Gus Van Sant Biography (1952?-)

Full name, Gus Green Van Sant, Jr.; born July 24, 1952 (some sources say 1953) in Louisville, KY; son of Gus Green (a clothing manufacturer) and Betty (maiden name, Seay) Van Sant. Addresses: Agent: William Morris Agency, 151 El Camino Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90212.; Office: Sawtooth, Pie Films, and Meno Film Company, 1300 NW Northrup Ave., 3rd Floor, Portland, OR 97209.

Nationality: American
Gender: Male
Occupation: Director, screenwriter, producer, editor, sound recordist
Birth Details: July 24, 1952?; Louisville, Kentucky, United States

Famous Works

CREDITS
Film Director
The Discipline of D.E. (short), 1978
My Friend, 1983
My New Friend, 1985
Mala Noche (also known as Bad Night), Northern Film Company, 1986
Ken Death Gets out of Jail, 1987
Five Ways to Kill Yourself (short), 1987
Junior, 1988
(As Gus Van Sant, Jr.) Drugstore Cowboy, Avenue Pictures, 1989
My Own Private Idaho, Fine Line Features, 1991
Even Cowgirls Get The Blues, New Line Cinema, 1993
To Die For, Alma-Kino-Filmverleih, 1995
Ballad of the Skeletons, 1996
Good Will Hunting, Buena Vista, 1997
Psycho, Universal, 1998
Brokeback Mountain, Sony Pictures Entertainment, 1999
Finding Forrester, Sony Pictures Entertainment, 2000
Gerry, ThinkFilm Inc., 2002
The Best of Bowie (video), 2002
Elephant, Fine Line Features, 2003
Also directed Alice in Hollywood.
Film Executive Producer
My Own Private Idaho, Fine Line Features, 1991
Even Cowgirls Get The Blues, New Line Cinema, 1993
Kids, Miramax, 1995
Speedway Junky, Regent Entertainment, 1999
"Psycho" Path (documentary short), Universal Studios Home Video, 1999
Film Producer
Mala Noche (also known as Bad Night), Northern Film Company, 1986
Psycho, Universal, 1998
Brokeback Mountain, Sony Pictures Entertainment, 1999
Film Editor

Mala Noche (also known as Bad Night), Northern Film Company, 1986
Even Cowgirls Get The Blues, New Line Cinema, 1993
Gerry, ThinkFilm, Inc., 2002
Elephant, Fine Line Features, 2003
Film Work
Other
Sound recordist, Property, 1978
Re-recording mixer, Even Cowgirls Get The Blues, New Line Cinema,1993
Sound re-recording mixer, Good Will Hunting, Buena Vista, 1997
Re-recording mixer, Finding Forrester, Sony Pictures Releasing, 2000
Film Appearances
Himself, Red Hot Chili Peppers: Funky Monks, 1991
Himself, Guns on the Clackamas, 1995
(Uncredited) Man talking to man in cowboy hat, Psycho, MCA/Universal, 1998
Himself, "Psycho" Path (documentary short), 1999
Orientations--Christopher Doyle: Stirred Not Shaken, 2000
Himself, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Dimension Films, 2001
Himself, Rescued from the Closet (documentary), Columbia TriStar Home Video, 2001
Television Work
Movies
Understanding, 1996
Specials
Director and editor, "Thanksgiving Prayer," American Flash Cards,PBS, 1992
Television Appearances
Specials
(Archive footage) Himself, The 70th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1998
The Director's Vision: Hollywood's Best Discuss Their Craft, Sundance, 1998
The Untitled Jay Lacopo Project, Sundance, 1999
Episodic
Appeared on Champlin on Film, Bravo; and on Hi-Octane (alsoknown as High Octane), Comedy Central.
RECORDINGS
Albums
(With William S. Burroughs) The Elvis of Letters, Tim Kerr, 1985
Gus Van Sant, PopTones, 1997
18 Songs about Golf, 1983, PopTones, 1998
Music Videos; Director
"Weird," Hanson, 1998
Also directed "Under the Bridge" by Red Hot Chili Peppers; "ThanksgivingPrayer" by William S. Burroughs; and "Fame '90" by David Bowie.
WRITINGS
Screenplays
Mala Noche (also known as Bad Night), Northern Film Company, 1986
(As Gus Van Sant, Jr.; with Daniel Yost), Drugstore Cowboy, AvenuePictures, 1989
My Own Private Idaho, Fine Line Features, 1991
Thanksgiving Prayer, 1991
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, New Line Cinema, 1993
Gerry, ThinkFilms, Inc., 2002
Elephant, Fine Line Features, 2003
Novels
Pink, Nan A. Talese/Doubleday, 1997

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Books

International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, Volume 2: Directors, St. James Press, 1996

Periodicals

Advocate, March 31, 1998, p. 46
Film Comment, September, 1991, p. 35
Interview, March, 1991, p. 126; January, 1998, p. 42; December, 1998, p. 32
Newsweek, April 15, 1991, p. 68; December 7, 1998, p. 70
Rolling Stone, October 31, 1991, p. 61

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