Mike Fenton, the legendary casting director who worked on the franchise “Back to the Future”, “ET the Extra-Terrestrial”, “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and several other classic films and TV shows, died. He was 85 years old.
Fenton co-founded what is now known as the Casting Society of America in 1982. He was a prominent casting director for over 40 years, with a resume ranging from “The Andy Griffith Show” and “That Girl” to “Chinatown “,” American Graffiti “,” The Godfather II “,” Blade Runner “,” A Christmas Story “,” Norma Rae “,” Footloose “,” Honeymoon in Vegas “and” Chaplin “.
“Working with Mike Fenton was like working at a candy store – he made the casting a blast,” said Steven Spielberg in a statement. “His fervent support for the actors was legendary, and after getting a role, any actor’s smile was rarely as wide as Mike’s. He didn’t just support actors, he launched crusades. And he was a great actor himself, as he always read dialogues off camera to create energy and charm for the person who was reading for the role. Much like the actors he stood up for, Mike loved his role – and those around him loved him very much, and I will miss him very much. “
Like Spielberg, director-producer Frank Marshall has had a professional relationship for more than 40 years with Fenton. Fenton cast Marshall’s first feature as a pilot, Arachnophobia, 1990, starring Jeff Daniels and Harley Jane Kozak.
“Mike has had an extraordinary impact on many people, both inside and outside the film business. I will never forget our 40 years of friendship, his boundless enthusiasm and his beautiful hair, ”said Marshall Variety.
The Co-Chairs of the Casting Society of America, Russel Boast and Rich Mento, hailed the organization’s co-founder as an industry leader who promoted the reputation of casting as a discipline.
“The Casting Society of America is saddened by the death of co-founder Mike Fenton. His remarkable achievements and his incredible work in raising awareness and appreciation of the art of casting define his legacy in the entertainment industry. CSA extends its love and support to its dear family and friends, ”said Boast and Mento in a statement.
Spielberg noted that Fenton was particularly helpful when he felt undecided about an important role.
“Mike helped me overcome every moment of indecision when I had three good options and couldn’t choose,” said Spielberg. “He was just as responsible for some actors having their big opportunities in my films as I am.”
Fenton attended UCLA with the intention of becoming a cinematographer. But after graduating in 1956, he ended up working as an agent, first for Lew Wasserman’s MCA and then Ashley-Steiner. He joined the Paramount Pictures team in 1963, but left two years later to become the casting director for T&L Productions, the organization behind NBC’s groundbreaking 1960s drama series “I Spy”.
In the early 1970s, he was working on some of Hollywood’s most popular and innovative films. In a 1990 profile, Fenton told Utah’s Deseret News: “I was lucky to work with some of the greatest directors in the history of this company.”
From 1979 to 1982 alone, Fenton worked on notable films such as “Breaking Away”, “The Amityville Horror”, “And Justice for All”, “Porky’s” and “Poltergeist”, in addition to the 1982 blockbuster “ET” and the cult-favorite “Blade Runner”.
Fenton’s success in identifying rising stars and matching actors for roles was rooted in his “exquisite taste” and decency as a person, Marshall said.
“He had a gift for identifying and cultivating talent and a heart of gold,” he said.
Fenton has had several partners in his casting companies over the years, Fred Roos, Jane Feinberg, Judy Taylor and Ann Frederick. He won a lifetime kudo achievement from the Casting Society of America in 1989.
Fenton’s final credits included Syfy’s TV movie “Sharknado 2: The Second One” and the 2002-2003 ABC series “Dinotopia”.
His long list of notable projects included the films “To End All Wars”, “Dante’s Peak”, “Congo”, “Blown Away”, “Not Without My Daughter”, “Total Recall”, “Bird on a Wire” , “Turner & Hooch,” “Beaches,” “Short Circuit,” “Turk 182,” “History of the World: Part I,” “Thank God It’s Friday”, “The Deep”, “The Last Tycoon,” “ The Bad News Bears ”,“ Shampoo ”,“ Young Frankenstein ”and“ Dillinger ”.
Other TV credits include “Gomer Pyle USMC”, “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father”, “Square Pegs”, “The Paper Chase” and Spielberg’s 1985-86 NBC version of “Amazing Stories”.
As busy as Fenton was, he had time for extracurricular activities. In the 1980s, he founded Flying Squirrels, a racing club. The group grew to 40 people who would meet on Saturday mornings at the corner of San Vicente Boulevard and Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica for a run followed by breakfast, Marshall recalled.
Fenton’s survivors include his wife, Irene; a son, Mick, from his first marriage to Janet Monfort.