Larry Cohen

Biography

Larry Cohen was an American filmmaker who started out as a television writer, creating series such as Branded, Coronet Blue and The Invaders and scripting episodes of crime and detective shows. He wrote Blaxploitation scripts, among them Hell Up in Harlem and Black Caesar, both from 1973, and made his directing debut with the comedy Bone (1972). His best known work as a director mixed horror and science fiction with police procedural and satirical elements: God Told Me To (1976), Q (1982), The Stuff (1985), A Return to Salem's Lot (1987) and the It's Alive series, which began in 1974. Later in his career he worked mainly as a screenwriter, on Maniac Cop and its sequels, Phone Booth (2002), Cellular (2004) and Captivity, though he directed the Masters of Horror episode Pick Me Up in 2006. In 2017 the Fantasia International Film Festival gave him a lifetime achievement award.

82years old at death

Born July 15, 1936Washington Heights
Died March 23, 2019Los Angeles
Star sign: CancerThe sign runs June 21 to July 22
Lawrence G. Cohen (birth name)Also credited as Lawrence George Cohen

Movie Career

Films: 7
Career span: 36 years1984 to 2020

Genres

Documentary86%, 6 films
Horror43%, 3 films
Drama14%, 1 film
Thriller14%, 1 film

First and latest

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A change of course
During the 1950s, Larry Cohen was an NBC page, and there he picked up how to produce teleplays. Soon after, he started writing television scripts of his own.
A change of course
While stationed in Virginia with the US Army, Cohen wrote several episodes of The Defenders, the 1964 series that starred E.G. Marshall.
A change of course
Cohen was unhappy with how his scripts were handled, especially Daddy's Gone a Hunting, and this made him want to become a director.
First role
Cohen made his directorial debut with the 1972 comedy film Bone, which was also known as Beverly Hills Nightmare and starred Yaphet Kotto.
Behind the camera
Cohen's script for Phone Booth sparked a Hollywood bidding war and ended up with Joel Schumacher; the film grossed $98 million worldwide on a $13 million budget.

Larry Cohen movies on Netflix

In Search of Darkness - Part II2020IMDb rating 7.9as Self - Interviewee
In Search of Darkness2019IMDb rating 8.0as Self - The Stuff, It's Alive
King Cohen: The Wild World of Filmmaker Larry Cohen2018IMDb rating 7.4as Himself
American Grindhouse2010IMDb rating 7.1as Himself
Nightmares in Red, White and Blue: The Evolution of the American Horror Film2009IMDb rating 7.1as Himself
Tales from the Script2009IMDb rating 7.1as Himself
Special Effects1984IMDb rating 5.4as Journalist

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Nightmares in Red, White and Blue: The Evolution of the American Horror Film2009 Documentary, Horroras Himself
IMDb rating 7.13.0K votes
Special Effects1984 Drama, Horror, Thrilleras Journalist
IMDb rating 5.41.8K votes
King Cohen: The Wild World of Filmmaker Larry Cohen2018as Himself
IMDb rating 7.4636 votes
In Search of Darkness2019as Self - The Stuff, It's Alive
IMDb rating 8.04.5K votes
In Search of Darkness - Part II2020as Self - Interviewee
IMDb rating 7.92.1K votes
American Grindhouse2010as Himself
IMDb rating 7.12.8K votes
Tales from the Script2009as Himself
IMDb rating 7.11.6K votes

Most often with

David A. Weiner directed two of these films. Joe Dante appears in five of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Joe Dante

John Carpenter

Mick Garris

Keith David

Robert Forster

Jeffrey CombsDavid A. WeinerDirector, 2 films

Films together

Joe Dante5 films together, 2009 to 2020
Joe Dante's page
- In Search of Darkness - Part II2020IMDb rating 7.9Cohen as Self - IntervieweeDante as Self - Interviewee
- In Search of Darkness2019IMDb rating 8.0Cohen as Self - The Stuff, It's AliveDante as Self - The Howling, Gremlins
- King Cohen: The Wild World of Filmmaker Larry Cohen2018IMDb rating 7.4Cohen as HimselfDante as Himself
- American Grindhouse2010IMDb rating 7.1Cohen as HimselfDante as Himself - Director, Gremlins
- Nightmares in Red, White and Blue: The Evolution of the American Horror Film2009IMDb rating 7.1Cohen as HimselfDante as Himself
John Carpenter4 films together, 2009 to 2020
John Carpenter's page
- In Search of Darkness - Part II2020IMDb rating 7.9Cohen as Self - IntervieweeCarpenter as Self - Interviewee
- In Search of Darkness2019IMDb rating 8.0Cohen as Self - The Stuff, It's AliveCarpenter as Self - Director - The Fog, The Thing, They Live, Prince of Darkness
- Nightmares in Red, White and Blue: The Evolution of the American Horror Film2009IMDb rating 7.1Cohen as HimselfCarpenter as Himself
- Tales from the Script2009IMDb rating 7.1Cohen as HimselfCarpenter as Himself
Mick Garris3 films together, 2009 to 2020
Mick Garris's page
- In Search of Darkness - Part II2020IMDb rating 7.9Cohen as Self - IntervieweeGarris as Self - Interviewee
- In Search of Darkness2019IMDb rating 8.0Cohen as Self - The Stuff, It's AliveGarris as Self - Writer
- Nightmares in Red, White and Blue: The Evolution of the American Horror Film2009IMDb rating 7.1Cohen as HimselfGarris as Himself
Keith David2 films together, 2019 to 2020
Keith David's page
- In Search of Darkness - Part II2020IMDb rating 7.9Cohen as Self - IntervieweeDavid as Self - Interviewee
- In Search of Darkness2019IMDb rating 8.0Cohen as Self - The Stuff, It's AliveDavid as Self - The Thing, They Live
Robert Forster2 films together, 2010 to 2018
Robert Forster's page
- King Cohen: The Wild World of Filmmaker Larry Cohen2018IMDb rating 7.4Cohen as HimselfForster as Himself
- American Grindhouse2010IMDb rating 7.1Cohen as HimselfForster as Himself - Narratorvoice
Jeffrey Combs2 films together, 2019 to 2020
Jeffrey Combs's page
- In Search of Darkness - Part II2020IMDb rating 7.9Cohen as Self - IntervieweeCombs as Self - Interviewee
- In Search of Darkness2019IMDb rating 8.0Cohen as Self - The Stuff, It's AliveCombs as Self - Re-Animator, From Beyond
David A. WeinerDirector, 2 films, 2019 to 2020
All films by David A. Weiner
- In Search of Darkness - Part II2020IMDb rating 7.9Cohen as Self - Interviewee
- In Search of Darkness2019IMDb rating 8.0Cohen as Self - The Stuff, It's Alive
Also two films together14 more actors
- Barbara CramptonIn Search of Darkness - Part II (2020) and In Search of Darkness (2019)
- Fred WilliamsonKing Cohen: The Wild World of Filmmaker Larry Cohen (2018) and American Grindhouse (2010)
- John LandisKing Cohen: The Wild World of Filmmaker Larry Cohen (2018) and American Grindhouse (2010)
- Doug BradleyIn Search of Darkness - Part II (2020) and In Search of Darkness (2019)
- Tom AtkinsIn Search of Darkness - Part II (2020) and In Search of Darkness (2019)
- Eric BogosianKing Cohen: The Wild World of Filmmaker Larry Cohen (2018) and Special Effects (1984)
- John BloomIn Search of Darkness - Part II (2020) and In Search of Darkness (2019)
- Katie FeatherstonIn Search of Darkness - Part II (2020) and In Search of Darkness (2019)
- Nick CastleIn Search of Darkness - Part II (2020) and In Search of Darkness (2019)
- Stuart GordonIn Search of Darkness - Part II (2020) and In Search of Darkness (2019)
- Allison AndersAmerican Grindhouse (2010) and Tales from the Script (2009)
- Sean S. CunninghamIn Search of Darkness - Part II (2020) and In Search of Darkness (2019)
- Michael GingoldIn Search of Darkness - Part II (2020) and In Search of Darkness (2019)
- Lori CardilleIn Search of Darkness - Part II (2020) and In Search of Darkness (2019)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Awards

One award and honor.

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Larry Cohen's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Film	Result
Other honors
	The George Pal Memorial Award		Won

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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