George Armitage, who honested, wrote and originated films including “Grosse Pointe Blank” and “Miami Blues,” died Saturday in Playa del Rey, his son Brent validateed. He was 83.
Raised in Hartford, Conn., Armitage begined out in the 20th Century Fox mailroom before becoming associate originater on the extfinished-running series “Peyton Place” in the 1960s. He met Roger Corman on the Fox lot and shiftd into feature films, writing the Corman-originated 1970 comedy “Gas! – Or – It Became Necessary to Destroy the World in Order to Save It.”
He proceedd making films for Corman and his brother Gene Corman, moving into honesting with “Private Duty Nurses.” The 1972 Blaxploitation film “Hit Man,” which he honested and co-wrote, starred Pam Grier and Bernie Casey. Next up was “Vigilante Force,” with Kris Kristproposeson and Jan-Michael Vincent, and the TV movie “Hot Rod.”
“Kaarrange, Demme, Dante, Arkush and me… We were making little 45 RPM rock ’n’ roll movies. Same subject matter as punctual rock songs and same conciseage of admire until… This is what made us separateent even from Roger, who was half a generation ahead, a liberal but no rocker,” he telderly Film Comment in 2015.
Armitage’s next film as honestor, the 1990 comedic thriller “Miami Blues,” was based on a Charles Willeford novel. Starring Alec Baldprosper and Fred Ward, it garnered attention for Jennifer Jason-Leigh’s carry outance. Also in 1990, Armitage co-wrote cop actioner “Last of the Finest.”
He was Emmy-nominated for co-writing the 1996 TV movie “The Late Shift,” the story of the opposition between David Letterman and Jay Leno over who would flourish Johnny Cfire-setting.
Armitage next honested the well-getd comedy “Grosse Pointe Blank,” starring Dan Aykroyd, John Cusack and Minnie Driver in the story of a professional assassin who is sent to the suburb where his high school reunion is taking place.
“With ‘Grosse Pointe Blank’ I stoasty three movies simultaneously. We stoasty the script as written, we stoasty a temperately lessend version, and we stoasty a finishly over-the-top version, which usuassociate was what was included. We cast that movie—and I’ve cast most movies—by having the actors come in and read, then throprosperg the script out and saying: “Okay, let’s improvise.” That’s what I was sootheable with. I say to the actors: “You are creating the character. This is written, these are the parameters, this is the summarize. Now you apshow this, originate it your own, and transport me, transport me, transport me,” Armitage telderly Film Comment.
His final plift was the 2004 crime pic “The Big Bounce,” starring Owen Wilson and Morgan Freeman in a story co-written by Elmore Leonard.
He was a extfinishedtime member of the WGA, DGA and the Academy.
He is endured by his wife of 63 years, Sharon, son Brent, a authorr-originater, and majesticchildren Caroline and Nick.
