Farewell Richard Glatzer

Filmmaker dies shortly after Oscar success.

by Anne-Katrin Titze

Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland in New York last summer
Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland in New York last summer Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze

Director Richard Glatzer, partner of Wash Westmoreland, died at age 63 on Tuesday, March 10 at their home in Los Angeles, California. Richard was afflicted by A.L.S. (motor neurone disease) when we spoke in New York last summer at the Trump Soho Hotel on Kevin Kline's portrayal of Errol Flynn in their film The Last Of Robin Hood. He communicated with me by tapping out his voiced response on an iPad. His wit came through in every answer he gave. He called Susan Sarandon "a young soul" and Dakota Fanning an "old" soul in their roles as Florence and Beverly Aadland.

Richard Glatzer with Susan Sarandon as Florence Aadland on the set of The Last Of Robin Hood
Richard Glatzer with Susan Sarandon as Florence Aadland on the set of The Last Of Robin Hood

Richard and Wash also directed and wrote together Quinceañera and the multiple award-winning Still Alice, in which Julianne Moore received Best Actress Oscar and BAFTA honors for her mesmerizing performance of a linguistics professor diagnosed at age 50 with a rare form of Alzheimer's disease.

When I spoke to Wash shortly before the Academy Award nominations were announced this year, Richard stayed back in Los Angeles. “Hit movie therapy” Wash called the deserved praise they received for Still Alice.

Richard's spirit lives on through the joy and laughter he spread through his work and life.

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