Norman Mailer

Acting

Norman Mailer

Born January 31, 1923 · Long Branch, New Jersey, USA

Died November 10, 2007 · aged 84

Norman Kingsley Mailer (January 31, 1923 – November 10, 2007) was an American novelist, journalist, essayist, playwright, activist, filmmaker and actor. In a career spanning over six decades, Mailer had 11 best-selling books, at least one in each of the seven decades after World War II—more than any other post-war American writer. His novel The Naked and the Dead was published in 1948 and brought…

Known For

Inside Deep ThroatInside Deep Throat · 2005
Inside Deep Throat
6.42005
MovieDocumentary
In 1972, a seemingly typical shoestring budget pornographic film was made in a Florida hotel: "Deep Throat," starring Linda Lovelace. This film would surpass the wildest expectation of everyone involved to become one of the most successful independent films of all time. It caught the public imagination which met the spirit of the times, even as the self-appointed guardians of public morality struggled to suppress it, and created, for a brief moment, a possible future where sexuality in film had a bold artistic potential. This film covers the story of the making of this controversial film, its stunning success, its hysterical opposition along with its dark side of mob influence and allegations of the on set mistreatment of the film's star.
Empire CityEmpire City · 1985
Empire City
9.01985
MovieDocumentaryHistory
A film essay contrasting the modern metropolis with its "golden age" from 1830-1930, with the participation of some of New York's leading political and cultural figures. Made at a time when the city was experiencing unprecedented real estate development on the one hand and unforeseen displacement of population and deterioration on the other. Empire City is the story of two New Yorks. The film explores the precarious coexistence of the service-based midtown Manhattan corporate headquarters with the peripheral New York of undereducated minorities living in increasing alienation.
The OutsiderThe Outsider · 2005
The Outsider
6.82005
MovieDocumentary
Nicholas Jarecki follows director James Toback on the 12-day shoot of his thriller, When Will I Be Loved -- a movie made without a script or distribution deal.
Hello Actors StudioHello Actors Studio · 1988
Hello Actors Studio
6.71988
MovieDocumentary
After Lee Strasberg’s death in 1982, the most prestigious talents from the Actors Studio assumed the leadership of this exceptional organization. For the first time ever, filmmakers have been allowed to film their work.
Best of EnemiesBest of Enemies · 2015
Best of Enemies
7.22015
MovieDocumentaryHistory
A documentary about the legendary series of nationally televised debates in 1968 between two great public intellectuals, the liberal Gore Vidal and the conservative William F. Buckley Jr. Intended as commentary on the issues of their day, these vitriolic and explosive encounters came to define the modern era of public discourse in the media, marking the big bang moment of our contemporary media landscape when spectacle trumped content and argument replaced substance. Best of Enemies delves into the entangled biographies of these two great thinkers, and luxuriates in the language and the theater of their debates, begging the question, "What has television done to the way we discuss politics in our democracy today?"
When We Were KingsWhen We Were Kings · 1996
When We Were Kings
7.61996
MovieDocumentary
It's 1974. Muhammad Ali is 32 and thought by many to be past his prime. George Foreman is ten years younger and the heavyweight champion of the world. Promoter Don King wants to make a name for himself and offers both fighters five million dollars apiece to fight one another, and when they accept, King has only to come up with the money. He finds a willing backer in Mobutu Sese Suko, the dictator of Zaire, and the "Rumble in the Jungle" is set, including a musical festival featuring some of America's top black performers, like James Brown and B.B. King.
Cremaster 2Cremaster 2 · 1999
Cremaster 2
6.31999
MovieFantasyHorror
CREMASTER 2 is rendered as a gothic Western that introduces conflict into the system. On the biological level it corresponds to the phase of fetal development during which sexual division begins. In Matthew Barney's abstraction of this process, the system resists partition and tries to remain in the state of equilibrium imagined in Cremaster 1.
RagtimeRagtime · 1981
Ragtime
7.01981
MovieDramaHistory
A young black pianist becomes embroiled in the lives of an upper-class white family set among the racial tensions, infidelity, violence, and other nostalgic events in early 1900s New York City.

Movies

Inside Deep ThroatInside Deep Throat · 2005
Inside Deep Throat
6.42005
MovieDocumentary
In 1972, a seemingly typical shoestring budget pornographic film was made in a Florida hotel: "Deep Throat," starring Linda Lovelace. This film would surpass the wildest expectation of everyone involved to become one of the most successful independent films of all time. It caught the public imagination which met the spirit of the times, even as the self-appointed guardians of public morality struggled to suppress it, and created, for a brief moment, a possible future where sexuality in film had a bold artistic potential. This film covers the story of the making of this controversial film, its stunning success, its hysterical opposition along with its dark side of mob influence and allegations of the on set mistreatment of the film's star.
Empire CityEmpire City · 1985
Empire City
9.01985
MovieDocumentaryHistory
A film essay contrasting the modern metropolis with its "golden age" from 1830-1930, with the participation of some of New York's leading political and cultural figures. Made at a time when the city was experiencing unprecedented real estate development on the one hand and unforeseen displacement of population and deterioration on the other. Empire City is the story of two New Yorks. The film explores the precarious coexistence of the service-based midtown Manhattan corporate headquarters with the peripheral New York of undereducated minorities living in increasing alienation.
The OutsiderThe Outsider · 2005
The Outsider
6.82005
MovieDocumentary
Nicholas Jarecki follows director James Toback on the 12-day shoot of his thriller, When Will I Be Loved -- a movie made without a script or distribution deal.
Hello Actors StudioHello Actors Studio · 1988
Hello Actors Studio
6.71988
MovieDocumentary
After Lee Strasberg’s death in 1982, the most prestigious talents from the Actors Studio assumed the leadership of this exceptional organization. For the first time ever, filmmakers have been allowed to film their work.
Best of EnemiesBest of Enemies · 2015
Best of Enemies
7.22015
MovieDocumentaryHistory
A documentary about the legendary series of nationally televised debates in 1968 between two great public intellectuals, the liberal Gore Vidal and the conservative William F. Buckley Jr. Intended as commentary on the issues of their day, these vitriolic and explosive encounters came to define the modern era of public discourse in the media, marking the big bang moment of our contemporary media landscape when spectacle trumped content and argument replaced substance. Best of Enemies delves into the entangled biographies of these two great thinkers, and luxuriates in the language and the theater of their debates, begging the question, "What has television done to the way we discuss politics in our democracy today?"
When We Were KingsWhen We Were Kings · 1996
When We Were Kings
7.61996
MovieDocumentary
It's 1974. Muhammad Ali is 32 and thought by many to be past his prime. George Foreman is ten years younger and the heavyweight champion of the world. Promoter Don King wants to make a name for himself and offers both fighters five million dollars apiece to fight one another, and when they accept, King has only to come up with the money. He finds a willing backer in Mobutu Sese Suko, the dictator of Zaire, and the "Rumble in the Jungle" is set, including a musical festival featuring some of America's top black performers, like James Brown and B.B. King.
Cremaster 2Cremaster 2 · 1999
Cremaster 2
6.31999
MovieFantasyHorror
CREMASTER 2 is rendered as a gothic Western that introduces conflict into the system. On the biological level it corresponds to the phase of fetal development during which sexual division begins. In Matthew Barney's abstraction of this process, the system resists partition and tries to remain in the state of equilibrium imagined in Cremaster 1.
RagtimeRagtime · 1981
Ragtime
7.01981
MovieDramaHistory
A young black pianist becomes embroiled in the lives of an upper-class white family set among the racial tensions, infidelity, violence, and other nostalgic events in early 1900s New York City.
The Naked and the DeadThe Naked and the Dead · 1958
The Naked and the Dead
5.81958
MovieDramaWar
Fighting men in World War II learn the value of courage and quickness at the risk of losing their lives.
Tough Guys Don't DanceTough Guys Don't Dance · 1987
Tough Guys Don't Dance
4.71987
MovieComedyCrime
Tim Madden awakens one morning to discover a fresh tattoo on his arm, his car covered in blood, his girlfriend in bed with the town sheriff, and a woman's severed head in his weed stash. Sensing a setup and in desperate need to clear his name, he begins an investigation that soon begins to expose a web of corruption in the small coastal community of Provincetown.
An American DreamAn American Dream · 1966
An American Dream
5.01966
MovieDramaThriller
Stephen Rojack is a decorated war vet who has now found success as an outspoken television personality. During a vicious argument with his wife, Deborah, Stephen snaps and pushes her from his high-rise apartment to her death. He manages to convince the authorities that she killed herself, then reignites an old affair with singer Cherry McMahon -- which doesn't sit well with her jealous mobster boyfriend, Nicky.
Mailer on MailerMailer on Mailer · 2000
Mailer on Mailer
5.02000
MovieDocumentary
Norman Mailer frankly discusses American culture, politics, literature, and his own tumultuous life.
The 50 Year ArgumentThe 50 Year Argument · 2014
The 50 Year Argument
6.62014
MovieDocumentary
Follows the waves of literary, political, and cultural history as charted by the The New York Review of Books, America’s leading journal of ideas for over 50 years. Provocative, idiosyncratic and incendiary, the film weaves rarely seen archival material, contributor interviews, excerpts from writings by such icons as James Baldwin, Gore Vidal, and Joan Didion along with original verité footage filmed in the Review’s West Village offices.
American TragedyAmerican Tragedy · 2000
American Tragedy
5.82000
MovieDramaCrime
Johnnie Cochran defends O.J. Simpson who is on trial for his wife's murder.
The Capote TapesThe Capote Tapes · 2021
The Capote Tapes
5.92021
MovieDocumentaryHistory
A portrait of the brilliant American writer Truman Capote (1924-84) and the New York high society of his time.
365 Day Project365 Day Project · 2007
365 Day Project
10.02007
MovieDocumentary
This exhibition focuses on Jonas Mekas’ 365 Day Project, a succession of films and videos in calendar form. Every day as of January 1st, 2007 and for an entire year, as indicated in the title, a large public (the artist's friends, as well as unknowns) were invited to view a diary of short films of various lengths (from one to twenty minutes) on the Internet. A movie was posted each day, adding to the previously posted pieces, resulting altogether in nearly thirty-eight hours of moving images.
The Life and Times of Allen GinsbergThe Life and Times of Allen Ginsberg · 1994
The Life and Times of Allen Ginsberg
5.71994
MovieDocumentary
Visionary, radical, spiritual seeker, renowned poet, founding member of a major literary movement, champion of human rights, Buddhist, political activist and teacher. Extensive archival footage, interviews, and home movies cover Allen Ginsberg's life, activism, and influence on American culture through the Beat era, the 1960s, and beyond.
Year of the WomanYear of the Woman · 1973
Year of the Woman
9.01973
MovieDocumentary
Utitlising humour, fantasy, animation, poetry and theatrics, Hochman and her crew challenge the male establishment for ignoring the first meeting of the National Women's Political Caucus and Shirley Chisholm's bid for US vice-president.
Master Spy: The Robert Hanssen StoryMaster Spy: The Robert Hanssen Story · 2002
Master Spy: The Robert Hanssen Story
4.82002
MovieDramaTV Movie
True story about the cat and mouse game between the FBI trying to find a Soviet mole in their ranks and Robert Hanssen, one of the top FBI agents and said mole
The Executioner's SongThe Executioner's Song · 1982
The Executioner's Song
5.81982
MovieCrimeDrama
In this fact-based made-for TV film, Gary Gilmore, an Indiana man who just finished serving a lengthy stay in prison, tries to start anew by moving to Utah. Before long, Gary begins an ill-advised romance with the troubled Nicole Baker, a teenage single mother. As their relationship quickly deteriorates, Gary goes on a murderous rampage, leaving two dead. During his trial, he demands capital punishment; a media circus ensues and outsiders look to profit from his story.
Chytilová Versus FormanChytilová Versus Forman · 1981
Chytilová Versus Forman
8.01981
MovieDocumentary
An intellectual match between two dramatically different artists, one permanently unsure and frustrated and questioning everything, the other an astonishing storyteller perfectly at peace, unacquainted with introspection and reliant on intuition.
The Education of Gore VidalThe Education of Gore Vidal · 2003
The Education of Gore Vidal
8.72003
MovieDocumentary
A contrarian and wickedly funny man, this PBS American Masters special explores Gore Vidal's extraordinary life and work, joining him at his cliff-side villa in Ravello, Italy.
Marilyn: The Untold StoryMarilyn: The Untold Story · 1980
Marilyn: The Untold Story
6.91980
MovieDramaHistory
The story of the life and times of the legendary Hollywood blonde bombshell, Marilyn Monroe, from her meteoric rise to stardom to her marriages and untimely death.
King LearKing Lear · 1988
King Lear
6.51988
MovieComedyDrama
A descendant of Shakespeare tries to restore his plays in a world rebuilding itself after the Chernobyl catastrophe obliterates most of human civilization.

TV Shows

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson · 1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
7.51962
Series
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under The Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night. For its first ten years, Carson's Tonight Show was based in New York City with occasional trips to Burbank, California; in May 1972, the show moved permanently to Burbank, California. In 2002, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was ranked #12 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.
Gilmore GirlsGilmore Girls · 2000
Gilmore Girls
7.92000
SeriesComedyDrama
Set in the charming town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut, the series follows the captivating lives of Lorelai and Rory Gilmore, a mother/daughter pair who have a relationship most people only dream of.
ApostrophesApostrophes · 1975
Apostrophes
8.51975
Series
Apostrophes was a live, weekly, literary, prime-time, talk show on French television created and hosted by Bernard Pivot. It ran for fifteen years (724 episodes) from January 10, 1975, to June 22, 1990, and was one of the most watched shows on French television (around 6 million regular viewers). It was broadcast on Friday nights on the channel France 2 (which was called "Antenne 2" from 1975 to 1992). The hourlong show was devoted to books, authors and literature. The format varied between one-on-one interviews with a single author and open discussions between four or five authors.
The Merv Griffin ShowThe Merv Griffin Show · 1962
The Merv Griffin Show
6.61962
Series
NDR Talk ShowNDR Talk Show · 1979
NDR Talk Show
6.61979
Series
TodayToday · 1952
Today
5.71952
Series
Today is a daily American morning television show that airs on NBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It was the first of its genre on American television and in the world, and is the fifth-longest running American television series. Originally a two-hour program on weekdays, it expanded to Sundays in 1987 and Saturdays in 1992. The weekday broadcast expanded to three hours in 2000, and to four hours in 2007. Today's dominance was virtually unchallenged by the other networks until the late 1980s, when it was overtaken by ABC's Good Morning America. Today retook the Nielsen ratings lead the week of December 11, 1995, and held onto that position for 852 consecutive weeks until the week of April 9, 2012, when it was beaten by Good Morning America yet again. In 2002, Today was ranked #17 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest Television Shows of All Time.
The Dick Cavett ShowThe Dick Cavett Show · 1968
The Dick Cavett Show
6.81968
Series
The Dick Cavett Show has been the title of several talk shows hosted by Dick Cavett on various television networks.
The OscarsThe Oscars · 1953
The Oscars
7.01953
Series
An annual American awards ceremony honoring cinematic achievements in the film industry. The various category winners are awarded a copy of a statuette, officially the Academy Award of Merit, that is better known by its nickname Oscar.
PBS News HourPBS News Hour · 1975
PBS News Hour
5.71975
Series
America's first and longest running hour-long nightly news broadcast known for its in-depth coverage of issues and current events.
maybrit illnermaybrit illner · 1999
maybrit illner
9.01999
Series
Political talk show on current topics presented by Maybrit Illner.
The David Susskind ShowThe David Susskind Show · 1959
The David Susskind Show
7.01959
Series
The David Susskind Show is an American television talk show hosted by David Susskind. The program began its existence in 1958 as Open End, and was broadcast by WNTA-TV in New York City. The title referred to the fact that the program continued until Susskind or his guests were too tired to continue late on a Sunday night.
Master Spy: The Robert Hanssen StoryMaster Spy: The Robert Hanssen Story · 2002
Master Spy: The Robert Hanssen Story
2002
SeriesDrama
True story about the cat and mouse game between the FBI trying to find a Soviet mole in their ranks and Robert Hanssen, one of the top FBI agents and said mole
The Executioner's SongThe Executioner's Song · 1982
The Executioner's Song
1982
SeriesDrama
The Executioner’s Song first aired in 1982, as a two-part miniseries on NBC (188 minutes overall), earning an Emmy nomination for Norman Mailer, and an Emmy win for star Tommy Lee Jones, who played convicted murderer Gary Gilmore. Divided into two parts: the story of the days leading up to Gilmore’s crime spree, and the story of the days leading up to the firing squad.