Don Phillips, a casting direction and producer by profession dies at 80 who was going to be 81 this year on 21 December. The producer is famous for Dazed and Confused in 1993, Melvin and Howard in 1980, and Fast Times at Ridgemont High in 1982, and more. The sudden death was due to a natural cause as per the reports.
Don Phillips Career
The producer has helped many actors in establishing their careers in the film industry. Some of the notable actors are Sean Penn, Matthew McConaughey, and Mary Steenburgen. Don Phillips passed away on Thanksgiving Day, 25 November 2021.
- First Break: Entry-level job in casting department of filmmaker Otto Preminger’s movie Such Good Friends in 1971. Phillip worked a lot and by this Preminger’s got impressed and decided to acknowledge him. After this act, Phillips got hired to do extra casting on Serpico by Sidney Lumet. This movie starred Al Pacino and helped Phillips to expand his career.
- Expansion in career: Sidney Lumet assigned him again as casting director on another movie, Dog Day Afternoon. This movie also starred Al Pacino. Phillips got credits for casting John Cazale for casting him opposite Al Pacino. Once again Phillip cast the team of Car Wash in 1976.
Don Phillips worked on National Lampoon’s Animal House in 1978 along with his partner Michael Chinich.
Phillips expanded into Producing
He produces in 1974 as his first movie was in 1980 by Universal’s- Melvin and Howard. Phillip hired Jonathan Demme to direct this story. The film did really well and bagged t he Best Screenplay Oscar, Best Supporting Actress Oscar, and many nominations. Then again he cast a film directed by Amy Heckerling in 1982, Fast At Ridgemont High.
Then he found Sean Penn for the lead who was a newcomer. Penn’s first audition was not pretty good but Phillip asked him to come back and try again. Penn nailed it and was selected. Phillip returned to producing with Penn’s debut as a director in The Indian Runner. Don Phillips has worked with Richard Linklater but as a casting director for the most famous Dazed and Confused. For this film, he met Matthew McConaughey and cast him. Phillip did many comebacks with his friends and launched actors by him.
In all these years, Phillips was working on a feature movie Open Heart, directed by Edoardo Ponti. He collaborated with his nephew for developing the screenplay. The movie is based on the real-life story of Michael Debakey and Denton Cooley who did the first-ever artificial heart transplant. His nephew is Dr. Chris Allison orthopedic oncology. The news about his death was declared by his wife, Dorothy Pearl. She is a makeup artist as well.
Don Phillips Discoveries
Phillips has also discovered and cast actors for the lead role such as Rory Cochrane, Ben Affleck, Cole Hauser, Renee Zelwegger, Parker Posey, Nicky Katt, and many more.