Brilliant, distinguished American director, particularly of Westerns, whose simple, bleak style disguises a complex artistic temperament. The son of a wealthy hardware retailer, Boetticher attended Culver Military Academy and Ohio State University, where he excelled in football and boxing. Following his schooling Boetticher, something of an adventurer, went to Mexico and transformed himself into a formidable professional matador. His school chum, 'Hal Roach Jr.' , they completed only one film together before Murphy's death in 1971. Since then Boetticher completed another documentary and had announced several feature films in preparation. He died at age 85.
Children: daughters Georgia and Helen.
Attended Ohio State University.
Preferred to film his westerns around Lone Pine, California.
Biography in: John Wakeman, editor. "World Film Directors, Volume One, 1890-1945". Pages 32-37. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1987.
When the Third Army under General George S. Patton got ahead of its supply lines during World War II, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower decided to send the Red Ball Express, the nickname of a transportation unit comprised of African-American troops to race ahead of the advancing American forces to catch up with and supply Pattons tank division. The unit became famous for overcoming tremendous odds, and sustaining severe casualties, to successfully supply Pattons forces, a feat memorialized in Boettichers film Red Ball Express (1952) . In 1979 Boetticher, at a symposium at UCLA, revealed that the U.S. Department of Defense pressured Universal Pictures--the films producer--to alter its portrayal of the tense race relations that existed at the time and to emphasize an upbeat, positive spirit. Commenting on the studios whitewashing of history, Boetticher said, "The army wouldnt let us tell the truth about the black troops because the government figured they were expendable. Our government didnt want to admit they were kamikaze pilots. They figured if one out of ten trucks got through, theyd save Patton and his tanks".
Interviewed in "The Directors Event: Interviews with Five American Filmmakers", by Eric Sherman and Martin Rubin.
In July 1951, Hollywood Reporter reported that Universal had set Budd Boetticher as director of Son of Ali Baba (1952) , but replaced him with Kurt Neumann when Boetticher moved over to Bronco Buster (1952) .
