Alt Name: | Death of a Centerfold: The Dorothy Stratten Story |
Based On: | Life of Dorothy Stratten |
Director: | Gabrielle Beaumont |
Starring: | Jamie Lee Curtis Bruce Weitz Robert Reed |
Theme Music Composer: | Roger Webb |
Country: | United States |
Language: | English |
Executive Producer: | Larry Wilcox |
Producer: | Paul Pompian Tim King |
Editor: | Morton Tubor |
Cinematography: | Emil Oster |
Runtime: | 96 minutes |
Company: | Wilcox Productions MGM Television |
Network: | NBC |
Death of a Centerfold: The Dorothy Stratten Story is a 1981 American made-for-television biographical drama film, optioned by Larry Wilcox and his company Wilcox Productions. Wilcox signed the paperwork at midnight and beat out Hugh Hefner and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Later, Wilcox developed the story and pitched it to MGM, where he had a production development deal and subsequently to NBC. MGM and Wilcox then hired director Gabrielle Beaumont.[1] It is a dramatization of the life and the murder of Playboy Playmate of the Year Dorothy Stratten, played by Jamie Lee Curtis.[1] The movie aired on November 1, 1981.[2] Two years later, the same story was developed by director Bob Fosse in his movie Star 80, starring Mariel Hemingway and Eric Roberts.
The film depicts the life and times of model, actress, and 1980 Playboy Playmate of the year Dorothy Stratten, who was killed at age 20 in a murder–suicide committed by her estranged husband Paul Snider.
The TV production was optioned and owned by Larry Wilcox of CHiPs fame, and he negotiated a deal with MGM and NBC for the story to become a movie of the week. At the family's insistence, the names and relationships of her mother and sister were altered.[2]
The New York Times critic John J. O'Connor praised the movie, writing: "the movie works remarkably well in building a dramatic momentum. Jamie Lee Curtis's Dorothy is a thoroughly understandable, if not sympathetic figure. And Bruce Weitz is extraordinary".[3] People magazine also praised the film, writing: "Jamie Lee Curtis is just right as Stratten, and Bruce Weitz is a standout as her ex".[4] Movie critic Leonard Maltin described the film as "exploitative".[1]
Death of a Centerfold: The Dorothy Stratten Story finished 27th in the Nielsen ratings. When the film was broadcast a second time on NBC in July 1983, it fared better by finishing fourth in the ratings.[2] [5]
The movie was first issued on VHS on September 1, 1998. It later was released on January 25, 2010, on DVD.
. Leonard Maltin. Leonard Maltin's 1998 Movie and Video Guide. Signet Books. 1997. 322. 0-451-19288-5.
. Peter Bogdanovich. The killing of the unicorn: Dorothy Stratten (1960–1980). 1984. William Morrow. New York City. 0-688-01611-1. 169. registration.