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Rodman Flender
Rodman Flender
Rodman Flender
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Rodman Flender (born June 9, 1962) is an American filmmaker and actor. Born and raised in a Jewish family in New York City, Flender's early experiences in the arts included roles on Broadway and PBS series. He developed his acting skills at New York's High School of Performing Arts and the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London, before pursuing higher education at Harvard University. At Harvard, he contributed to The Harvard Lampoon and studied documentary filmmaking, which laid the foundation for his career in entertainment.

Key Information

Starting his career in the advertising department of Roger Corman's Concorde-New Horizons Films, Flender transitioned into production and direction, making his debut with the thriller The Unborn (1991). His directing credits include the feature films Leprechaun 2 (1994) and Idle Hands (1999), as well as television episodes for series such as The Office, Ugly Betty and Gilmore Girls. Flender's documentary work includes Let Them Eat Rock (2004), a musical portrait of the band The Upper Crust, and Conan O'Brien Can't Stop (2011), which documents Conan O'Brien's comedy tour following the 2010 Tonight Show conflict. The latter was recognized by Roger Ebert as one of the best documentaries of 2011.

In recent years, Flender has returned to character-based drama and ventured into romantic comedy and horror, as seen in his feature film Eat, Brains, Love, which premiered at the FrightFest film festival in London to positive reviews and won Best Picture at the 2019 Screamfest Horror Film Festival.

Early life and education

[edit]

Flender was born and raised in New York City, the son of Enid (née Rodman) (1927–2022), a former Broadway dancer, and Harold Flender (1924–1975), a writer and screenwriter, whose book Paris Blues (1957), was adapted into the 1961 film of the same name, starring Sidney Poitier and Paul Newman.[1][2] He is of half Russian Jewish descent on his mother's side and half Austrian Jewish on his father's side.[3][4] He grew up in an apartment on Riverside Drive on the Upper West Side, with his older sister Nicole,[5][6] but after their father died in 1975 they moved with their mother to the federally subsidized artists' building Manhattan Plaza in Hell's Kitchen, under the Mitchell–Lama program, one of the first families to do so.[7][6] His sister has described their family as "culturally Jewish but not religiously observant".[6] Flender's early acting roles included Mischa in the Broadway production of Zalmen or the Madness of God[8][9] and Charles Francis Adams in the PBS series The Adams Chronicles.[10]

Flender graduated from the drama department of New York's High School of Performing Arts[7] and studied acting at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Flender attended Harvard University where he majored in visual and environmental studies, and studied documentary filmmaking with Ed Pincus and Ross McElwee, who inspired him with an enthusiasm for the documentaries.[11][12] During that time, Flender was a writer for The Harvard Lampoon, where he met close friend Conan O'Brien.[13][14][15] He graduated in 1984.[16]

Career

[edit]

Independent filmmaker Roger Corman hired Flender out of university to run the advertising department of his Concorde-New Horizons Films. With his goal toward directing, Flender moved into production and was Corman's Vice President of Production for two years.[17] He produced or co-produced titles including Body Chemistry, Streets, and Full Fathom Five. Flender made his feature directing debut with the Corman-produced thriller The Unborn, which received favorable reviews.[18] Flender next wrote and directed In The Heat of Passion, also for Roger Corman.

Over the next decade, Flender's feature directing credits included Leprechaun 2 for Trimark and the Columbia Pictures release Idle Hands. Flender became a director of television episodes and pilots. TV credits include multiple episodes of the comedies The Office and Ugly Betty, dramas that include Chicago Hope, Gilmore Girls and The O.C., and horror with HBO's Tales From The Crypt. As a writer, Flender's credits include Tales From The Crypt and the feature film Roger Corman’s Dracula Rising.

In 1998, Flender began filming a documentary on the Boston-based rock band The Upper Crust and directed the Dawson's Creek episode "The Scare", a parody of Scream. Developments within the band led Flender to continue shooting on and off for the next five years. The resulting documentary, Let Them Eat Rock, was played at film festivals in 2005 and 2006[19] to mostly positive notices.[20][21] Following the 2010 Tonight Show conflict, Flender joined Conan O'Brien on the road, as part of the Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour, and filmed the ongoings behind-the-scenes, onstage and between shows. The documentary, titled Conan O'Brien Can't Stop, was released in select theatres on June 24, 2011. Roger Ebert included it on his list of best documentaries of 2011.[22]

With the documentary completed, Flender returned to directing television, including episodes of the comedies Suburgatory and Super Fun Night in 2014, the drama Finding Carter and multiple episodes of the thriller Scream in 2015 and 2016. Flender directed two episodes of the 2016-2017 science fiction series People of Earth and returned to character-based drama in 2019, directing Kirsten Dunst in the Showtime original series On Becoming a God in Central Florida.[23]

In 2019, Flender completed the film Eat, Brains, Love, which mixes romantic comedy, horror and road movie. It premiered at the FrightFest film festival[24] to positive reviews [25][26] and won Best Picture at the 2019 Screamfest Horror Film Festival.[27] In 2022, footage from the Dawson's Creek episode "The Scare", which Flender directed, was incorporated into the Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett film Scream.

Personal life

[edit]

Flender lives in Los Angeles with his wife, writer and producer Amy Lippman.[28] They also own a house in Carpinteria, California.[29][30] They have a son, Haskell, who also attended Harvard University and was a member of The Harvard Lampoon.[31] He was named after cinematographer Haskell Wexler.[32]

Flender is the uncle of actors Timothée and Pauline Chalamet.[33]

References

[edit]
[edit]
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Rodman Flender

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Rodman Flender (born June 9, 1962) is an American filmmaker, actor, producer, and director known for his versatile work across horror, comedy, and documentary genres. A native of , Flender studied documentary filmmaking at before launching his career with acting roles on Broadway and a stint as Vice President of Production for filmmaker , where he honed his skills in low-budget genre films. Flender's directorial credits include the horror-comedy (1994), the teen horror film (1999), the acclaimed documentary (2011), which ranked among the best documentaries of 2011—and the zombie rom-com Eat Brains Love (2019), which won Best Picture at Screamfest LA. In television, he has directed episodes of popular series such as The Office (NBC), Ugly Betty, Scream: The TV Series, and Tales from the Crypt (HBO), blending sharp humor with suspenseful storytelling.

Early Years

Family Background

Rodman Flender was born on June 9, 1962, in New York City to a secular Jewish family of Ashkenazi descent, with his paternal grandparents hailing from the Austro-Hungarian Empire (Kraków, Poland) and the Russian Empire (Minsk), and his maternal grandparents from the Russian Empire. His mother, Enid Rodman Flender, was a former Broadway dancer and actress who later became a teacher, while his father, Harold Flender, was a prolific writer and screenwriter known for works such as the novel Paris Blues (adapted into a 1961 film starring Sidney Poitier and Paul Newman) and contributions to television series like I Spy and Car 54, Where Are You?. Harold Flender's sudden death on May 12, 1975, at the age of 50, marked a pivotal event for the family, prompting their relocation from an apartment on Riverside Drive to in Hell's Kitchen to manage financial hardships following the loss. This tragedy, occurring when Rodman was just 12 years old, underscored the fragility of their circumstances and influenced the family's resilience in pursuing creative professions. Flender's Jewish heritage served as a core element of his identity, shaped by his father's writings that often reflected Jewish values such as empathy for human suffering and , as seen in Harold's book Rescue in Denmark (1963), which chronicled the Danish resistance's efforts to save during the Holocaust and earned a . The cultural rather than religious observance in the household fostered a emphasizing humor, , and artistic expression, traits Rodman has credited to his upbringing.

Childhood and Upbringing

Rodman Flender was born on June 9, 1962, and raised in a secular Jewish family on the of , where he grew up in an apartment on Riverside Drive alongside his older sister, Nicole. His early years were shaped by his parents' involvement in —his father, Harold Flender, was a and , and his mother, , was a former Broadway dancer and performer—which immersed the family in New York's vibrant cultural scene. The death of Harold Flender in 1975 at the age of 50 profoundly impacted the family, leading to financial hardship that forced them to leave their Riverside Drive home. This loss, while devastating, prompted a relocation to , a complex in Hell's Kitchen designed for artists and performers, where low rents enabled creative families like the Flenders to thrive. The move, though initially a blow, ultimately provided a supportive community of theater professionals, musicians, and dancers, fostering resilience and artistic growth for young Rodman, who was 12 at the time. Living in exposed Flender to an environment rich in , with neighbors including aspiring actors and Broadway talents, which complemented the city's broader offerings of dance classes, theater productions, and film screenings accessible to the family. Enid Flender, remaining upbeat despite the challenges, actively encouraged her son's interests by enrolling him in local theater groups and supporting his early auditions, nurturing his inclinations toward the creative world. This formative period in laid the groundwork for Flender's lifelong engagement with the arts.

Education

Flender began his formal education in the performing arts at the in , where he graduated from the drama department. This institution provided foundational training in acting and theater, nurturing his early aspirations in the creative fields. Following high school, Flender pursued advanced acting studies abroad at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in . The academy's rigorous program emphasized classical and contemporary techniques, further honing his performance skills and exposing him to international dramatic traditions. Flender then attended , graduating in 1984 as a concentrator in Visual and Environmental Studies (VES). There, he focused on documentary filmmaking, taking courses such as VES 50 (Introduction to Non-Fiction Filmmaking) and VES 150 (Narrative Tactilities: Intermediate Film Production). He studied under influential professors Ed Pincus and , whose emphasis on personal and autobiographical documentaries profoundly shaped his approach to narrative storytelling and visual media. This academic experience at Harvard directly informed his transition from acting to directing and producing films.

Professional Career

Early Career in Acting and Production

Flender began his professional career in the entertainment industry as a , making his Broadway debut at age 13 as Mischa in the 1976 production of Zalmen, or the Madness of God by , which ran for 23 performances at the Lyceum Theatre. He continued performing on stage through the late 1970s and early 1980s, appearing in shows at venues such as Playwright's Horizons and the New York Shakespeare Festival, after training at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in . These early theatrical roles, including his television appearance as Charles Francis Adams in the PBS miniseries (1976), honed his understanding of performance and storytelling. Following high school at the , Flender briefly set aside to pursue formal , studying documentary filmmaking at under instructors like , graduating in 1984 with a focus on visual and . This academic experience, which emphasized and narrative structure, bridged his acting background to more technical aspects of the industry. Post-graduation, Flender transitioned from on-screen and stage work to production roles, becoming Head of Production for . By spring 1988, he had advanced to Vice President of Production at Corman's Pictures, where he oversaw the development and execution of low-budget genre films, managing a prolific output of 23 projects over two years. In this capacity, Flender handled scripting, editing, and trailer production for titles such as Demon of Paradise (1987) and (1987), gaining hands-on experience in the fast-paced sector that prepared him for future creative leadership.

Feature Film Directing

Rodman Flender made his directorial debut with the 1991 horror film The Unborn, a Roger Corman-produced thriller starring Brooke Adams as a woman who becomes pregnant through experimental fertility treatments, only to discover her unborn child harbors sinister, otherworldly traits. The film explores themes of reproductive horror and medical ethics, blending psychological tension with body horror elements, and marked Flender's entry into genre filmmaking after his early production roles. Flender expanded into horror-comedy with (1994), the second installment in the franchise, where he directed as the mischievous, gold-obsessed leprechaun who awakens after a to pursue a bride among his descendants. The movie amps up the violence and tropes from the original, featuring inventive kills like a fatal sneeze and a deadly mobile home chase, while maintaining a low-budget charm typical of 1990s sequels. In 1999, Flender helmed Idle Hands, a teen horror-comedy starring as a lazy high schooler whose right hand becomes possessed by a demonic force, leading to chaotic murders amid suburban slacker life. The film satirizes stoner culture and features a memorable supporting cast including and , with practical effects highlighting the hand's gruesome antics; it grossed over $4 million domestically despite mixed reviews, cementing Flender's reputation in youth-oriented genre fare. Flender's later feature work includes Nature of the Beast (2007), a romantic horror-comedy where plays a groom who reveals his werewolf nature to his fiancée () just before their wedding, forcing her to navigate love and lycanthropy. He returned to directing narrative features with Eat Brains Love (2019), a road-trip rom-com adapted from Jeff Hart's novel, following two teen s (Jake Cannavale and Angelique Rivera) evading government agents while pursuing romance and survival. The film premiered at Screamfest, where it won the Best Picture award for its witty blend of gore, humor, and heartfelt moments. Throughout his feature directing career, Flender has cultivated a style that fuses horror with comedic elements, often within independent or low-budget productions that prioritize character-driven narratives and subversion over high production values. His films frequently draw on premises to explore youthful rebellion, relationships, and societal fears, establishing him as a versatile contributor to horror-comedy cinema.

Television Directing

Flender's entry into television directing occurred in the early 1990s with the horror Tales from the Crypt, where he helmed episodes such as "Food for Thought" in 1993 and "99 & 44/100% Pure Horror" in 1995. These installments showcased his ability to blend , dark humor, and visual flair within the constraints of short-form , drawing from his prior experience in horror feature films. Transitioning to dramatic series in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Flender directed episodes of popular teen-oriented shows, including "The Scare" for Dawson's Creek in 1998, "Kiss and Tell" for Gilmore Girls in 2000, and "The Truth" for The O.C. in 2004. His work on these WB and Fox productions emphasized character-driven narratives and emotional depth, contributing to the episodic rhythm of ensemble casts navigating adolescence and relationships. In the mid-2000s and beyond, Flender expanded into comedy and thriller formats, directing multiple episodes of —such as "The Lyin', the Watch and the Wardrobe" in 2006 and "I See Me, I.C.U." in 2007—as well as installments including "The Whale" in 2012 and "Lice" in 2013. He also returned to horror with episodes of Scream: The TV Series, notably "Ghosts" in 2015, underscoring his versatility across genres from lighthearted workplace to tense . This breadth reflects a career pattern of adapting his directorial style to diverse tonal demands, from anthology horror to serialized and comedy.

Documentary Filmmaking

Flender's documentary filmmaking career draws on his training in , which he developed during his studies at under . This approach emphasizes intimate, unscripted access to subjects, allowing events to unfold naturally without heavy intervention, a style that informs his non-fiction work in music and comedy. His first major documentary, Let Them Eat Rock (2004), explores the Boston-based The Upper Crust over five tumultuous years, capturing their satirical aristocratic persona and internal dynamics through on-and-off shooting. Flender served as both director and cinematographer, employing handheld cameras to document the band's performances, lineup changes, and creative struggles in an observational manner that highlights their flamboyant rock 'n' roll ethos. The film premiered at festivals and received praise for its energetic portrayal of culture, blending humor with the realities of band life. In 2011, Flender directed Conan O'Brien Can't Stop, an intimate chronicle of comedian Conan O'Brien's "Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television" tour following his departure from The Tonight Show. Filmed with unobtrusive access to backstage preparations, rehearsals, and performances across 44 cities, the documentary reveals O'Brien's relentless work ethic and emotional resilience amid public scrutiny. Roger Ebert commended it for providing "piercing accuracy" in depicting O'Brien's determination to rebound from humiliation, noting its insight into the toll of his improvisational artistry on his team. The film maintains Flender's observational roots, prioritizing raw moments over narration to convey the chaos and camaraderie of live comedy.

Personal Life

Marriage and Immediate Family

Rodman Flender married television writer and producer on June 16, 1990. Lippman, known for her work on series such as and Sisters, has collaborated professionally in the entertainment industry alongside Flender. Their shared careers in television and film have intertwined their professional lives, with Lippman contributing to projects exploring family dynamics and personal relationships. The couple has one son, Haskell Flender, born in 1996. attended , following in his father's footsteps as a graduate of the institution. During his time there, he was involved with , the university's renowned humor publication. To balance their demanding schedules in Hollywood, Flender and Lippman purchased and renovated a beach house in , as a dedicated retreat just 200 steps from the ocean. This second home provided a serene escape from , allowing them to prioritize time with Haskell amid Flender's directing projects and Lippman's writing commitments. The property's transformation from a dated structure into a modern, breezy space reflected their collaborative approach to creating a supportive environment.

Extended Family Connections

Rodman Flender's older sister, Nicole Flender (née Chalamet), is a broker and former dancer who has also pursued writing and . She is the mother of actors and , establishing Flender as their maternal uncle. This connection places Flender within a prominent entertainment lineage, as both nephews have achieved significant success in film and television, with earning critical acclaim for roles in major productions like and Call Me by Your Name. Flender has navigated the industry's challenges by leveraging such relationships, as seen in discussions of "nepo baby" dynamics that highlight how family introductions and support systems provide access to opportunities otherwise difficult to obtain.

References

  1. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/rodman_flender
  2. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0281869/
  3. https://filmfreeway.com/RodmanFlender392
  4. https://www.rogerebert.com/roger-ebert/the-best-documentaries-of-2011
  5. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/idle_hands
  6. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/conan_obrien_cant_stop_2011
  7. https://ethnicelebs.com/rodman-flender
  8. https://momentmag.com/timothee-chalamet-family/
  9. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0281868/
  10. https://www.jta.org/2024/12/22/ny/timothee-chalamet-doesnt-talk-much-about-his-judaism-but-it-turns-out-his-grandfather-was-an-important-jewish-writer-from-the-bronx
  11. https://conanobriencantstop.com/about.html
  12. https://ofa.fas.harvard.edu/blog/murder-most-filmable
  13. https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/zalmen-or-the-madness-of-god-3980
  14. https://theschlockpit.com/2021/01/09/baby-boom-the-unborn-1991/
  15. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103157/
  16. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/unborn
  17. https://www.moriareviews.com/horror/unborn-1991.htm
  18. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110329/
  19. https://www.moriareviews.com/horror/leprechaun-2-1994.htm
  20. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0138510/
  21. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1034456/
  22. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7262846/
  23. https://screamfestla.com/2019/festival/awards-announced
  24. http://www.filmreference.com/film/97/Rodman-Flender.html
  25. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0716821/
  26. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0588158/
  27. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0663926/
  28. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0883911/
  29. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1002948/
  30. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2471292/
  31. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4155928/
  32. https://www.filmmakermagazine.com/21070-conan-obrien-cant-stop-director-rodman-flender/
  33. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1864288/
  34. https://www.amazon.com/Conan-OBrien-Cant-Rodman-Flender/dp/B005BW1MMM
  35. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/conan-obrien-cant-stop-2011
  36. https://www.metacritic.com/movie/conan-obrien-cant-stop/critic-reviews/
  37. https://deadline.com/2011/06/conan-obrien-docu-director-takes-on-how-i-became-a-famous-novelist-143863/
  38. https://www.latimes.com/home/la-hm-lippman-flender-beach-house-photos-photogallery.html
  39. https://www.facebook.com/CoastSports/posts/hearty-congratulations-to-the-summer-of-fun-campers-and-coaches-who-comprise-the/846041765490628/
  40. https://www.harvardlampoon.com/profile/haskell
  41. https://www.dispatch.com/story/lifestyle/home-garden/home-decor/2011/07/24/dreary-beach-house-transforms-into/23762009007/
  42. https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/21/entertainment/timothee-chalamet-mother-nicole-flender
  43. https://www.newsweek.com/timothee-chalamet-audition-revelation-reignites-nepo-baby-discussion-1772743
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