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Herschell Gordon Lewis
Life Time
15 June 1926 - 26 September 2016
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Gershil Gordon Lewis is an American director, screenwriter, producer, special effects creator and composer. Mostly known as a director of bloody horror films. Hershil Gordon Lewis was born in Pennsylvania in 1926. He received higher education in journalism, after graduation he taught English at college. A few years later, he became the manager of a local radio station. After some time, Gershil got a job in television. In 1953, Gershil moved to Chicago to work in advertising and teaching. In the
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Gershil Gordon Lewis is an American director, screenwriter, producer, special effects creator and composer. Mostly known as a director of bloody horror films.
Hershil Gordon Lewis was born in Pennsylvania in 1926. He received higher education in journalism, after graduation he taught English at college. A few years later, he became the manager of a local radio station. After some time, Gershil got a job in television.
In 1953, Gershil moved to Chicago to work in advertising and teaching. In the late 50s, together with his friend Hersheel, he bought an advertising agency called Lewis and Martin Films. In 1960, he produced his first film in the genre of drama, and on the profit from production in 1961 he put his first film Living Venus. For the next three years, Gershil made films with other people’s money.
In 1963, Lewis Hersheel and his friend Friedman filmed the Blood Festival in seven days. The script of the film was only 15 pages and a budget of 25 thousand dollars. The film was banned in some states due to violent murder scenes. With the money received from the implementation of the Blood Festival, the film Two Thousand Maniacs was filmed. Then came Friedman’s latest film, Color Me Bloody Red.
After finishing his collaboration with Friedman, Hersheel Lewis began making dramas and children's films, which were not successful. Hershiel Lewis soon suffered financial setbacks, from which he tried to get out by buying and re-editing two films (one of which was called Monster a-Go Go (1965)). In 1967 he directed the film Taste of Blood (1967), which revolved around vampires. His next film was The Terrible Couple (1967). Then there are two more of his bloody films – The Wizard of Blood (1970) and Bloody Strippers (1972).
After the release of the last two horror films, Hersheel Lewis left the film business and engaged in advertising. But in 2002, together with his friend Friedman, he shot the sequel to his first film, Blood Festival 2.