant to Frank Zappa, helping him develop his video enterprise. From 1987-1992 Rick created 'Easyriders Video Magazine' - the first subscription based video publication and produced, directed and wrote 13 hour-long Harley Davidson videos.

One project Rick is very proud of is that he produced and directed two documentaries on the breaking of the motorcycle land speed record (322 mph) at the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, narrated by Peter Fonda.

In 1996 Rick produced The Third Mind (2000) narrated by Peter Coyote, which was the first original documentary ever commissioned for The Sundance Channel.

In 1998 Rick produced the re-edit of Orson Welles' Touch of Evil (1958) which premiered at the Telluride Film Festival and Toronto Film Festivals. He received special awards from The National Society of Film Critics, The New York Film Critics Circle, The Boston Society of Film Critics and The Los Angeles Film Critics Association for "scholarship and integrity".

In 1999 Rick produced the reconstruction of the Erich von Stroheim 1924 classic _Greed_ for Turner Entertainment and Turner Classic Movies. The American premier was at the Telluride Film Festival and the European premiere Venice Film Festival. Special presentation where at the Pordenone Silent Film Festival, Italy, The Berlin Film Festival and the Moscow International Film Festival. Rick received from The National Society of Film Critics their 'Film Heritage Award' and from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association a special award for a "meticulous reconstruction".

Rick is the only filmmaker to ever receive awards for two consecutive years from The National Society of Film Critics and The Los Angeles Film Critics Association.
- IMDb mini biography by: Sirrelyone@aol.com