Arkansas film pioneer Charles Pierce passed away yesterday.
For over three decades, Pierce pursued his artistic dreams with determination, confidence and humility, from his debut, breakout success “The Legend of Boggy Creek” in 1972, to ambitious projects including westerns, thrillers, and writing the story for Clint Eastwood’s “Sudden Impact.”
He was a friend and inspiration to many, and he will always be among this state’s most gifted and successful filmmakers. We will continue to honor Pierce each year at the Little Rock Film Festival through the Charles B. Pierce award for the Best Film “Made in Arkansas.”
Here’s more about Pierce and his contributions to film in Arkansas from the Texarkana Gazette article written by Aaron Brand:
Arkansas filmmaker Charles B. Pierce, who directed such successful cult films as “The Legend of Boggy Creek” and “The Town That Dreaded Sundown,” died Friday at the age of 71.
A former Texarkana resident and advertising man here, Pierce is credited with groundbreaking success in independent cinema, particularly for the Arkansas film industry. “He really did change the face of filmmaking,” said Arkansas Film Commissioner Christopher Crane. “With his model, many filmmakers became successful with the drive-in creature feature, so to speak. I wish nothing but positive energy to his family, and hopes and prayers.”
Pierce’s additional directing credits include “Bootleggers,” “Winterhawk,” “The Winds of Autumn,” “Grayeagle,” “The Norseman,” “The Evictors” and “Sacred Ground.” He also filmed “The Barbaric Beast of Boggy Creek.”
He was also a writer for the film “Sudden Impact,” the 1983 Clint Eastwood film. “The Legend of Boggy Creek,” Pierce’s first film, was released in 1972.
His work laid the foundation for future Arkansas filmmakers, Crane said.
Director and producer Harry Thomason, whose credits include “Designing Women,” grew up next door to Pierce in Hampton, Ark.
“Charlie was one of the greatest storytellers in the world. He had remarkable success when you think of it,” Thomason said.
At the time Pierce found success in the early 1970s, Thomason said, major studios controlled the industry, but Pierce found success making “The Legend of Boggy Creek” independently.
“It’s such a remarkable feat,” Thomason said. He also praised “Bootleggers,” Pierce’s follow-up film. “It was a very intelligent script with great acting.
“He was one of the first truly independent filmmakers,” Thomason recalled. He remembers attending the premiere for “The Legend of Boggy Creek” at what is now the Perot Theatre here in Texarkana.
At the time, the lines to see it stretched around the block, he said.
He also recalled Pierce’s sense of humor. “He was quite a colorful character,” Thomason said, noting that Charles, a couple of years older, flashed those great storytelling gifts when they were kids.
One of Pierce’s daughters, Amanda “Amy” Squitiero, said her father’s autobiographical notes indicate “Legend of Boggy Creek” was made for $160,000 but ultimately, according to her dad, made $25 million.
“He was a maverick. He called himself that from time to time,” she said, noting he also had charisma and natural ability as an artist. “He definitely loved Arkansas. He was a huge Hogs fan.”
Squitiero said her father was also a prolific filmmaker. Poring through his biographical sketch about his many film projects, she said, “He barely finished one film before he already had the next film in his head … He was continually working. He loved what he did.”
She said Pierce was born in Hammond, Ind., but moved to Arkansas with his family when he was just a few months old. After he moved to Texarkana, Pierce started his own advertising agency on State Line Avenue, she said, and he ultimately raised and borrowed the money to finance that first movie.
“He could sit there and weave a story for you,” Squitiero said about her dad’s gift for storytelling. He also had confidence and a good sense of humor.
Pierce’s daughter Pam Pierce recalls that her father started out entertaining here in Texarkana on a TV program, Pierce playing a character called Mayor Chuckles. This was before he started in film, she said.
But then he was inspired to pursue filmmaking, and she remembers him coming home and talking with her mother about a creature in Fouke, Ark., which would become the basis for “The Legend of Boggy Creek.”
Pam Pierce remembers her dad assembling a movie camera on the floor in the family apartment.
“He had all the pieces around him with instructions, putting it together,” she said.
He recruited family and friends to clean up the theater where that first movie premiered, she recalled.
“He made something out of nothing just by sheer will,” she said, noting both his determination and dynamic personality. He was an extraordinarily special person that doesn’t come around too often.”
Texarkana’s Jimmy Clem and John Stroud Jr. both played small roles in Pierce’s films.
“I think anyone that knew him would’ve liked him,” said Clem, noting Pierce was all business on the set and, in particular, excelled in his work with the camera.
“He was just a great guy. He was an excellent director … it seemed to me he got a lot out of his actors, and many of his actors were not professional actors,” said Stroud, who played a doctor in “The Town That Dreaded Sundown.”
Joe Glass, a former film commissioner for Arkansas, said Pierce is considered to be one of the last auteur filmmakers and a movie director who made his actors look good and sound authentic. “They didn’t sound like they were reading lines,” he said.
“His films always had a sense of reality to them. He worked well with real people,” Glass recalled, noting Pierce’s dialogue had humanity and texture to it.
“He gave a lot of people chances to excel in the film business,” Glass added.
And of the film “The Legend of Boggy Creek,” he said, “‘(The Legend of) Boggy Creek’ will be one of a kind forever, just like ‘Blair Witch.’ In its day it was the scariest thing ever.”
Pierce was honored by the Arkansas Arts Council this past fall with the Judges Special Recognition Award.
Pierce, who died of natural causes, will be buried in Dover, Tenn., where he moved a couple of years ago.
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