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In Remembrance: Michael Blodgett
Michael Blodgett, who had a brief acting career was highlighted by a role in the cult classic Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls before becoming a novelist and screenwriter, has passed away on November 14, 2007 in Los Angeles, CA. He was 68.
Born September 26, 1939 in Minneapolis, Blodgett discovered acting while attending the University of Minnesota. He would move to Los Angeles where he earned a degree in political science from what is now Cal State Los Angeles. After a year at Loyola Law School, Blodgett dropped out to pursue acting professionally.
After a small number of television appearances, Blodgett had his first screen role in the 1965 rock and roll beach comedy A Swingin’ Summer. While he continued to work mostly in television, including hosting a weekly talk show in Los Angeles, he also made appearances in 1967’s The Trip and Catalina Caper. He also served as the choreographer for A Swingin’ Summer and Catalina Caper.
In 1970, Blodgett appeared in Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls as Lance Rocke, a manipulative gigolo involved with innocent all-girl rock band singer Kelly McNamara (Dolly Read). That year he also appeared with Kirk Douglas in the comic western There Was A Crooked Man.
Through the 1970s, Blodgett slowly withdrew from acting, turning his focusing to writing, penning the 1982 bestseller Captain Blood. He still managed to make appearances in such low budget affairs such as The Velvet Vampire (1971), The Carey Treatment (1972) and Disco Fever (1978).
Blodgett’s 1982 novel the Hero And The Terror was turned into a 1988 Chuck Norris film, with Blodgett adapting the novel for the screen with the help of co-writer Dennis Shryack. Blodgett also made his last screen appearance in the film in a small, uncredited cameo. Blodgett and Shryack also collaborated on the comedies Rent-A-Cop (1987) and Turner & Hooch (1989).
Blodgett also adapted his World War II novel The White Raven for the 1998 film version and wrote the screenplay for the 1991 mob movie Run. |