Noel Marshall (April 18, 1931 â€" June 30, 2010) was an American
agent, co-producer, briefly a director, and actor. He moved to
Hollywood, California, in his 20s and began investing in the
production of a handful of films, including William Peter Blatty's The
Exorcist.In the 1970s, Marshall and his family, including his wife,
Tippi Hedren, and step-daughter, Melanie Griffith, began production on
Roar, which is notorious for its 11 year accident-ridden production
due to the many production mishaps and damages caused on-set. The cast
and crew worked with real big cats, leading to 70 people being injured
during the making of the film. It later received the tagline "The most
dangerous movie ever made".Noel Marshall was born in Chicago, Illinois
and spent his early childhood in Southern Chicago, alongside eleven
younger siblings. He had developed an interest in animals when he was
working a summer job at the St. Louis Zoo. He moved to Hollywood in
his 20s so that he could work in television. Marshall also produced
fiberglass automobile bodies during the 1950s under his company
Bangert Enterprises. As an agent in Hollywood, one of his clients was
William Peter Blatty, who would later write the novel The Exorcist.
Blatty made a deal with producer Paul Monash to team up for the film
adaptation, but they had arguments over plot changes, so Monash left
and Marshall was made executive producer. He was also executive
producer for Mr. Kingstreet's War, and The Harrad Experiment (both
1973).As director, Marshall wrote, co-produced, and starred in the
film Roar (1981), which revolved around big cats and featured actress
Tippi Hedren, his stepdaughter Melanie Griffith, and his sons, John
and Jerry. The idea for the film happened when Hedren finished filming
Mr. Kingstreet's War in Africa. Both Marshall and Hedren saw a game
warden's house in Zimbabwe overrun by lions, and learned about
awareness for endangered animal and big cat species. The two conceived
an idea for a film that the family could be a part of, which would
center around many African cats. Marshall wrote the script, and gave
the film a working title, which was Lions, Lions and More Lions. He
also convinced Japanese and British investors to provide the funds for
the movie. Marshall and Hedren approached animal trainers for support
on the training of numerous big cats, and were told the idea was
impossible, dismissing them both as "brainsick" and "completely and
utterly insane" to allow big cats on-set without at least two
experienced trainers for each animal. Hedren originally wanted actor
Jack Nicholson to play the role of biologist Hank, but Marshall
himself took the role instead.
agent, co-producer, briefly a director, and actor. He moved to
Hollywood, California, in his 20s and began investing in the
production of a handful of films, including William Peter Blatty's The
Exorcist.In the 1970s, Marshall and his family, including his wife,
Tippi Hedren, and step-daughter, Melanie Griffith, began production on
Roar, which is notorious for its 11 year accident-ridden production
due to the many production mishaps and damages caused on-set. The cast
and crew worked with real big cats, leading to 70 people being injured
during the making of the film. It later received the tagline "The most
dangerous movie ever made".Noel Marshall was born in Chicago, Illinois
and spent his early childhood in Southern Chicago, alongside eleven
younger siblings. He had developed an interest in animals when he was
working a summer job at the St. Louis Zoo. He moved to Hollywood in
his 20s so that he could work in television. Marshall also produced
fiberglass automobile bodies during the 1950s under his company
Bangert Enterprises. As an agent in Hollywood, one of his clients was
William Peter Blatty, who would later write the novel The Exorcist.
Blatty made a deal with producer Paul Monash to team up for the film
adaptation, but they had arguments over plot changes, so Monash left
and Marshall was made executive producer. He was also executive
producer for Mr. Kingstreet's War, and The Harrad Experiment (both
1973).As director, Marshall wrote, co-produced, and starred in the
film Roar (1981), which revolved around big cats and featured actress
Tippi Hedren, his stepdaughter Melanie Griffith, and his sons, John
and Jerry. The idea for the film happened when Hedren finished filming
Mr. Kingstreet's War in Africa. Both Marshall and Hedren saw a game
warden's house in Zimbabwe overrun by lions, and learned about
awareness for endangered animal and big cat species. The two conceived
an idea for a film that the family could be a part of, which would
center around many African cats. Marshall wrote the script, and gave
the film a working title, which was Lions, Lions and More Lions. He
also convinced Japanese and British investors to provide the funds for
the movie. Marshall and Hedren approached animal trainers for support
on the training of numerous big cats, and were told the idea was
impossible, dismissing them both as "brainsick" and "completely and
utterly insane" to allow big cats on-set without at least two
experienced trainers for each animal. Hedren originally wanted actor
Jack Nicholson to play the role of biologist Hank, but Marshall
himself took the role instead.
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