Paul Bartel
A cult film visionary who turned a twisted tale of murder and swingers into a low-budget comedy landmark.
1938–2000 (age 62)·American actor and director·Birthday: August 6·The Silent Generation
Biography
Paul Bartel operated on the delightful fringes of Hollywood, a writer-director-actor with a bone-dry wit and a taste for the absurd. His masterpiece, 'Eating Raoul,' is a pitch-black comedy of manners that he co-wrote, directed, and starred in, creating a perfect snapshot of 1980s indie film audacity. The film's story of a square couple funding their dream by dispatching swingers became an instant midnight movie classic, blending social satire with a strangely wholesome core. Bartel's career was a mosaic of character actor roles—often as nervous or sleazy figures—and directorial efforts that prized idea over budget. He carved out a unique space where bad taste and intelligent commentary collided, influencing a generation of filmmakers who saw that style could spring from substance, even if that substance was a frying pan used as a weapon.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Paul was born in 1938, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Paul Was Born
The biggest hits of 1938
#1 Movie
You Can't Take It with You
Best Picture
You Can't Take It with You
Paul's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1938Born
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1943Started school
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1951Became a teenager
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1954Could drive
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1956Could vote
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1959Turned 21
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1968Turned 30
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1978Turned 40
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 50
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 60
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2000Died at 62
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
Key Achievements
- Wrote, directed, and starred in the cult classic black comedy film 'Eating Raoul' (1982).
- Had a prolific career as a character actor, appearing in films like 'Rock 'n' Roll High School' and 'The Usual Suspects'.
- Directed other offbeat films including 'Lust in the Dust' and 'The Long Shot'.
- Co-wrote the screenplay for 'Eating Raoul' with actor Richard Blackburn.
Did You Know?
He was a graduate of the UCLA Film School.
Before his film breakthrough, he directed short films and worked in television.
His film 'Eating Raoul' was made on an extremely low budget, reportedly around $350,000.
He frequently collaborated with actress Mary Woronov.
“Good taste is the enemy of comedy.”
