Marion Dougherty

Marion Caroline Dougherty (February 9, 1923 – December 4, 2011) was an American casting director. She is known for casting films such as The World of Henry Orient, Midnight Cowboy, Me, Natalie, Panic in Needle Park, Grease, Urban Cowboy, The World According to Garp, and Batman.

Marion Dougherty is also the primary subject of Casting By, a 2012 documentary, combining over 230 interviews, extensive archival footage, animated stills and documents to tell her untold tale. Dedicated to her memory, Dougherty died before the film's release.

Biography

Dougherty attended Penn State University, where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta. Dougherty's career in the performing arts began when, after graduating from Penn State in 1943, she had a brief stint working at the Cleveland Playhouse as an actress. She then moved to New York City, just as live television was becoming mainstream. She was making window displays at the Bergdorf Goodman Building when a fellow Penn State alum, who had been recently hired into the casting department at Kraft Television Theatre, hired her as an assistant.

In 1991, many prominent filmmakers and actors, including Clint Eastwood, Woody Allen and Al Pacino, attempted to convince the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to grant an honorary award to Dougherty. Unfortunately this dream of recognizing her was never accomplished, before her death in 2011.

Career

After working at the Kraft Television Theatre, Dougherty moved on to another television series, Naked City, where she gave Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman their first acting credits. While working on this show and another, Route 66, Marion was able to feature many notable guest stars such as Tina Louise, Michael Parks, Jean Stapleton, Jessica Walter, William Shatner, Joan Crawford, Christopher Walken, Gene Hackman, Martin Sheen, and Robert Duvall.

In 1963 Dougherty established her own casting company in New York, where she began casting local talent out of the theaters.

Other notable actors that Dougherty gave their first film credit to include Glenn Close in The World According to Garp, Bette Midler in Hawaii, and Al Pacino in Me, Natalie.

Filmography

Television Year Title Credit Listing Notes 1961-1963 Naked City Casting Executive 68 Episodes 1963-1964 Route 66 Eastern Casting Executive 17 Episodes

Notable films Year Title Credit Listing Notes 1964 The World of Henry Orient Casting Director 1966 Hawaii Casting Director 1969 Midnight Cowboy Casting Director Uncredited 1969 Me, Natalie Casting Director 1971 Panic in Needle Park Casting Uncredited 1971 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory Casting Director Rented the Plaza Hotel for titular role of Willy Wonka 1972 Slaughterhouse-Five Casting Director 1973 The Sting Casting Director 1973 The Last American Hero Casting Director 1975 The Day of the Locust Casting Director 1978 Grease Casting: Paramount Uncredited 1978 Pretty Baby Casting Uncredited 1979 Escape from Alcatraz Casting Director Uncredited 1980 Urban Cowboy Casting: Los Angeles 1982 The World According to Garp Casting Director 1987 Full Metal Jacket Additional Casting 1987 Lethal Weapon Casting Director 1987 The Lost Boys Casting Director 1988 Gorillas in the Mist Casting Director 1989 Batman Casting Director 1990 Joe Versus the Volcano Casting 1992 Batman Returns Casting Director 1993 Falling Down Casting Director 1995 Braveheart Casting Director 1997 Anna Karenina Casting Director