In 2021 I wrote about Richard Amsel’s proposed poster art for FUNNY LADY, the 1975 musical about the further adventures of Fanny Brice. Barbra Streisand returned to her Oscar-winning role with gusto and aplomb, yet while the FUNNY GIRL sequel was another box office hit, and received several Oscar and Golden Globe nominations, it did not quite match the critical praise of its predecessor. The artwork lingered in my memory primarily because it was more akin to the streamlined

Happy 80th birthday to megawatt Hollywood superstar, writer, producer, and director SYLVESTER STALLONE, who turns 80 today! Pictured: Richard Amsel's tragically unused poster illustration for PARADISE ALLEY, which was Stallone's follow up to his smash hit ROCKY, and directorial debut. While it wasn't particularly successful with critics or audiences, it's a much better film than its reputation, and Amsel's artwork better reflects the more whimsical character elements. Some of

Happy Independence Day / Our July donation promo! I want to thank everyone who contributed during our June Pride Month giving promo. Those who requested thank you gifts should be receiving them within the next two or three weeks! The recipient of the Marilyn Monroe print has requested to remain anonymous, so I’m obviously going to respect their wishes. July’s now upon us, as is America’s Semiquincentennial of the Declaration of Independence. (I dare you to say semiquinc

As Bette Midler herself crooned, "You got to have friends." Following yesterday's post, I received a flurry of comments questioning my use of A.I. in reconstructing a lost Amsel piece of art. These criticisms were absolutely valid, which is why I felt compelled to be absolutely transparent, and further open the debate for the technical merits and artistic dangers of A.I. Happily, artist Matt Dicke just came to my rescue, providing a photograph of the original, unaltered BONNI

Personal Updates June is now upon us…and with the school year coming to a close, I’m looking forward to dedicating more time to editing the documentary. It’s evolved into such a bigger project than I could have possibly imagined a decade ago, and there’s still a lot to do. My work on the film of late has been in fits and starts, as I juggled teaching both a new cinematic arts elective and a helped take over a separate 2D design art conservatory at a nearby high school. It

May has been a heartbreaking month for cinema lovers, as we lost three extraordinary individuals whose work helped shape, define, and elevate the golden age of modern movie-making. Whether slicing film stock to find the human heart of a massive space opera, creating the psychological blueprint for classic marketing campaigns, or revitalizing the lost art of the illustrated poster in the 21st century, these three creators left an indelible mark on how we look at the movies.

In late March, Robert Risko told me about an old documentary short film about Bette Midler that was posted on social media. Astonishingly, it included a short interview with Richard Amsel. The film is Bette Midler: Divine Intervention. The Amsel clip is only 30 seconds long, but I was flabbergasted when I saw it. Amsel briefly shares his experience in meeting Midler through Barry Manilow at the Continental Baths, and comments on how her stage persona was akin to the Hollywo

It was April 11, 2024, when I last saw my friends David Edward Byrd and his husband Jolino Beserra at their home in Los Angeles. They were moving to New Mexico the next day, after living in California since 1981. While I was happy to wish them off into the new chapter in their lives, the goodbye was obviously bittersweet. David, who had just celebrated his 83rd birthday, was in ailing health, and as we hugged, we both suspected it could be the last time we would ever see each

I’ve been going through edit after edit of extensive material filmed over the years, and now find myself able to finally fill in some of the narrative “gaps” through some new, additional interviews. One such person is TONY SEINIGER. Like Mike Salisbury , Spiros Angelikas , and Merv Bloch (all of whom I’m proud to say are featured in our film!), Seiniger is a titan in motion picture marketing. Through his advertising agency, Seiniger Advertising, he has been involved in over

I could make a fatal drinking game for every post I preface by apologizing for the lack of updates. Long story short, this year I’m now teaching both filmmaking and art classes for high schoolers, and creating the new lesson plans, while juggling day to day life events, has kept me pretty busy. But work on the Amsel documentary continues! I recently did three new interviews for the project – two of which were a long, long time coming. Since my last trip to the east coast in

I’m saddened by the news of John “Jack” Warren Freas’ passing yesterday, December 29 th . Freas was one of Richard Amsel’s art teachers at the Philadelphia College of Art (later renamed The University of the Arts, which closed in 2024). An accomplished artist and illustrator himself, he was also an avid book collector, and ran a longstanding antiquarian bookstore, Tamerlane Books, from his home in Havertown, PA. I met Freas there in June of 2017, along with his lovely wif

As 2025 comes to a close, it’s time I reach out again for support towards the project’s completion funds. I’ve never been very good at making such pitches. My time is so preoccupied between working on the film and my new teaching job, that fundraising efforts easily fall by the wayside. It’s been an eventful year, with clips from the film being showcased at the Muzeo Museum in Anaheim, California, as well as our receiving accolades from the Communicator Awards, Telly Awards

AMSEL: ILLUSTRATOR OF THE LOST ART is now a Gold Award Winner at this year's DAVEY AWARDS , in the category of Social Campaigns-Arts, Culture & Lifestyle. While the film itself is still in progress, the award recognizes all the work done for the project so far -- from the teaser trailer and website, to (and especially) our news reporting about Richard Amsel's life, work, and creative legacy. I've now dedicated about 10 years to making this documentary, following even more ye

I’ve written in the past about 1980’s FLASH GORDON , which has grown hugely popular over the years, and whose poster remains one of...

AMSEL: ILLUSTRATOR OF THE LOST ART is now a Silver Winner at this year's TELLY AWARDS. Work done for the forthcoming AMSEL: ILLUSTRATOR...

I'm proud to share that my work on AMSEL: ILLUSTRATOR OF THE LOST ART has received a 2025 Communicator Award for Excellence, in the...

R.I.P.: RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN, the dashing, handsome Hollywood star known for his roles as "Dr. Kildare", and epic miniseries "Shogun" and...

Last Thursday, March 13th, I had the great pleasure of doing a Q&A about Richard Amsel's art for RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, following a...

I previously wrote about a current exhibit at The MUZEO Museum and Cultural Center in Anaheim, "Painted for the Pictures: The...

The editing of the film is still coming along. I’m still looking to do a few more interviews in the coming months (at this point,...

OUR GRATITUDE As November comes to a close, I want to give thanks to all of you for your ongoing support of this project. Whether you’ve...

"Doctor Jones... Again we see there is nothing you can possess which I can not take away." Such a thrill and honor to interview the great...

I recently flew yet again to the east coast to film some interviews. Barring any surprises, this will very likely be my last major trip...

(NOTE: As of 6/14/24, there is a critical update to this story. UoA's Amsel collection was transferred to Margaret Herrick Library at end...