• Source: Death of a Centerfold

Death of a Centerfold: The Dorothy Stratten Story is a 1981 American made-for-television biographical drama film, optioned by Larry Wilcox and his company Wilcox Productions. Wilcox signed the paperwork at midnight and beat out Hugh Hefner and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Later, Wilcox developed the story and pitched it to MGM, where he had a production development deal and subsequently to NBC. MGM and Wilcox then hired director Gabrielle Beaumont. It is a dramatization of the life and the murder of Playboy Playmate of the Year Dorothy Stratten, played by Jamie Lee Curtis. The movie aired on November 1, 1981. Two years later, the same story was developed by director Bob Fosse in his movie Star 80, starring Mariel Hemingway and Eric Roberts.




Plot


The film depicts the life and times of model, actress, and 1980 Playboy Playmate of the year Dorothy Stratten, who was killed at age 20 in a murder–suicide committed by her estranged husband Paul Snider.




Cast


Jamie Lee Curtis as Dorothy Stratten
Bruce Weitz as Paul Snider
Robert Reed as David Palmer
Mitchell Ryan as Hugh Hefner
Bibi Besch as Hilda Flushing
Tracy Reed as Mindy
Gloria Gifford as Jean
Hugh Gillin as Max Halloran
Luca Bercovici as "Pooch"
Kale Browne as Sidney
Mark Withers as Billy Compton
Robert Clotworthy as Floyd




Production


The TV production was optioned and owned by Larry Wilcox of CHiPs fame, and he negotiated a deal with MGM and NBC for the story to become a movie of the week. At the family's insistence, the names and relationships of her mother and sister were altered.




Reception


The New York Times critic John J. O'Connor praised the movie, writing: "the movie works remarkably well in building a dramatic momentum. Jamie Lee Curtis's Dorothy is a thoroughly understandable, if not sympathetic figure. And Bruce Weitz is extraordinary". People magazine also praised the film, writing: "Jamie Lee Curtis is just right as Stratten, and Bruce Weitz is a standout as her ex". Movie critic Leonard Maltin described the film as "exploitative".
Death of a Centerfold: The Dorothy Stratten Story finished 27th in the Nielsen ratings. When the film was broadcast a second time on NBC in July 1983, it fared better by finishing fourth in the ratings.




Home media


The movie was first issued on VHS on September 1, 1998. It later was released on January 25, 2010, on DVD.




See also


Star 80 (1983), starring Mariel Hemingway




References






External links


Death of a Centerfold at IMDb

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• New York (negara bagian)
• Don Johnson
• Daftar film Amerika tahun 1995
• Death of a Centerfold
• Playboy Playmate
• Dorothy Stratten
• Star 80
• List of Jamie Lee Curtis performances
• Catherine Mary Stewart
• Paul Snider
• Kale Browne
• Larry Wilcox
• The Killing of the Unicorn