George Loening Hickenlooper III was an American narrative and documentary filmmaker.
Early life
Hickenlooper was born in St. Louis, the son of Barbara Jo Wenger, a social worker and stage actress, and George Loening Hickenlooper, Jr., a teacher and playwright. He was also the grand nephew of British-born conductor Leopold Stokowski through marriage to his great aunt, pianist Olga Samaroff. He attended high school at St. Louis University High, where he was part of a group of teenage filmmakers he informally called the "Splicers". After graduating from Yale University with a B.A. in History and Film Studies in 1986, Hickenlooper interned for the producerRoger Corman, and launched his directing career with Art, Acting, and the Suicide Chair: Dennis Hopper in 1988.
Career
His first feature-length documentary, , explored the making of Apocalypse Now. It won several awards, including the National Board of Review award for "Best Documentary", an American Cinema Editors award for "Best Edited Documentary", two Academy of Television Arts and Sciences awards for "Outstanding Individual Achievement – Informational Programming – Directing" and "Outstanding Individual Achievement – Informational Programming – Picture Editing", and the International Documentary Association award. Hickenlooper himself won an Emmy for direction. George Hickenlooper's cousin, John Hickenlooper, made a cameo appearance as a fictional senator in George's 2010 filmCasino Jack. John was the mayor of Denver at the time, and later served as the Governor of Colorado. In addition to his films, Hickenlooper authored a book in 1991, Reel Conversations.
Death
Hickenlooper died in his sleep on October 29, 2010 at the age of 47. Despite initial reports that Hickenlooper had suffered a heart attack, the coroner ruled that his death was the result of accidental painkiller overdose, combining oxymorphone with alcohol. Sleep apnea and a "moderately enlarged heart" were contributing factors. He is survived by his wife Suzanne, son Charles, a younger brother and his mother and father.
Filmography
Documentaries
Art, Acting, and the Suicide Chair: Dennis Hopper, 1988
', 1991
Picture This: The Times of Peter Bogdanovich in Archer City, Texas, 1991
