Lynn Stalmaster, who was the first casting director to receive an Oscar, died today at home in Los Angeles. He was 93 years old and his death was confirmed by Laura Adler of the Casting Society of America.
Stalmaster had a legendary vision for casting. He is credited with moving Dustin Hoffman to The graduate, Christopher Reeve as Superman, and guiding young John Travolta to a TV comedy classic Welcome back, Kotter, among many others.
The November 2016 Governors Award saw Stalmaster become the first casting director to receive an Academy Award. The honorary Oscar recognized his long and worthwhile career.
Stalmaster also had another notable achievement: in Norman 1968 Jewison film The Thomas Crown case Stalmaster he became the first casting director to receive a single credit card in the titles.
Stalmaster has over 400 cast credits, including classics like Inherit the Wind (1960), The great escape (1963), In the heat of the night (1967), They shoot horses, don’t they? (1969), Harold and Maude (1971), Jeremiah Johnson (1972), Tootsie (1982), Nine and a half weeks (1986), and The bonfire of vanities (nineteen ninety).
“Never compromise,” he said at the Governors Awards. “It doesn’t matter how big a role is, even if it’s just a reaction.”
Stalmaster was not only good at spotting actors. For the 1972 film Release, he held a casting call at an elementary school in Georgia. There he discovered Billy Redden, who is best remembered as the young banjo player. Ned Beatty was also chosen for the film, his first major film role.
Stalmaster’s credit list includes William Shatner (Nuremberg Trials), Take along Burton for the hit series Roots; country singer Mac Davis in North Dallas Forty (1979); and chose Oscar nominee Sam Shepard as test driver Chuck Yeager in 1983 The right thing.
Stalmaster was born on November 17, 1927, in Omaha, Nebraska. His family later moved to Los Angeles and he studied at Beverly Hills High School and at UCLA, where he obtained a master’s degree in performing arts. Early in his career, he was an actor in films like The steel helmet (1951), written and directed by Samuel Fuller, and Flying Fisheries (1951), starring John Wayne.
The astute Stalmaster, however, limited himself to gambling, working as an assistant producer and following the cast of his shows after the original casting director retired. He became independent a few years later and never looked back.
Casting Socity of America co-presidents Russell Boast and Rich Mento issued a statement about Stalmaster’s passing.
“A pioneer in our craft, Lynn was a pioneer with more than half a century of world-class film and television cast credits. He was a friend and mentor to many of us. We offer our condolences to your family and friends. Lynn will be sorely missed. ” They finished, “Thank you, Lynn, for showing us the way. “
Stalmaster’s family is preparing an announcement about his death. We will update details about the survivors and a memorial when it is issued.