Person Biography:
Hal Ashby was an American film director and editor born William Hal Ashby in Ogden, Utah. He grew up in a Mormon household and had a tumultuous childhood due to his parents' divorce, his father's suicide, and dropping out of high school. Ashby was married and divorced by the age of 19.
Ashby's early career in film editing led him to work with Norman Jewison, earning him an Oscar nomination for Best Editing for "The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming" (1966) and an Oscar for Best Editing for "In the Heat of the Night" (1967).
As a director, Ashby was known for his work on films such as "The Landlord" (1970),"Harold and Maude" (1971),"The Last Detail" (1973),"Shampoo" (1975),"Bound for Glory" (1976),and "Being There" (1979). He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Director for "Coming Home" (1978).
Ashby's personal life was marked by his hippie lifestyle, vegetarianism, and long hair. He married actress Joan Marshall in 1970, but they separated in the mid-1970s. Ashby struggled with drug use and became reclusive and eccentric in the latter part of his life.
Despite his struggles, Ashby continued to work in film and television until his death on December 27, 1988, at his home in Malibu, California.
