Hollis Alpert(1916-2007)
- Writer
Hollis Alpert was a major movie critic who rose to prominence in the
1960s, best remembered today for his role in creating the National
Society of Film Critics. He was born on September 24, 1916 in Herkimer,
New York and served as a combat historian with the U.S. Army during the
Second World War. Some of his accounts of warfare were published by
magazines, which gave him entrée into New York-based mass media after
he was demobilized.
In the period 1950-56, Alpert worked as an editor for the "New York Times" while freelancing as a book and movie reviewer. He was hired as a movie critic by the "Saturday Review", where he rose to prominence. In 1966, Alpert, Pauline Kael and other critics who worked for magazines founded the the National Society of Film Critics because the New York Film Critics Circle was dominated by movie reviewers toiling for the big New York daily newspapers. Alpert, Kael and others found the established critics be stodgy and old-fashioned, so they created their own organization to herald what they considered the new, vital works that were revolutionizing cinema.
After leaving the "Saturday Review" in 1975, Alpert worked for the "American Film Magazine" until 1981. On November 18, 2007, he died in Naples Florida at the age of 91.
In the period 1950-56, Alpert worked as an editor for the "New York Times" while freelancing as a book and movie reviewer. He was hired as a movie critic by the "Saturday Review", where he rose to prominence. In 1966, Alpert, Pauline Kael and other critics who worked for magazines founded the the National Society of Film Critics because the New York Film Critics Circle was dominated by movie reviewers toiling for the big New York daily newspapers. Alpert, Kael and others found the established critics be stodgy and old-fashioned, so they created their own organization to herald what they considered the new, vital works that were revolutionizing cinema.
After leaving the "Saturday Review" in 1975, Alpert worked for the "American Film Magazine" until 1981. On November 18, 2007, he died in Naples Florida at the age of 91.
