One of photographer Michael Childers’ favorite stories is how he met his future husband, English director John Schlesinger.
Childers was a student in the film program at UCLA. A mutual friend, Broadway actress Kaye Ballard, suggested the two get together for a drink. “It was a blind date,” says Childers, rolling his eyes. “I heard he could be terribly difficult on set, so I decided to take a friend just in case.”
They met in the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. “I found him incredibly charming and kind…so I told my friend to piss off.”
They were soon joined by actress Lee Remick. She said that she’d come from London in order to audition for a part opposite her possible new leading man. Within minutes the leading man in question joined them at the table. It was Frank Sinatra.”
Childers recalls thinking at the time, “This could be a great life.”
It was a great life. While they took things slow at first, it all came together during a long romantic walk on the beach in Carmel one weekend. They spent the next 38 years together. Like all passionate relationships, it had its roller coaster moments, but the high points always outweighed the low and together they pursued their artistic dreams…together and separately.
Schlesinger encouraged Childers to pursue his passion for photography. Childers became one of the outstanding photographers of his generation, capturing some of the most celebrated faces of his time. In turn, Childers was Schlesinger’s creative muse and sounding board and fixer. When Schlesinger went to New York to direct Midnight Cowboy, Childers sought out Andy Warhol and the ‘stars’ of The Factory and introduced them to his director husband. Through Childers, his guide, the uptown director found his way downtown and the result is one of the great films of the twentieth century.
Sadly, John Schlesinger died much too young of a stroke in 2003. When asked why he is putting on the film series, Childers says, “It’s been more than twenty years since John died and I felt it was important to show some of the films people don’t normally see. Marathon Man is one of my favorites.”
Other films in the series include Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971) on February 3; Cold Comfort Farm (1995) on February 10; An Englishman Abroad (1983) on February 24; Darling (1965) on March 3; and The Falcon and the Snowman (1985) on March 17.
