Bruce Malmuth

Bruce Malmuth (February 4, 1934 – June 29, 2005) was an American film and television director, best known for his work in the action and thriller genres. His works include the Sylvester Stallone-Billy Dee Williams film Nighthawks and the Steven Seagal vehicle Hard to Kill (1990), as well as several collaborations with fellow director John G. Avildsen.

Early life Malmuth was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Malmuth began making documentaries while serving with the U.S. Army Signal Corps, where he met baseball announcer Walter Red Barber. After his military career, Malmuth directed the New York Yankee games at WPIX radio before entering the film and television industry.

Career Malmuth was an award-winning director of commercials, earning multiple Clio Awards. His feature directorial debut was Fore Play, a sex comedy anthology film which he co-directed with John G. Avildsen, among others. Avildsen later recommended Malmuth to Sylvester Stallone, who hired him to direct his 1981 action-thriller Nighthawks, after the first director was fired. The film also featured Billy Dee Williams and Rutger Hauer in his American film debut.

Malmuth then directed The Man Who Wasn't There, a 3D comedy starring Steve Guttenberg, and Where Are the Children?, a thriller starring Jill Clayburgh, based on a Mary Higgins Clark novel. He directed episodes of the television series Beauty and the Beast and The Twilight Zone, and the Emmy-winning ABC Afterschool Special A Boy's Dream, which featured Darryl Strawberry. He also did second unit work for his friend John G. Avildsen on Happy New Year (1987).

In 1990, Malmuth directed the Steven Seagal vehicle Hard to Kill, which was a widespread commercial success and grossed $75 million from a $11.5 million budget. The same year, he wrote and directed the play Thanksigiving Cries with his son Evan, which starred a young Tobey Maguire. The play was produced by his brother and business partner Daniel Saul Malmuth, a Columbia Pictures feature film Producer and Development Executive.

Malmuth was the original director attached to the biker action film Stone Cold (1991), but was fired and replaced by Craig R. Baxley after two weeks, who scrapped most of Malmuth's footage and rewrote the script. According to its star Brian Bosworth, Malmuth "personal issues that he couldn't control which poured out on set." Multiple sources described the footage as "unusable." an executive for Columbia Pictures and second unit director.

Bruce Malmuth's parents were Selma Malmuth, a couturier fashion designer, and Jacob Malmuth, an attorney and chief of the New York State Insurance Department.

Bruce was married to Cynthia Ruth (Wapner) Malmuth, and spoke French, was a gourmet, body builder, painter, and practical joker.

Death On June 29, 2005, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Malmuth died at the age of 71 of esophageal cancer.

Filmography Director Year Title Notes 1975 Fore Play Segment "Vortex" 1981 Nighthawks 1983 The Man Who Wasn't There 1986 Where Are the Children? 1990 Hard to Kill 1994 Pentathlon Also story writer

Actor Year Title Role Notes 1983 The Man Who Wasn't There Fireplug Crusher 1984 The Karate KidRing Announcer1986 The Karate Kid Part II Where Are the Children? Restaurant Owner 1987 Happy New Year Police Lieutenant Also 2nd unit director 1989 Lean on Me Burger Joint Manager 1994 Pentathlon Erhardt