The late Paul Bartel is a legend of cult cinema. After studying at the University of California, the New York City native went to Rome on a Fulbright scholarship at the Centro Sperimentale film school. There, he shot the shorts Progetti (1962) and The Secret Cinema (1966). Once Paul was back home, he made films for the United States Information Agency. By 1972, the openly gay guy directed his first feature, the chiller diller Private Parts. B-movie producer Roger Corman then took Bartel under his wing. As a result, Paul served as second unit director on the sexploitation flick Big Bad Mama (1974) starring Angie Dickinson and William Shatner. Thanks to Corman, Paul directed the action comedies Death Race 2000 (1975) and Cannonball (1976) starring David Carradine. Since he couldn’t hide his talents behind the screen, Paul picked up bit parts in Eat My Dust (1976), Grand Theft Auto (1977), Rock ‘n’ Roll High School (1979), Frankenweenie (1984), European Vacation (1985), and Caddyshack II (1988). The latter features Dan Aykroyd, Robert Stack, Dyan Cannon, Jonathan Silverman, and Bartel’s bare back! When he exposes his chest (etc.), Paul is the butt of Chevy Chase’s jest. Of course, the funny filmmaker is best known for writing, directing and starring in the black comedy Eating Raoul (1982) as well as directing Tab Hunter, Divine, and Cesar Romero in Lust in the Dust (1985). Before biting the dust in 2000, Paul popped up in The Usual Suspects (1995) even though there was nothing usual about him!
