Brian G. Hutton

Brian Geoffrey Hutton (May 2, 1935 – August 19, 2014) was an American film director and actor. As a filmmaker, he was best known for directing the World War II action films Where Eagles Dare and Kelly's Heroes (1970).

In 1958, Hutton played a young gunfighter named The Kid in the episode "Yampa Crossing" of the western series Sugarfoot. The following year, he portrayed a remorseful defendant on trial for causing a traffic death in Alfred Hitchcock Presents (the episode "Your Witness"). Hutton played twins in an episode of Have Gun Will Travel as Adam and Sam M.

Hutton also taught acting at the Beverly Hills Playhouse, where he staged a production of The Connection that starred Robert Blake and was produced by Albert S. Ruddy.

Hutton then did Sol Madrid (1967) for producer Elliot Kastner. Kastner hired Hutton to direct Where Eagles Dare, from a screenplay by Alistair MacLean at MGM starring Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood. It was a huge success.

MGM hired Hutton to direct Clint Eastwood again in Kelly's Heroes. He was going to do Sleep is for the Rich for Kastner but it was never made. In November 1972, Martin Poll announced Hutton would direct The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing; the film ended up being directed by Richard C. Sarafian..

Retirement After Night Watch came out in 1973, Hutton stopped making films for seven years because he lost his enthusiasm for it:

Quote|text="It wasn’t something I wanted to do to begin with – not my life’s work... When I finished the second Elizabeth Taylor picture I thought, ‘Well, what am I wasting my life doing this for?' I mean, a gorilla could have made those movies. All I had to do was yell ‘Action’ and ‘Cut-Print’ because everybody was doing what they had to do anyway." Hutton then made High Road to China (1983), this time replacing Sidney J. Furie, with Tom Selleck.

Hutton retired from making films altogether 1980s by the end of the decade, and worked in real-estate.

Death He died in Los Angeles, California on August 19, 2014, at age 79, a week after suffering a heart attack. He was survived by his wife Victoria.

Appraisal Erin Free of FilmInk included Hutton in the publication's "Unsung Auteur" series, writing "Though not as driven to the task as most successful directors, Brian G. Hutton nevertheless helmed a number of excellent features, most notably a truly cracking Clint Eastwood double-shot with 1968’s Where Eagles Dare and 1970’s Kelly’s Heroes (....) Hutton imbued his films with something a little extra in terms of attitude and originality."

Filmography Director

Actor Film Year Title Role Notes1955 Good Morning, Miss Dove Student Uncredited1957 Fear Strikes Out Bernie Sherwill Gunfight at the O.K. Corral Rick Carnival Rock Stanley 1958 The Case Against Brooklyn Jess Johnson King Creole Sal 1959 Last Train from Gun Hill Lee Smithers The Big Fisherman John 1962 Geronimo Indian Scout Uncredited The Interns Dr. Joe Parelli

Television Year Title RoleNotes1956 Gunsmoke Joe Trimble Episode: "Custer"1957 Official Detective Branton Episode: "The Wristwatch" Perry Mason Rod Gleason Episode: "The Case of the Sulky Girl"1958 The Walter Winchell File Jerry Milner Episode: "The Bargain"1959, 1962 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Kenneth Jerome, Mitch Episodes: "Your Witness", "The Big Kick"1961 Rawhide Chandler Episode: "Incident on the Road Back"