# Edward Summer > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Edward_Summer > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Edward_Summer.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Summer > Source revision: 1351906024 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|American film director}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2021}} {{Infobox person | name = Edward Summer | birth_date = March 18, 1946 | birth_place = United States | death_date = {{death date and age|2014|11|13|1946|3|18}} | death_place = New York, United States }} '''Edward Summer''' (March 18, 1946 – November 13, 2014) was an American painter, motion picture director, screenwriter, internet publisher, magazine editor, journalist and science writer, comic book writer, novelist, book designer, actor, cinematographer, motion picture editor, documentary filmmaker, film festival founder, and educator. He died on November 13, 2014.{{cite web|url=http://kitbashed.com/blog/edward-summer|title=Edward Summer|publisher=kitbashed.com|date=November 15, 2014}} Among his better known works are the collection of [Carl Barks](/source/Carl_Barks) stories ''[Uncle Scrooge McDuck: His Life and Times](/source/Uncle_Scrooge_McDuck%3A_His_Life_and_Times)'', the ''[Dinosaur Interplanetary Gazette](/source/Dinosaur_Interplanetary_Gazette)'' (one of the pioneering online magazines), the first motion picture based upon [Robert E. Howard](/source/Robert_E._Howard)'s character [Conan the Barbarian](/source/Conan_the_Barbarian), the novel ''[Teefr](/source/Teefr)'', and a prequel ''[The Legend of Teddy Bear Bob](/source/The_Legend_of_Teddy_Bear_Bob)''. == Early work == Born in Buffalo, New York, Summer studied painting at the [Albright Art Gallery](/source/Albright_Art_Gallery) (now called the [Albright-Knox Art Gallery](/source/Albright-Knox_Art_Gallery), [Albright Art School](/source/Albright_Art_School), and with the noted water-color painter [Sandra Chessman](/source/Sandra_Chessman). He was also acquainted from childhood with another noted water-colorist, [Robert Blair](/source/Robert_Blair_(artist)).Conan The Phenomenon by Paul Sammon, Dark Horse Books, 2007. Charles Summer, his father, was an amateur photographer who owned a then uncommon [Exakta](/source/Exakta) single lens reflex camera. The photographer [Milton Rogovin](/source/Milton_Rogovin) was a family friend and early on exposed him to fine-art photographs. At age 15, Summer had a special one-man exhibit of his drawings in a group show at the Buffalo Museum of Science. == Theater == At the [Studio Theater](/source/Studio_Theater) (now called [Studio Arena Theater](/source/Studio_Arena_Theater)), Buffalo, New York, Summer appeared in [Many Moons](/source/Many_Moons), based on a [James Thurber](/source/James_Thurber) book, choreographed by [Michael Bennett](/source/Michael_Bennett_(theater)), and directed by [Roberta Sharpe](/source/Roberta_Sharpe) circa 1961. He also worked with [Fred Keller](/source/Frederick_King_Keller) and [Neal Du Brock](/source/Neal_Du_Brock) as actor and stage manager, as well as [Joe Krysiak](/source/Joe_Krysiak) founder of [Project Artaud](/source/Project_Artaud).Interview with Edward Summer {{cite web |url=http://artaudsf.org/Archives/EdSummer.html |title=History of Buffalo New York |access-date=December 11, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080111033429/http://artaudsf.org/Archives/EdSummer.html |archive-date=January 11, 2008 }}. == Motion pictures == Encouraged by experimental filmmaker [Peter Adair](/source/Peter_Adair), Summer ultimately attended the first year of the New York University School of the Arts (then under the NYU School of Education and called the School of Television, Motion Pictures and Radio). [Haig Manoogian](/source/Haig_Manoogian), instrumental in starting the career of [Martin Scorsese](/source/Martin_Scorsese) by producing the film ''[Who's That Knocking at My Door](/source/Who's_That_Knocking_at_My_Door)'' headed the school and was one of the main instructors. At NYU, Summer continued painting and studied with, among others, acclaimed photo-realist [Audrey Flack](/source/Audrey_Flack). [Harry Hurwitz](/source/Harry_Hurwitz), director of ''[The Projectionist](/source/The_Projectionist_(1970_film))'' was also an instructor and personal friend. His student film ''[Item 72-D, The Adventures of Spa and Fon](/source/Item_72-D%2C_The_Adventures_of_Spa_and_Fon)'' not only won multiple awards, but was shown worldwide at many film festivals. It was the first film shown at the [Film Forum](/source/Film_Forum) movie theater in New York City when the Film Forum was only a tiny loft space on West 88th Street in Manhattan. [Hervé Villechaize](/source/Herv%C3%A9_Villechaize), then unknown, was one of the stars of ''Item 72-D, The Adventures of Spa and Fon''. Villechaize went on to fame in ''[The Man with the Golden Gun](/source/The_Man_with_the_Golden_Gun_(film))'' and as a recurring character on the television series ''[Fantasy Island](/source/Fantasy_Island)''. A co-writer of the film, [John Byrum](/source/John_Byrum) went on to write and direct numerous other films. Both Manoogian and Scorsese were advisors to the project. Other early films included: * ''[Solstice](/source/Solstice)'' (1968) - film editor * ''[High on the Wind Rivers](/source/High_on_the_Wind_Rivers)'' (1970) - cinematographer, film editor"High on the Wind Rivers: Complete Film on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7HuOOQrEZA * ''[Street Scenes](/source/Street_Scenes)'' (1970) - cinematographer, sound recording, film editor As a fellow of the [National Endowment for the Arts](/source/National_Endowment_for_the_Arts), Summer received a grant to produce a documentary about the history of American comic strip and comic book art. This unfinished film covered, among other people, [Jack Kirby](/source/Jack_Kirby), [Milton Caniff](/source/Milton_Caniff), [Carl Barks](/source/Carl_Barks), [Chuck Jones](/source/Chuck_Jones), [Ray Bradbury](/source/Ray_Bradbury), [Dick Huemer](/source/Dick_Huemer) and [Ralph Bakshi](/source/Ralph_Bakshi). He worked with [CBS](/source/CBS)'s ''[Camera Three](/source/Camera_Three)'' on a two-part series covering the history of comic books and comic strips. In 1975, Summer helped his friend [Brian De Palma](/source/Brian_De_Palma) redo all of the promotional materials for ''[Phantom of the Paradise](/source/Phantom_of_the_Paradise)''. As a result, producer [Edward R. Pressman](/source/Edward_R._Pressman) approached Summer for other projects. The result was ''[Conan the Barbarian](/source/Conan_the_Barbarian_(1982_film))'' which took nearly seven years to bring to the screen. The original treatment/screenplay was written by Summer with some collaboration by [Roy Thomas](/source/Roy_Thomas) who had written and edited the [Marvel Comic Book](/source/Marvel_Comic_Book) series. In 2003, he founded the [Buffalo International Film Festival](/source/Buffalo_International_Film_Festival). Summer has been executive director since 2005. == Comic books == [Gold Key Comics](/source/Gold_Key_Comics) Several science fiction adaptations for ''[Starstream](/source/Starstream_(comic_book))''. Born of the Sun. Shaka [Marvel Comics](/source/Marvel_Comics) Plot [Red Sonja](/source/Red_Sonja) Issue One. Red Sonya and the Unicorn. This story largely defined Red Sonja's personality and "inner nature". Plot: ''[The Invaders](/source/The_Invaders)'' Involving the revival of the [Golem](/source/Golem) to defeat the [Axis](/source/Axis_powers). Plot: [Conan the Barbarian](/source/Conan_the_Barbarian) ''The Devourer of the Dead'' story about origin of Egyptian pyramids. Editor: ''[Superman](/source/Superman) the Movie Magazine'', [DC Comics](/source/DC_Comics) Summer was instrumental in beginning the process that resulted in [Jerry Siegel](/source/Jerry_Siegel) and [Joe Shuster](/source/Joe_Shuster) receiving lifetime financial benefits from their creation of [Superman](/source/Superman). == Magazines == Founding editor and co-publisher: ''[The Dinosaur Times](/source/The_Dinosaur_Times)''. Contributing writer: ''[Written By](/source/Written_By)'', ''[Time](/source/Time_(magazine))'', ''[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)'', ''[Circus](/source/Circus_(magazine))'', ''[Films in Review](/source/Films_in_Review)'', ''[The Perfect Vision](/source/The_Perfect_Vision)'', ''[The Absolute Sound](/source/The_Absolute_Sound)'', ''[Home Theater Magazine](/source/Home_Theater_Magazine)'', ''[Skeptical Inquirer](/source/Skeptical_Inquirer)'', ''[Skeptical Briefs](/source/Skeptical_Briefs)'', ''[The Monster Times](/source/The_Monster_Times)''. == Digital Nitrate Prize == In 2005, Edward Summer founded [The Digital Nitrate Prize](/source/The_Digital_Nitrate_Prize) in order to encourage the research necessary to properly transfer and preserve the world's [motion picture](/source/motion_picture) [heritage](/source/Cultural_heritage) using the developing [digital media](/source/digital_media). Based upon the [X Prize](/source/X_Prize), the [Digital Nitrate Prize](/source/Digital_Nitrate_Prize) will offer a cash prize for the first individual, group or corporation which is able to exactly duplicate the look of [nitrate film stock](/source/Nitrocellulose) using [digital transfer](/source/digital_transfer) and [digital projection](/source/digital_cinema). == Constructive Living == Edward Summer was a certified instructor of [Constructive Living](/source/Constructive_Living).''A Handbook For Constructive Living'' by David Reynolds. Morrow, 1995, page 266. He studied with [David K. Reynolds](/source/David_K._Reynolds) in Los Angeles, New York, West Virginia and Tennessee. == Trivia == * Summer has taught animation history at [School of Visual Arts](/source/School_of_Visual_Arts) New York City. * Summer's contributions to ''[Star Wars](/source/Star_Wars)'' and friendship with [George Lucas](/source/George_Lucas) was profiled extensively in 2013 through interviews with [Jonathan Rinzler](/source/Jonathan_Rinzler) in issues 139, 140, 141 of the magazine ''[Star Wars Insider](/source/Star_Wars_Insider)''. == Filmography == * 1968 - ''[Solstice](/source/Solstice)'' - producer, editor * 1968 - ''DeFeet'' - producer, director, cinematographer * 1970 - ''[Item 72-D: The Adventures of Spa and Fon](/source/Item_72-D%3A_The_Adventures_of_Spa_and_Fon)'' - producer, director * 1970 - ''[Street Scenes](/source/Street_Scenes)'' - director/cameraman, editor * 1970 - ''High in the Wind Rivers'' - director/cameraman * 1980 - ''Starship Under'' - director, screenwriter - (never finished)''Star Wars Insider'', Issue 142, pages 44-49, Issues 139-141 * 1982 - ''[Conan the Barbarian](/source/Conan_the_Barbarian_(1982_film))'' - associate producer * 1983 - ''[Star Wars](/source/Star_Wars)'' - marketing consultant * 1989 - ''[Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland](/source/Little_Nemo%3A_Adventures_in_Slumberland)'' - screenplay * 2005 - ''Silent Music'' - producer, director (in production) * 2005 - ''The Magic of Magic'' - producer, director (in production) * 2006 - ''Clicker Clatter'' - producerScenes from Clicker Clatter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-S8-_tWMSbU * 2007 - ''Sirens'' - producer * 2007 - ''[Calvin of Oakknoll](/source/Calvin_of_Oakknoll)'' - executive producer, consulting director (in production) == References == {{reflist}} == External links == * {{IMDb name|id=0838598|name=Edward Summer}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070826214613/http://www.lib.msu.edu/comics/rri/srri/sum.htm Partial Comics Bibliography] * [http://www.dinosaur.org The Dinosaur Interplanetary Gazette] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20060403203822/http://buffalofilmfestival.com/ The Buffalo International Film Festival] * [https://sumstuf.blogspot.com/ Summer Stuff Blog] * [http://digitalnitrateprize.googlepages.com/home The Digital Nitrate Prize Website] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20091026161216/http://geocities.com/eddie_bowers/edsummer.html Article: Richard Williams: The Animator Who Never Gave Up] * [http://www.copyright.gov/orphan/comments/OW0684-Summer.pdf Library of Congress: Orphan Works Legislation Advocacy] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20150521034634/http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Edward%20Summer Articles in New York Daily News] {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Summer, Edward}} Category:1946 births Category:2014 deaths Category:American comics writers Category:American male screenwriters Category:Film directors from New York (state) Category:Film producers from New York (state) Category:American magazine editors Category:American online publication editors Category:New York University Tisch School of the Arts alumni Category:Artists from Buffalo, New York Category:Writers from Buffalo, New York Category:American male non-fiction writers Category:Screenwriters from New York (state) Category:American film editors --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Edward Summer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Summer) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Summer?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.