Liese's Blog

Ronald Colby worked in the professional theater in New York as an actor, both on Broadway and Off- Broadway. He wrote many plays that saw New York productions, and as a director/playwright, “The Village Voice” declared him an “influential originator” of the Off-Off Broadway movement.
 
Colby also worked with such well-known directors as Francis Ford Coppola and was Executive Producer for The Outsiders and Mobile Masterpiece theatre productions including A Death in the Family.
 
Theater is one of Colby’s passions. His other passion is golf, which is expressed in his new book, 18 Golf Poems And a Recollection at the 19th Hole. Colby says he’s “written these poems primarily for golfers but also for non-players who need confirmation of the absurdities and complexities of the game.” He’s been playing golf since he was eleven, and like many, he became a devoted fan of the game.
 
Complete with photographs and an essay at the end of the book where Colby reflects upon the sport and its fans, 18 Golf Poems is the perfect Father’s Day gift for those who love the sport, and the perfect gift at any time for all golf aficionados.

Ronald Colby wrote many plays that saw New York productions, and as a director/playwright, “The Village Voice” declared him an “influential originator” of the Off-Off Broadway movement.

Early in his career, Francis Coppola recruited Colby into his fledgling company, and Colby moved quickly from casting and acting into the roles of production executive and producer. The films included, YOU’RE A BIG BOY NOW, FINIAN’S RAINBOW, THX-1138, THE RAIN PEOPLE, THE GODFATHER PART II, HAMMETT, and THE OUTSIDERS. His short film “The Longest Lens” won among other awards, a Cine Golden Eagle, and his documentary “Child Abuse and Neglect” won a U.S. Award of Excellence.

Ron went on to write screenplays for Universal Pictures, American Zoetrope, and in addition, worked on many films with such producers and directors as Milos Forman, Lorne Michaels, Ed Zwick, Wes Craven, etc. He was Executive Producer on the John Hughes films, SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL and SHE’S HAVING A BABY. In addition, he worked as a Production Executive on other films such as LISA, THE EXORCIST III, and ONE FROM THE HEART. The documentary he produced on the making of Coppola’s ONE FROM THE HEART, has been released on the newly issued DVD.

Ron also worked on many television movies as a producer including the highest-rated Hallmark Hall of Fame movie HARVEST OF FIRE, and Showtime’s LUSH LIFE. He has also been Second Unit Director on over a dozen films. He was the Producer of Esmeralda Santiago’s acclaimed memoir, ALMOST A WOMAN, also for Masterpiece Theatre, which won Peabody and Imagen Awards for best feature.
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Over the past four years, he wrote and directed three feature documentaries. Completed in 2008 is, PIRATE FOR THE SEA, the film biography of Captain Paul Watson, the most controversial ocean environmentalist.