Otto Lang (film producer): Difference between revisions

Otto Lang
Otto Lang
	NH Peckett's Inn 1936
Born	21 January 1908; Zenica, Austria-Hungary, (modern-day Bosnia and Herzegovina
Died	30 January 2006 (aged 98); Seattle, Washington, US
Occupation(s)	ski school instructor/director, film producer
Years active	1928–1984 (ski)

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Otto Lang (21 January 1908 – 30 January 2006) was a skier and pioneer ski instructor from Bosnia and Herzegovina, who lived and worked in the United States. After teaching skiing at a variety of smaller resorts in Austria, he joined the Hannes Schneider Ski School in St. Anton am Arlberg, one of the most prestigious ski schools of the era. Like many instructors who taught Schneider's Arlberg Method, Lang was eventually offered a chance to teach in the U.S., at Pecketts' on Sugar Hill in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. He later moved out west and founded ski schools on Mount Rainier, Mount Baker and Mount Hood.^[1]

After a visit to Sun Valley Resort at the request of his former student Nelson Rockefeller, Lang was offered a position at their ski school. In the 1930s, Sun Valley was one of the world's most glamorous resorts, the first ever to offer ski lifts. Eventually he became the director of the ski school at Sun Valley and became the ski instructor for Hollywood stars.^[2] Later he became a movie director and producer, primarily due to his contacts at Sun Valley, including an ongoing friendship with studio executive Darryl F. Zanuck. He demonstrated ski techniques in Jerome Hill's documentary Ski Flight (1938) which premiered at Radio City Music Hall. His 1936 book Downhill Skiing was recognized in its day as the most comprehensive manual for skiing instruction for the fledgling sport. Ski filmmaker Warren Miller and newsman Lowell Thomas both credited Lang's book as an inspiration for their interest in skiing.

Lang was hired by Darryl F. Zanuck to assist with the ski sequences of the 1941 movie Sun Valley Serenade starring Sonja Henie, which ultimately led to his cinematic work. Some of his notable feature films include Call Northside 777 (1948 - producer), 5 Fingers (1952 - producer), Love is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955 - director for scenes filmed in Hong Kong), Search for Paradise (working title The Search for Shangri-La) (1956 - director)^[3] and Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970 - associate producer of the Japanese segments). He produced the short films Vesuvius Express (1953), The First Piano Quartette (1954) and Jet Carrier (1954) nominated for Academy Awards.

Otto Lang is also an author. His memoir, A Bird of Passage – The Story of My Life -- From the Alps of Austria to Hollywood, U.S.A., was published in 1994, and the same year he was presented Ski Film Maker Legend of the Year award at the Crested Butte International Ski Film Festival.^[4] Around the World in 90 Years – Images From My Life’s Journey, published in 2000, is a collection of photographs taken by Mr. Lang during his lifelong travels.^[5] The pages include his anecdotal descriptions of the photographs and his life. In 1978 he was inducted into the US National Ski Hall of Fame, and in 2004 he was presented a Lifetime Achievement Award from the North American Snowsports Journalists Association.^[6]

Otto Lang's son Peter, inspired by his father's work with animals on the television shows Sea Hunt, Flipper, and Daktari,^[7]^[8] is the founder and owner of the renowned Safari West Wildlife Preserve in Sonoma County, California.

Bibliography

Lang, Otto (1936) Downhill Skiing New York: H. Holt and company OCLC 2105449
Lang, Otto (1940) Ski Tips Portland, OR: Hirsch-Weiss, White Stag
Lang, Otto (1941) How To Ski: A Book For Both the Beginner and the Experienced Skier New York: The Sun Dial Press OCLC 1862697
Lang, Otto (1994) A Bird of Passage: the story of my life Helena, Mont.: SkyHouse Publishers ISBN 9781560442943
Lang, Otto (2000) Around the World in 90 Years – Images From My Life’s Journey Seattle, Wash.: Elton-Wolf Pub. ISBN 9781586190170

References

^ McLellan, Dennis (2006) “Otto Lang, 98; Skiing Instructor Rode the Slopes to Fame as a Hollywood Producer” Los Angeles Times
^ ISHA (Winter 1995) "A Bird of Passage" Skiing Heritage Journal Vol. 7, No. 1: 33-40
^ Crestview, Florida, "Cinerama Crews Shooting New Movie At Eglin AFB", The Okaloosa News-Journal - Edgewater Area News section, Thursday 1 November 1956, Volume 42, Number 44, page 1.
^ ISHA (Sep 1993) "I.S.H.A. Members Invited to Film Festival" Skiing Heritage Journal Vol. 5, No. 2:6
^ "Otto Lang" (1978) Honored Members US Ski Hall of Fame
^ NASJA.org
^ Laura Kelly (October 19, 2017). "Safari West, African nature preserve threatened by California wildfires, weathers the disaster". The Washington Times.
^ Jack Boulware (April 6, 2003). "The Green Hills of Sonoma:Mingling with wildlife just outside the 'burbs at Safari West". San Francisco Chronicle.

External links

The Seattle Times, Otto Lang obituary (1 Feb 2006)
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Otto Lang obituary (2 Feb 2006)
Idaho Mtn Express, Otto Lang obituary (3 Feb 2006)
Otto Lang at Skiing History.org
Otto Lang at IMDb
Partial filmography at TCM.com
How Skiing has come to America ... (2003) Austrian TV interview

[1] McLellan, Dennis (2006) “Otto Lang, 98; Skiing Instructor Rode the Slopes to Fame as a Hollywood Producer” Los Angeles Times

[2] ISHA (Winter 1995) "A Bird of Passage" Skiing Heritage Journal Vol. 7, No. 1: 33-40

[3] Crestview, Florida, "Cinerama Crews Shooting New Movie At Eglin AFB", The Okaloosa News-Journal - Edgewater Area News section, Thursday 1 November 1956, Volume 42, Number 44, page 1.

[4] ISHA (Sep 1993) "I.S.H.A. Members Invited to Film Festival" Skiing Heritage Journal Vol. 5, No. 2:6

[5] "Otto Lang" (1978) Honored Members US Ski Hall of Fame

[6] NASJA.org

[post-7] Laura Kelly (October 19, 2017). "Safari West, African nature preserve threatened by California wildfires, weathers the disaster". The Washington Times.

[sfgate-8] Jack Boulware (April 6, 2003). "The Green Hills of Sonoma:Mingling with wildlife just outside the 'burbs at Safari West". San Francisco Chronicle.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Bosnian American skier and film producer}}
 {{Infobox person
@@ Line 4: / Line 5: @@
  | caption          = NH Peckett's Inn 1936
  | birth_date       = {{Birth date|1908|01|21|df=y}}
- | birth_place      = {{nowrap|[[Tešanj]], [[Austria-Hungary]]}}
+ | birth_place      = {{Nowrap|[[Zenica]], [[Austria-Hungary]]}}, (modern-day [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]]
- | death_date    = {{Death date and age|2006|01|30|1908|01|21|df=y}}
+ | death_date       = {{Death date and age|2006|01|30|1908|01|21|df=y}}
- | death_place   = [[Seattle]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]]
+ | death_place      = [[Seattle]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], US
  | birth_name       =
  | spouse           =
  | children         =
  | occupation       = ski school instructor/director, film producer
-  | education        =
+ | education        =
  | alma_mater       =
-  | years_active     = 1928–1984 (ski)
+ | years_active     = 1928–1984 (ski)
 }}
-'''Otto Lang''' (21 January 1908 – 30 January 2006) was a skier and pioneer [[ski]] instructor from [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]], who lived and worked in the [[United States]].  He founded ski schools on [[Mount Rainier]], [[Mount Baker]] and [[Mount Hood]] beginning in the 1930s, and as the director of the ski school at [[Sun Valley, Idaho|Sun Valley]] became ''the'' ski instructor for [[Hollywood]] stars.<ref>ISHA (Winter 1995) [http://books.google.com/books?id=hlgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA33 "A Bird of Passage"] ''Skiing Heritage Journal'' Vol. 7, No. 1: 33-40</ref>  Later he became a movie director and producer, primarily due to his contacts at Sun Valley.  He demonstrated ski techniques in [[Jerome Hill]]'s [[documentary film|documentary]] ''Ski Flight'' ([[1938 in film|1938]]) which premiered at [[Radio City Music Hall]].
+'''Otto Lang''' (21 January 1908 – 30 January 2006) was a skier and pioneer [[ski]] instructor from [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]], who lived and worked in the United States.  After teaching skiing at a variety of smaller resorts in Austria, he joined the [[Hannes Schneider]] Ski School in [[St Anton am Arlberg|St. Anton am Arlberg]], one of the most prestigious ski schools of the era. Like many instructors who taught Schneider's Arlberg Method, Lang was eventually offered a chance to teach in the U.S., at Pecketts' on Sugar Hill in the [[White Mountains (New Hampshire)|White Mountains]] of New Hampshire. He later moved out west and founded ski schools on [[Mount Rainier]], [[Mount Baker]] and [[Mount Hood]].<ref>McLellan, Dennis (2006) [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-feb-03-me-lang3-story.html “Otto Lang, 98; Skiing Instructor Rode the Slopes to Fame as a Hollywood Producer”] ''Los Angeles Times''</ref>
+After a visit to [[Sun Valley, Idaho|Sun Valley]] Resort at the request of his former student [[Nelson Rockefeller]], Lang was offered a position at their ski school. In the 1930s, Sun Valley was one of the world's most glamorous resorts, the first ever to offer ski lifts. Eventually he became the director of the ski school at Sun Valley and became ''the'' ski instructor for [[Cinema of the United States|Hollywood]] stars.<ref>ISHA (Winter 1995) [https://books.google.com/books?id=hlgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA33 "A Bird of Passage"] ''Skiing Heritage Journal'' Vol. 7, No. 1: 33-40</ref>  Later he became a movie director and producer, primarily due to his contacts at Sun Valley, including an ongoing friendship with studio executive [[Darryl F. Zanuck]].  He demonstrated ski techniques in [[Jerome Hill]]'s documentary ''Ski Flight'' ([[1938 in film|1938]]) which premiered at [[Radio City Music Hall]]. His 1936 book ''Downhill Skiing'' was recognized in its day as the most comprehensive manual for skiing instruction for the fledgling sport. Ski filmmaker [[Warren Miller (director)|Warren Miller]] and newsman [[Lowell Thomas]] both credited Lang's book as an inspiration for their interest in skiing.
-Lang was hired by [[Darryl F. Zanuck]] to assist with the ski sequences of the 1941 movie ''[[Sun Valley Serenade]]'' starring [[Sonja Henie]], which ultimately led to his cinematic work.  Some of his notable feature films include ''[[Call Northside 777]]'' (1948 - producer), ''[[5 Fingers]]'' (1952 - producer), ''[[Search for Paradise]]'' (working title ''The Search for Shangri-La'') (1956 - director)<ref>Crestview, Florida, "Cinerama Crews Shooting New Movie At Eglin AFB", ''The Okaloosa News-Journal'' - ''Edgewater Area News'' section, Thursday 1 November 1956, Volume 42, Number 44, page 1.</ref> and ''[[Tora! Tora! Tora!]]'' (1970 - associate producer of the Japanese segments).  He produced the short films [[Academy_Award_for_Live_Action_Short_Film#1950s|''Vesuvius Express'']] (1953), ''The First Piano Quartette'' (1954) and ''[[Jet Carrier]]'' (1954) nominated for Academy Awards.
+Lang was hired by [[Darryl F. Zanuck]] to assist with the ski sequences of the 1941 movie ''[[Sun Valley Serenade]]'' starring [[Sonja Henie]], which ultimately led to his cinematic work.  Some of his notable feature films include ''[[Call Northside 777]]'' (1948 - producer), ''[[5 Fingers]]'' (1952 - producer), ''[[Love is a Many-Splendored Thing (film)|Love is a Many-Splendored Thing]]'' (1955 - director for scenes filmed in Hong Kong), ''[[Search for Paradise]]'' (working title ''The Search for Shangri-La'') (1956 - director)<ref>Crestview, Florida, "Cinerama Crews Shooting New Movie At Eglin AFB", ''The Okaloosa News-Journal'' - ''Edgewater Area News'' section, Thursday 1 November 1956, Volume 42, Number 44, page 1.</ref> and ''[[Tora! Tora! Tora!]]'' (1970 - associate producer of the Japanese segments).  He produced the short films [[Academy Award for Live Action Short Film#1950s|''Vesuvius Express'']] (1953), ''The First Piano Quartette'' (1954) and ''[[Jet Carrier]]'' (1954) nominated for Academy Awards.
-Otto Lang is also an author. His memoir, ''A Bird of Passage – The Story of My Life -- From the Alps of [[Austria]] to Hollywood, U.S.A.,'' was published in 1994, and the same year he was presented Ski Film Maker Legend of the Year award at the Crested Butte International Ski Film Festival.<ref>ISHA (Sep 1993) [http://books.google.com/books?id=PFgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA6 "I.S.H.A. Members Invited to Film Festival"] ''Skiing Heritage Journal'' Vol. 5, No. 2:6</ref> ''Around the World in 90 Years – Images From My Life’s Journey,'' published in 2000, is a collection of photographs taken by Mr. Lang during his lifelong travels.<ref>[http://www.skihall.com/index.php?_a=document&doc_id=11&id=184 "Otto Lang"] (1978) Honored Members US Ski Hall of Fame</ref> The pages include his anecdotal descriptions of the photographs and his life.  In 1978 he was inducted into the US [[National Ski Hall of Fame]], and in 2004 he was presented a Lifetime Achievement Award from the North American Snowsports Journalists Association.<ref>[http://www.nasja.org/awards/LifetimeAchievementAwardWinners.htm NASJA.org]</ref>
+Otto Lang is also an author. His memoir, ''A Bird of Passage – The Story of My Life -- From the Alps of [[Austria]] to Hollywood, U.S.A.,'' was published in 1994, and the same year he was presented Ski Film Maker Legend of the Year award at the Crested Butte International Ski Film Festival.<ref>ISHA (Sep 1993) [https://books.google.com/books?id=PFgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA6 "I.S.H.A. Members Invited to Film Festival"] ''Skiing Heritage Journal'' Vol. 5, No. 2:6</ref> ''Around the World in 90 Years – Images From My Life’s Journey,'' published in 2000, is a collection of photographs taken by Mr. Lang during his lifelong travels.<ref>[http://www.skihall.com/index.php?_a=document&doc_id=11&id=184 "Otto Lang"] (1978) Honored Members US Ski Hall of Fame</ref> The pages include his anecdotal descriptions of the photographs and his life.  In 1978 he was inducted into the US [[National Ski Hall of Fame]], and in 2004 he was presented a Lifetime Achievement Award from the North American Snowsports Journalists Association.<ref>[https://www.nasja.org/past-recipients-lifetime-achievement-award-winners/ NASJA.org]</ref>
+Otto Lang's son Peter, inspired by his father's work with animals on the television shows [[Sea Hunt]], [[Flipper (1964 TV series)|Flipper]], and [[Daktari]],<ref name=post>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/oct/19/safari-west-african-nature-preserve-threatened-cal/|publisher=The Washington Times|title=Safari West, African nature preserve threatened by California wildfires, weathers the disaster|author=Laura Kelly|date=October 19, 2017}}</ref><ref name=sfgate>{{cite news|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/04/06/CM263683.DTL|publisher=San Francisco Chronicle|title=The Green Hills of Sonoma:Mingling with wildlife just outside the 'burbs at Safari West|author=Jack Boulware|date=April 6, 2003}}</ref> is the founder and owner of the renowned [[Safari West]] Wildlife Preserve in [[Sonoma County]], California.
 ==Bibliography==
@@ Line 25: / Line 30: @@
 * Lang, Otto (1940) ''Ski Tips'' Portland, OR: Hirsch-Weiss, White Stag
 * Lang, Otto (1941) ''How To Ski: A Book For Both the Beginner and the Experienced Skier'' New York: The Sun Dial Press OCLC 1862697
-* Lang, Otto (1994) ''A Bird of Passage: the story of my life'' Helena, Mont.: SkyHouse Publishers ISBN 9781560442943
+* Lang, Otto (1994) ''A Bird of Passage: the story of my life'' Helena, Mont.: SkyHouse Publishers {{ISBN|9781560442943}}
-* Lang, Otto (2000) ''Around the World in 90 Years – Images From My Life’s Journey'' Seattle, Wash.: Elton-Wolf Pub. ISBN 9781586190170
+* Lang, Otto (2000) ''Around the World in 90 Years – Images From My Life’s Journey'' Seattle, Wash.: Elton-Wolf Pub. {{ISBN|9781586190170}}
 ==References==
@@ Line 32: / Line 37: @@
 ==External links==
-* [http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002772842_langobit31m.html The Seattle Times] - Otto Lang obituary - 01-Feb-2006
+* [http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002772842_langobit31m.html The Seattle Times], Otto Lang obituary (1 Feb 2006)
-* [http://www.seattlepi.com/local/257952_langobit02.html Seattle Post-Intelligencer] - Otto Lang obituary - 02-Feb-2006
+* [http://www.seattlepi.com/local/257952_langobit02.html Seattle Post-Intelligencer], Otto Lang obituary (2 Feb 2006)
-* [http://www.mtexpress.com/index2.php?issue_date=02-03-2006&ID=2005107847&var_Year=2006&var_Month=02&var_Day=03 Idaho Mtn Express] - Otto Lang obituary - 03-Feb-2006
+* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928180302/http://www.mtexpress.com/index2.php?issue_date=02-03-2006&ID=2005107847&var_Year=2006&var_Month=02&var_Day=03 Idaho Mtn Express], Otto Lang obituary (3 Feb 2006)
-* [http://skiinghistory.org/lives/otto-lang Skiing History.org] Otto Lang at Skiing History.org
+* [http://skiinghistory.org/lives/otto-lang Otto Lang] at Skiing History.org
-* {{imdb name | id=0485871 | name= Otto Lang}}
+* {{IMDb name|id=0485871|name=Otto Lang}}
-* [http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/108326%7C119856/Otto-Lang/filmography.html partial filmography] at [[Turner Classic Movies]]
+* [http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/108326%7C119856/Otto-Lang/filmography.html Partial filmography] at [[Turner Classic Movies|TCM.com]]
+* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eC0CBTtigM How Skiing has come to America ...] (2003) Austrian TV interview
-{{Authority control|VIAF=40188482}}
+{{Authority control}}
+{{Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Motion Picture Screenplay}}
-{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
-| NAME              = Lang, Otto
-| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
-| SHORT DESCRIPTION = Bosnian film producer
-| DATE OF BIRTH     = 21 January 1908
-| PLACE OF BIRTH    = Tešanj, Zenica
-| DATE OF DEATH     = 30 January 2006
-| PLACE OF DEATH    = Seattle
-}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Lang, Otto}}
 [[Category:1908 births]]
 [[Category:2006 deaths]]
-[[Category:Cardiovascular disease deaths in Washington (state)]]
+[[Category:Sportspeople from Zenica]]
-[[Category:Edgar Award winners]]
+[[Category:Writers from Zenica]]
 [[Category:American film producers]]
-[[Category:Bosnia and Herzegovina alpine skiers]]
-[[Category:Bosnia and Herzegovina emigrants to the United States]]
-[[Category:People from Zenica]]
-[[Category:Bosnia and Herzegovina people]]
 [[Category:Bosnia and Herzegovina film producers]]
 [[Category:Bosnia and Herzegovina film directors]]
+[[Category:Bosnia and Herzegovina male alpine skiers]]
+[[Category:Yugoslav emigrants to the United States]]
-{{US-wintersport-bio-stub}}
+[[Category:Edgar Award winners]]
-{{US-film-producer-stub}}

Authority control databases
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Other	IdRef SNAC

v t e Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Motion Picture Screenplay
1940s	John Paxton (1946) Anthony Veiller (1947) John Paxton (1948) Jerome Cady, Jay Dratler, Leonard Hoffman, and Quentin Reynolds (1949)
1950s	Mel Dinelli and Cornell Woolrich (1950) Ben Maddow (1951) Michael Wilson (1952) Michael Wilson and Otto Lang (1953) Sydney Boehm (1954) John Michael Hayes (1955) Joseph Hayes (1956) Reginald Rose (1958) Nathan E. Douglas and Harold Jacob Smith (1959)
1960s	Ernest Lehman (1960) Joseph Stefano (1961) William Archibald and Truman Capote (1962) Peter Stone (1964) Henry Farrell and Lukas Heller (1965) Paul Dehn and Guy Trosper (1966) William Goldman (1967) Stirling Silliphant (1968) Harry Kleiner and Alan Trustman (1969)
1970s	Costa Gavras and Jorge Semprún (1970) Elio Petri and Ugo Pirro (1971) Ernest Tidyman (1972) Anthony Shaffer (1973) Anthony Perkins and Stephen Sondheim (1974) Robert Towne (1975) David Rayfiel and Lorenzo Semple, Jr. (1976) Ernest Lehman (1977) Robert Benton (1978) William Goldman (1979)
1980s	Michael Crichton (1980) Joseph Wambaugh (1981) Jeffrey Alan Fiskin (1982) Barrie Keeffe (1983) Dennis Potter (1984) Charles Fuller (1985) William Kelley and Earl W. Wallace (1986) E. Max Frye (1987) Jim Kouf (1988) Errol Morris (1989)
1990s	Daniel Waters (1990) Donald E. Westlake (1991) Ted Tally (1992) Michael Tolkin (1993) Ebbe Roe Smith (1994) Quentin Tarantino (1995) Christopher McQuarrie (1996) Billy Bob Thornton (1997) Curtis Hanson and Brian Helgeland (1998) Scott Frank and Elmore Leonard (1999)
2000s	Guy Ritchie (2000) Stephen Gaghan and Simon Moore (2001) Christopher Nolan (2002) Bill Condon (2003) Steven Knight (2004) Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Sébastien Japrisot (2005) Stephen Gaghan and Robert Baer (2006) William Monahan (2007) Tony Gilroy (2008) Martin McDonagh (2009)