Winter Kills (1979) Online

Cast overview, first billed only:
	Jeff Bridges	-	Nick Kegan
	John Huston	-	Pa Kegan
	Anthony Perkins	-	John Cerruti
	Eli Wallach	-	Joe Diamond
	Sterling Hayden	-	Z.K. Dawson
	Dorothy Malone	-	Emma Kegan
	Tomas Milian	-	Frank Mayo
	Belinda Bauer	-	Yvette Malone
	Ralph Meeker	-	Gameboy Baker
	Toshirô Mifune	-	Keith
	Richard Boone	-	Keifitz
	David Spielberg	-	Miles Garner
	Brad Dexter	-	Captain Heller One
	Michael Thoma	-	Ray Doty
	Ed Madsen	-	Captain Heller Two

The picture was co-financed by two alleged marijuana drug dealers, Leonard J. Goldberg and Robert Sterling. Sterling was sentenced to forty years for marijuana smuggling whilst Goldberg, sixteen days before the film was premiered on 11 May 1979, was found handcuffed and shot dead in his New York flat, allegedly a hit by mobsters for Goldberg's debt payment failure, on 25 April that year.

This movie was re-released in 1983 by its director William Richert's own company, four years after its initial release, with its deleted scenes returned, having been cut by the previous company.

Richard Condon's novel was a big best-seller and attracted huge controversy upon its publication in 1974. Despite this, it was some time before the film rights were sold, and they were not purchased by one of the big Hollywood studios. Condon loudly complained that the CIA and the Kennedy family were trying to prevent a film from being made, although he called the book the most filmic of all his novels.

According to director William Richert, he decided to cast Belinda Bauer, who was a top New York model at the time, because he fell in love with her, and he even wrote the part of Yvette Malone specifically for her. It was her first film role. They began dating during the shoot. According to Jeff Bridges, because of this, Jeff felt uncomfortable while shooting the rather explicit love scene with Bauer, fearing that Richert might become jealous. Richert handled it well.

Reportedly, actor Richard Boone was drunk most of the time during his days on the film. According to director William Richert, Richard Boone was so drunk throughout the shoot that Richert was quite impressed with how functional the man was. Production designer Robert F. Boyle worked with Boone once before on John Wayne's last film, 'The Shootist', and he confirms in the documentary 'Who Killed Winter Kills?' that Boone was always drunk but quite functional on that shoot as well.

The filming was plagued by serious financial problems. According to the cast and the crew, while being filmed in MGM studios, the movie ended up being shut down in the middle of the shoot by the union people when they heard that the crew agreed to work without pay for several days because the money was running short and they were all still very enthusiastic about seeing the movie finished. The crew then moved to Philadelphia and continued filming there, but the shoot was shot down once again and this time the local union even threatened them with serious violence if they were to continue filming without paying first. One disgruntled crew member even tracked down the production designer John H. Starke there, pressed a sawed-off shotgun against Starke's neck and demanded the money for his generator. When Starke went to see one of the producers to ask for more money, a woman in underwear who was also there pulled a bundle of cash from her underwear and gave it to Starke. According to him, this was one of the shady ways the producers would frequently use to pay the crew. The filming was soon shot down for the third time because they were four million dollars in debt and the crew as well as 400 creditors demanded their money this time. The producers went into hiding. Soon, one of them was found murdered. Director William Richert then convinced the cast to shoot another movie, link=tt0078765 in Germany with him as this could help pay the rest of the filming of Winter Kills. Two years later they continued to film 'Winter Kills' for a sequence set in Oklahoma (filmed in Northern California in the Simi Valley), specifically the scenes with Sterling Hayden.

Actor John Huston knew Joseph Kennedy and didn't like him.

Production of this picture went over budget and on three occasions the movie was shut-down and even declared bankrupt. Bizarrely, during the hiatus, a large number of the cast and crew went-off to film another movie, The American Success Company (1980), profits from which were used to finance the completion of this picture.

The role of "Pa Kegan" was originally offered to Frank Sinatra, who rejected it because--according to the novel's author Richard Condon--he didn't want to appear on-screen as an aging family patriarch. The role was eventually given to John Huston, who had no such qualms.

Filming on this picture started as early as 1976, its first release was in 1979, with its second release with cut scenes restored launching around 1983, a period of about eight years.

According to Jeff Bridges, Toshirô Mifune didn't know any English and had to learn his lines phonetically.

According to director William Richert, a French woman who was so angered by the negative portrayal of a U.S. President, spit on Richert.

This film was made and first released about five years after its source novel of the same name by Richard Condon was first published in 1974. The film, like the novel, parallels the real life assassination of American President John F. Kennedy and its surrounding conspiracy theories.

According to Jeff Bridges, when he hit Perkins on the arm with a real 'blackjack' and not a prop dummy 'blackjack', he didn't realize that the blackjack was real, so he hit Perkins with full force and actually hurt Perkin's arm. Perkins continued on whilst Bridges then hit him on the other arm. Perkins finished his scene, and then screamed in pain for real, having being in real pain during the filming of this scene.

According to director William Richert, he wanted to cast movie legends to give more weight to the characters in the film and everyone he asked said yes.

According to cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond, Taylor was so overweight at the time that he had to use a special lens to make her look thin on screen. He talks about it in the movie's companion "making of" documentary, 'Who Killed Winter Kills'.

According to director William Richert, the rain was pouring just before and immediately after the crew shot the tank chase scenes.

According to director William Richert, AVCO Embassy Pictures that distributed the movie claimed that the film got a terrible word of mouth after the New York premier and they used this as their official excuse to pull the movie from theaters.

According to director William Richert, the New Yorker film critic Brendan Gill, who was initially confused by the movie, ended up describing his experience of watching the film as listening to some marvelous entertaining drunken storyteller.

As reported in the 11th March 1985 edition of the London "Times", this picture's production and release was allegedly marred by the Kennedy Family, the assassination of John F. Kennedy being the film's reference.

The only ever film appearance (and uncredited) of John Warner. Warner was married to actress Elizabeth Taylor (who also appears in the film) at the time the movie was made. Warner was a government official who had served as Under secretary and then Secretary of the U.S. Navy during the Nixon Administration, 1972-1974, before he was appointed in 1974 to head up the federal government's American Revolution Bicentennial Administration. As such, his casting in this film provided a real life political nexus to the real life American politics that the film referenced. In 'Winter Kills', Warner plays former President Timothy Kegan in a flashback sequence, but only his hands and arms can be seen. Actress Belinda Bauer, who played Yvette Malone in the film, said in an article published in the 7th May 1980 edition of ' The Australian Women's Weekly' magazine, that Warner ...played the President's arm...that's all you get to see of the President in the movie."

As with the source novel, the character of President Tim Kegan (played by John Warner) was based on President John F. Kennedy.

The film cast includes five Oscar winners: Jeff Bridges, John Huston, Dorothy Malone, Elizabeth Taylor and Eli Wallach [Honorary Award]; and two Oscar nominees: Anthony Perkins and Gladys Hill

According to writer-director William Richert, he opted to adapt the novel as a black comedy because he thought the novel was simply too dark and tragic to make an enjoyable movie.

According to director William Richert, the original budget was 6.5 million dollars.

Richard Condon, the author of the novel that the movie was based on, wrote an article for Harper's Magazine titled "Who Killed Winter Kills?" in which he claimed that the film's distributor AVCO Embassy Pictures had major defense contracts that the Kennedys were involved with. Since Ted Kennedy was about to run for president in 1980 and the film 'Winter Kills' could become a distraction, Condon implied that the Kennedys pressured the AVCO Embassy into pulling the film abruptly from theaters.

The cast and the crew were extremely enthusiastic about making the movie and even finishing it without pay. According to them, they all felt like they were making something important. When the movie ended up being a huge flop and when the extremely negative audience reactions poured in, the cast and the crew were completely shocked and surprised and entirely devastated and disappointed.

Actress Belinda Bauer claims in the documentary 'Who Killed Winter Kills?' (2003) that this movie in film history was the first ever motion picture to file for bankruptcy.

When the final additional photography phase of principal filming took place, cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond was not available, off shooting another picture, and so his camera operator John Bailey, who had been aware of Zsigmond's visual aesthetics for the film, was director of photography on the picture for its final filming leg.

The picture reportedly utilized about a massive sixty to seventy constructed film sets on Hollywood sound stages predominantly at the MGM Studios.

The place of the assassination of the character of the former American President the late Timothy Kegan (John Warner) was Hunt Plaza in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. "Hunt Plaza" is a fictional setting and does not exist in real life in that American city and state but it does evoke "Dealey Plaza" of Dallas, Texas, USA where the real life assassination of Democrat American President John F. Kennedy took place.

In an interview with the film's writer-director William Richert, he told show-business trade-paper 'The Hollywood Reporter' that he was against distributor Avco Embassy Pictures selling and marketing the picture in release with the tagline, "the truth behind the JFK assassination". Richert said that the picture was intended to be "a Lewis Carroll look at big power and politics".

William Richert, the film's writer-director, had earlier worked for director Ivan Passer on 'Law and Disorder' (1974) and 'Ace Up My Sleeve' (1976). Star Jeff Bridges worked with director Passer shortly after the time that 'Winter Kills' was first released with Bridges co-starring in Passer's 'Cutter's Way' (1981) with John Heard.

According to film critic Leonard Maltin, the movie was "a failure in 1979, it was reedited in 1983 (with original ending restored) and newly appreciated as a black comedy, which not everybody realized the first time around."

Debut dramatic theatrical feature film directed by writer-director William Richert.

The title of the associated documentary, Who Killed 'Winter Kills'? (2003), is derived from an article. Richard Condon, the author of the novel that the movie was based on, wrote an article for Harper's Magazine titled "Who Killed Winter Kills?" in which he claimed that the film's distributor AVCO Embassy Pictures had major defense contracts that the Kennedys were involved with. Since Ted Kennedy was about to run for president in 1980 and the film 'Winter KIlls' could become a distraction, Condon implied that the Kennedy's pressured the AVCO Embassy into abruptly pulling the film from theaters. Officially, AVCO Embassy pulled the movie due to the extremely negative reactions from the audience.

The character of Yvette Malone (played by Belinda Bauer) was a fictional personage of Jacqueline Kennedy nee Bouvier later Onassis. Both names featured at least one French name. Both real and reel characters were publishing editors, Malone a magazine editors, and Jackie a book editor.

Many of the billed beautiful women in the film and billed as beautiful women in the credits were models. These included Erin Gray and Camilla Sparv.

When this picture was originally in development, source novelist Richard Condon told 'New York' that the film's story, which is based on the real life 22nd November 1963 actual assassination of Democrat American President John F. Kennedy, the project was considered inappropriate because Democrat Senator Ted Kennedy (his brother) was expected to run for president during the 1976 presidential election. Later, when the film was in production, the project was still considered inappropriate, because Sen. Ted Kennedy was expected to compete in the Democrat primaries against Democrat President Jimmy Carter for the 1980 presidential election. Production on this picture was shut down at least three times.

The 10th January 1977 edition of the Los Angeles Herald Examiner reported in a production brief article that global distributor Carolco was a part financier of the picture but the movie's credits do not show any billing for this.

It has never been completely clear to many viewers and audiences what the 'Winter Kills' title of the movie actually means.

The MGM Studios put up a green and white banner on the lot hanging between two sound stages to greet movie star Elizabeth Taylor on her return to the studio. It read: "Welcome Home ELIZABETH".

Actor/director John Huston, who portrays Pa Kegan in this film, later went onto direct 'Prizzi's Honor' (1985) which was also based on a novel by source novelist Richard Condon, author of the 'Winter Kills' 1974 novel. Screenwriter Janet Roach had sent a copy of the book and the screenplay of 'Prizzi's Honor' to Huston who was later Oscar nominated as Best Director for 'Prizzi's Honor' (1985). John Huston's Best Director Academy Award nomination for this film made him the oldest ever to be Oscar nominated for directing. Huston was seventy-nine, and the record still stands as of August 2013.

The character of Joe Diamond (played by Eli Wallach) was a fictional personage of hit-man Jack Ruby.

Though the picture is obviously referential to President John F. Kennedy and his assassination, the name of the assassinated president, Timothy Kegan, also coincidentally referenced the then next incoming President of the United States after the film debuted, which was President Ronald Regan, as the name 'Kegan' has a similar spelling and sounding to the name 'Reagan'.

According to director William Richert, the first choice for the director was Milos Forman but he wasn't available.

According to director William Richert, John Huston himself ended up choreographing the final shootout in Kegan's headquarters because Richert hit a "director's block".

Originally, director Milos Forman was considered to direct. In the end, William Richert took on directing duties.

One of numerous collaborations of production designer Robert F. Boyle and cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond.

Debut theatrical feature film of actor Bobby Moresco and model and actress Belinda Bauer.

During the end stretch of completing filming on this picture some scenes had to be shortened and simplified whilst others had to be cut put completely.

Actor Irving Selbst portrayed a character, Irving Mentor, who had the same first name as his own.

Actor Jeff Bridges, actress Belinda Bauer, composer Maurice Jarre, director William Richert, costume designer Robert De Mora, producer Daniel H. Blatt, and actor Loyd Catlett, a friend of Bridges - all collaborated on link=tt0078765, which was made between the start and finish of filming 'Winter Kills' (1979) and used money from this other picture to complete 'Winter Kills' (1979).

During the flashback sequences involving the former American President Timothy Kegan, his face is never seen, nor is it ever seen in the photography on Pa Kegan (John Huston)'s wall, obscured in a medium shot of the fictional primary. In the later movie, 'Wag the Dog' (1997), another political satire, the face of the fictional but current American President in that picture is never shown either.

It is never stated in the movie whether the former assassinated President Timothy Kegan was a Democrat or a Republican.

Actor John Huston and writer Richard Condon, who wrote the novel on which this movie is based, both have surnames that end with the letters "o-n", plus both surnames that have six letters each.

Debut theatrical feature film directed by director William Richert.

Reportedly, actress Elizabeth Taylor was paid around US $100,000 for one week's work approximately. Taylor is uncredited in the film's credits.

Belinda Bauer's character, Yvette Malone, had the same last name as actress Dorothy Malone, who portrayed the character of Emma Kegan.

The character of Pa Kegan (played by actor John Huston) was a fictional personage of Joseph Kennedy, the father of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy. Huston had known Joseph Kennedy and reputedly didn't like him.

The actual first name of the Pa Kegan character played by actor John Huston, is never stated, with "Pa" being a nickname for dad or father, the only first name the character is ever referred to by.

Reputedly, according to director William Richert, actor Tomas Milian had one scene playing the Cuban mobster character of Frank Mayo, and spent four months rehearsing it.

During production of this picture actress Belinda Bauer and director William Richert developed a personal romantic relationship.

First filmed adaptation of a Richard Condon novel for about ten years. The last had been "A Talent for Loving" (1969) which had debuted exactly a decade earlier in 1969, with 'Winter Kills' first opening in 1979.

Source novelist Richard Condon and actor John Huston, the latter who later directed the author's novel 'Prizzi's Honor' (1985), both have last names that rhyme, both having the last two characters being the letters "o" and "n" ("on"). Moreover, both last names each contain six letters apiece.

Penultimate picture of actor Richard Boone whose final film would be 'The Bushido Blade' (1981).

The name of the Warren Commission like investigation report that investigated the assassination of President Tim Kegan was "The Pickering Commission". The name of its report was "The Pickering Commission on the Assassination of President Timothy Kegan".

The unseen but referred to character of Ella May Irving was a fictional personage of movie star Marilyn Monroe, whose alleged affair with former U.S. President John F. Kennedy has been well publicized.

The casting of actress Dorothy Malone was actually a mistake. Writer-director William Richert had originally intended to cast actress Dorothy McGuire. However, despite the error, the Richert went along with the error, and thought Malone was great in the part.

The nickname of the character of former U.S. President Timothy Kegan (John Warner) was "Tim" whilst the nickname of his brother Nicholas Kegan was (Jeff Bridges) was "Nick". The nickname of the two characters' father was "Pa" Kegan (John Huston) - his first name is never given.

The unseen but referred to character of Willy Arnold (President Timothy Kegan's assassin) was a fictional personage of Lee Harvey Oswald, the alleged assassin of U.S. President John F. Kennedy.

The date of the assassination of the character of the former American President the late Timothy Kegan (John Warner) was 22nd February 1960.

The name of the wig-maker business in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that is entered into at the start of the film, to find a hidden rifle that was allegedly used to assassinate the character of U.S. President Timothy Kegan (John Warner), was "Legendary Wigs and Hairpieces". Its room number was Room 903 and the building the Ingleson Building. The name of the wig-maker was John Kullers, allegedly a reference which has subtext referencing "John's Killers" i.e. the assassins of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy.

Actors Jeff Bridges and John Huston had previously collaborated on 'Fat City' (1972) but in that movie Huston was not an actor but the picture's director and one of it's producers.

The name of the publication that the character of Yvette Malone (Belinda Bauer) purportedly worked for as an editor was "National Magazine".

The character of Lola Comante (Elizabeth Taylor) was, according to writer-director William Richert on the film's audio-commentary, based on a Chicago mob woman who was allegedly one of JFK's mistresses.

About the second and one of the first major dramatic fictional John F. Kennedy referential feature film following 'Executive Action' (1974). During the 1980s, 'Prince Jack' (1984) and 'Flashpoint' (1984) would follow. In the same year that the 'Winter Kills' novel was first published, 'The Parallax View' (1974) had been influenced by the assassinations of both Kennedy politicians, brothers John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy. In that movie, the opening sequence was designed to mirror that of Robert F. Kennedy's 1968 assassination.

The salary of Eli Wallach was reportedly US $25,000 for a few days work but was like a number of cast and crew who did not get paid.

Movie star actor Richard Boone and production designer Robert F. Boyle had recently collaborated on 'The Shootist' (1976) about three years prior to the picture being first released though with the delays in principal photography this time frame was a lot less and a lot more recent when filming had originally began,

Actor Joseph Ragno (aka Joe Ragno) and writer-director William Richert had previously both collaborated on 'Law and Disorder' (1974) where Richert was one of the film's screenwriters.

Reportedly, legendary actress Elizabeth Taylor reportedly refused to step on set until she was paid her US $100,000 fee.

After this 1979 movie, producer Robert Sterling would not perform producing duties on a picture for about another thirty years (or three decades), until the 2009 documentary feature 'Waiting for the Light to Change', where Sterling was billed as an executive producer.

In April of 1979, after celebrating his 33rd birthday with friends, one of the film's producers, Leonard J. Goldberg, was found hand-cuffed and shot to death in his New York City apartment. He was co-executive producer this picture, which was released just over two weeks after his death.

This picture was reported as being the feature film production debut of the company 'A. Stirling Gold Ltd' as published in the 24th August 1976 edition of show-business trade-paper 'Daily Variety'. The name of the production company producing the film in the end was 'Winter Gold Productions'.

According to an article in the 11th March 1985 edition of 'The New York Times', the film right's to the literary property of Richard Condon's source novel of the same name, had sold during the early-mid 1970s for US $75,000.

According to a 28th May 1979 article in a New York publication, the movie rights to the film's source novel of the same name by Richard Condon, were originally optioned by producer Herman Levin prior to the book's publication.

Reputedly, this picture was turned down by at least four major Hollywood studios when its production was originally in development.

Reportedly, when Elizabeth Taylor went to the MGM studio sound stages, it was apparently the first time that the legendary movie star had reputedly been back there since 'National Velvet' (1944).

This picture was "...re-released in 1983 in a re-edited version and with original ending" according to show-business trade paper 'Variety'.

Final film of producer Leonard J. Goldberg.

According to show-business trade paper 'Variety', of Elizabeth Taylor's uncredited cameo appearance, the publication stated in its review of the movie that "contractual provisions prevent her name from being used in connection with 'Winter Kills'." A 17th May 1979 article in 'The New York Times' by Aljean Harmetz reported that Taylor had "a contract that bars the movie makers from using her name in their advertising".

The 5th December 1975 edition of 'The Hollywood Reporter' announced that writer Fred Segal (and brother of movie star George Segal) would be adapting for the big screen this film's source novel by Richard Condon. In the end, the film's director, William Richert, was the movie's screenwriter, this being reported by show-business trade paper 'Daily Variety'.

Legendary movie star Elizabeth Taylor's entire bit part performance is without any audible dialogue. Apparently, Taylor thought that doing a performance where she would not be heard speaking was quite a novel and different experience.

Executive Producer Leonard J. Goldberg stated that the picture was financed completely by private investors including members of his family.

The film premiered in cinemas on 11th May 1979 which was about sixteen and a half years after the assassination of Democrat American President John F. Kennedy had taken place on 22 November 1963. In the film's plot, President Timothy Kegan has been assassinated nineteen years earlier, in 1960.

The originally scheduled period of continuous principal photography, prior to the delays and shut downs that occurred on the picture, was thirteen weeks of production.

According to an article published in the 28th February 1977 edition of show-business trade-paper 'Daily Variety', principal photography at the MGM Studios in Hollywood was shut-down for one day by the IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees). Reportedly, this was due to crew claiming that they had not been compensated for "pension and health and welfare plans" to the value of US $50-60,000.

According to the 21st February 1977 edition of show-business trade-paper 'Box Office', financier and financial consultant Alfons Bach II was contracted to organize a completion guarantor for this picture, requiring US $3 million, but only US $1 million of further financing at this point was secured.

According to a news article published in the 8th March 1977 edition of show-business trade-paper 'Variety', production was shut-down on this picture again for a second time, on the day before this published announcement, on 7th March 1977.

According to an article published in the 13th December 1978 edition of show-business trade-paper 'Daily Variety', this film's production company 'Stirling Gold' filed for bankruptcy during May 1977, using the Chapter XI right to re-organize under the United States Bankruptcy Code, and at that time, the consequences were shutting down the film's production indefinitely.

According to an article published in the 13th December 1978 edition of show-business trade-paper 'Daily Variety', about six months after the production company of this film had filed for bankruptcy, the company of 'Stirling Gold' was re-established as 'Winter Gold Productions' in the Autumn (aka Fall) of 1978. This was conducted by way of utilizing the Chapter XI right for the company to be able re-organize itself under the United States Bankruptcy Code.

According to an article published in the 22nd November 1978 edition of 'The Hollywood Reporter', Avco Embassy Pictures acquired the picture and agreed to act as completion guarantor and finance its completion and be the film's distributor. This distribution deal was negotiated by former MGM vice president Benjamin Melniker.

San Francisco real-estate mogul Frank Aries raised over US $1 million to guarantee completion of the film. Aries is billed in the movie's credits not as a producer but as the picture's presenter.

Former MGM vice president Benjamin Melniker, who organized Avco Embassy Pictures to distribute and act as completion guarantor on the film, claimed that producers Robert Sterling and Leonard J. Goldberg initially began production on this picture with only a part of the picture's budget fully financed.

Benjamin Melniker, a former MGM vice president, successfully negotiated a movie deal, which was a deferred payment plan, with the creditors of this film's production company, Stirling Gold. These creditors included MGM and Warner Bros. who were at the time owed US $300,000 and US $375,000 respectively, for studio facilities hire & usage and investment respectively.

During the film's financial difficulties and shut-downs on production, show-business trade paper 'Daily Variety' reported that in the film's cast, legendary actress Elizabeth Taylor, had been the only cast member on the picture to have been paid in full.

According to the American Film Institute, "IATSE [(nternational Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees)] and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) agreed to late compensation of over [US] $300,000 in unpaid wages and the state and federal governments settled for overdue payments of approximately [US] $525,000 in payroll taxes once the film was released".

According to a news article in the 1st January 1979 edition of show-business trade paper' Box', production on this picture was slated to re-commence in New York City after an almost two year hiatus on the film's production.

The lynx fur coat that actress Elizabeth Taylor wanted from the production was initially refused by writer-director William Richert. In the end, Richert relented, giving her the item, only for it in the end being re-possessed by the furrier company.

The character of President Timothy Kegan (John Warner), who is only ever seen in flashback, and only his hands, and never his face, was a fictional personage of former assassinated Democrat American President John F. Kennedy.

First time that a solo movie production ever filed for bankruptcy (with Chapter XI United States Bankruptcy Code proceedings) in the United States of America.

First time a theatrical feature film resumed production on the picture after being on hold in hiatus for a period of about two years.

Reportedly, the film's star and protagonist Jeff Bridges was reputedly owed (at least at one point) US $100,000 in unpaid salary.

Writer-director William Richert told 'The New York Times' that the cast members on this picture were "unbelievably cooperative" despite the fact that the movie's production had such serious financing difficulties.

Whilst this picture was in hiatus, star Jeff Bridges turned down parts in other productions but did appear in 'The American Success Company' (1980) which was written and directed by 'Winter Kills' director William Richert in order to raise money to complete the 'Winter Kills' movie.

Some cast members, such as actor Eli Wallach, reportedly, were never fully paid and/or compensated for their involvement on this movie, and had to pay for their own costs, such as hotel accommodation during filming.

Actors and lead cast members Jeff Bridges, John Huston and Anthony Perkins all assisted and collaborated in order to raise finance for this picture during its period of financing set backs and shut downs.

According to an article published in the 28th March 1983 edition of show-business trade-paper 'The Hollywood Reporter', writer-director William Richert paid Avco Embassy Pictures 10% or US $10,000 of the total amount required for this film's distribution movie deal, which was in total US $100,000.

The value of the publicity, marketing and distribution campaign by Avco Embassy Pictures was US $2.5 million.

The film's charity World Premiere was held in aid of the Mother Cabrini Hospital.

According to an article published in the 6th February 1979 edition of show-business trade-paper 'The Hollywood Reporter', the picture was released in about 400 cinemas across the USA instead of the originally intended 600 screens.

The film premiered in the USA on the Memorial Day weekend in 1979.

Avco Embassy Pictures pictures pulled the film from release early to make way for their big American summer picture 'Goldengirl' (1979) starring Susan Anton and James Coburn.

The film is considered a "cult movie" - as stated by many sources including Wikipedia, Sean Axmaker at Stream on Demand', the Premiere Guide to Movies on Video, and Danny Peary - author of the 'Cult Movies' series of books. TV Guide and the Virgin Film Guide have called the film a "cult favorite on video", Donald Guarisco at Allmovie said the film was "a must for any fan of cult movies", whilst the picture has become a "cult classic" according to Christopher Null at the Film Critic website.

Writer-director William Richert canvassed "written commitments" to appear in the film from such movie stars as Elizabeth Taylor, John Huston, Anthony Perkins, and Jeff Bridges.

When the IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees) union first shut down the film, the sequence being shot was the one between Nick Kegan (Jeff Bridges) and John Cerruti (Anthony Perkins) atop the information center. Cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond continued filming to the very last moment after the union suits had walked into the MGM sound stage and shut down the film and its lighting.

According to the Wednesday 7th May 1980 edition of ' The Australian Women's Weekly' magazine, model turned actress Belinda Bauer, who plays Yvette Malone in 'Winter Kills', said of the movie: "I learned more about the movie industry in a few weeks than most people learn in a lifetime...Oh, the problems we had...First of all, production closed down after 12 weeks because the money ran out. The film went into bankruptcy. The actors would have kept on working for a pittance but the unions wouldn't let the crews work without money up front...We didn't get paid for about three weeks before the shooting was finally called to a halt...It was awful. We all thought it was going to be such a good movie."

As stated by writer-director William Richert on the DVD, more scenes were filmed with legendary actress Elizabeth Taylor than ended up in either of the two final versions, the original Avco Embassy cut, and the 1983 re-release re-edited version. Actress Belinda Bauer said in an article published in the 7th May 1980 edition of ' The Australian Women's Weekly' magazine that it was working with Taylor which was the thing she most remembered about working on the film. Bauer said: "She only did a cameo role which eventually got chopped out of the final release but what a joy she is. She's bawdy and terrific fun. What a strong character she has."

According to website 'Starring the Computer', "Part of Pa Kegan [John Huston]'s empire includes a computer centre, run by John Cerruti [Anthony Perkins], in which large number of panels (and even a display scope) from the FSQ-7 appear." This FSQ-7 computer refers to the IBM AN/FSQ-7 computer.

Around the time of the picture's North American debut, show-business trade paper reported that the movie's creditors were still owed about US $5 million.

According to an article published in the 5th January 1983 edition of show-business trade-paper 'Variety', writer-director William Richert and former 20th Century Fox vice president Claire Townsend entered into a partnership to create a new production company, the Invisible Studio, which would be established in order to re-release the film 'Winter Kills', along with other Richert productions. Reputedly, this process to buy back the movie took over a year to re-acquire the distribution rights to the film from its distributor, Avco Embassy Pictures.

According to Hal Erickson at the 'Allmovie' website, the film was "a failure when first released, Winter Kills fared somewhat better when director William Richert arranged to re-release the film through his own company and restore several scenes that had been cut by its previous backers".

It is stated in the movie that former President Timothy Kegan had 1072 sexual encounters whilst president. This character is a fictional personage of assassinated former President John F. Kennedy, who has been known as a "king for one thousand days". JFK's period in office at the White House as U.S. President ran for 1036 days.

According to Eric Gilliland at 'Cold War Film & Culture', "most of the film was shot in 1976, three years before getting a release date. A more expanded version hit the market in 1983."

Actress Elizabeth Taylor had previously starred in 'Reflections in a Golden Eye' (1967) which was directed by 'Winter Kills' co-star John Huston, who also was a producer on that picture, but Huston did not appear in that film. The pair share no scenes in 'Winter Kills' but have both appeared in about three film history documentaries, such as: 'On the Trail of the Iguana' (1964), 'The Life and Times of John Huston, Esq.' (1967) (TV), and 'George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey' (1984).

According to the book 'Picture This!: A guide to over 300 environmentally, socially, and politically relevant films and videos' (1992) by Sky Hiatt , "the producers suffered baffling funding problems toward the end. It was a struggle to finish filming. The movie was released during a nationwide power failure, played on week, and was pulled by Avco Embassy Films."

Source 'Winter Kills' (1974) novelist Richard Condon said of his source novel in an article published in the May 1983 edition of 'Harper's Magazine': "I meant [Winter Kills] to be a revelation of the interlocking defences and assault systems of a really modern conspiracy against a single man." Of this filmed adaptation, Condon added that the film was "hugely entertaining...it made all of the points that the novel had set out to make, but made them far more comically."

According to Halliwell's: "Despite its cast, it was never satisfactorily released".

The film was part of a cycle of 1970s conspiracy movies. These included: Executive Action (1973), Klute (1971), Chinatown (1974), Cutter's Way (1981), Telefon (1977), Winter Kills (1979), The Conversation (1974), The Parallax View (1974), Three Days of the Condor (1975), The Domino Principle (1977), Good Guys Wear Black (1978), Op de rand van de ondergang (1977), Hangar 18 (1980), Capricorn One (1977), and All the President's Men (1976). Blow Out (1981) would follow in the early 1980s.

One of several films to offer up a different / fictional viewpoint of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Others that have taken this route include William Tannen's Flashpoint (1984) and, most visibly, Oliver Stone's JFK (1991).

The name of the sea vessel that portrayed the TK oil tanker was the Goldmar Explorer.

First of two theatrical film collaborations of actor Jeff Bridges and cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond. The second would be the following year's 'Heaven's Gate' (1980).

The war-games Simi Valley Northern California sequence with Sterling Hayden was filmed about two years after principal photography had originally started.

Second and final theatrical film collaboration of actor-director John Huston and actor Sterling Hayden. The first had been 'The Asphalt Jungle' (1950) which had been made and first released about twenty-seven years earlier. In that movie, Huston was the director and an uncredited producer and did not act. In 'Winter Kills' the pair share no acting scenes. Moreover, Marilyn Monroe appeared in 'The Asphalt Jungle' (1950) playing Angela Phinlay. The unseen but referred to character of Ella May Irving in 'Winter Kills' was a fictional personage of movie star Marilyn Monroe, whose alleged affair with former U.S. President John F. Kennedy has been well publicized.

Though all veterans of Hollywood, 'Winter Kills' was the first ever theatrical feature film collaboration of actress Dorothy Malone and actor-director John Huston; actress Elizabeth Taylor and actor Richard Boone; actor Anthony Perkins and actress Dorothy Malone.

Second and final theatrical film collaboration of actor Anthony Perkins and actor-director John Huston. About seven years earlier, Huston had played Grizzly Adams and directed Perkins, who played Reverend LaSalle, in 'The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean' (1972). In 'Winter Kills' though, the pair share no acting scenes, but Huston's character does refer to Perkins'.

Third and final theatrical feature film of actor Richard Boone and actor-producer-director John Huston. Boone and Huston had previously both done voice work on 'The Hobbit' (1977) animated feature whilst prior to this Huston had directed Boone in 'The Kremlin Letter' (1970) where Huston had also played The Admiral, been a co-screenwriter, and an uncredited producer.

First theatrical feature film collaboration of actor Richard Boone and actress Dorothy Malone though the pair share no acting scenes. The two had both previously appeared in an episode of 'LuxVideo Theatre' (1950-1959) entitled 'The Hunted' (1950).

Third and final film collaboration of actor Eli Wallach and actor-writer-producer-director John Huston who both previously worked on 'The Misfits' (1961) and 'Independence' (1976) - both directed by Huston. Marilyn Monroe starred in 'The Misfits' (1961) playing Roslyn Taber. The unseen but referred to character of Ella May Irving in 'Winter Kills' was a fictional personage of movie star Marilyn Monroe, whose alleged affair with former U.S. President John F. Kennedy has been well publicized.

Actor-director John Huston had previously directed movie star Marilyn Monroe twice in 'The Asphalt Jungle' (1950) and ' The Misfits (1961)'. In 'Winter Kills', the unseen but referred to character of Ella May Irving is a fictional personage of Monroe, whose alleged affair with former U.S. President John F. Kennedy has been well publicized.

The nick-name of former American President Timothy Kegan (John Warner) on the source Richard Condon novel's dust-jacket refers to him as "The Golden President" but this description is never used in the movie version.

Reportedly, the picture initially after its first release made only about one sixth or US $1 million back out of its estimated US $6 million - US $6.5 million budget.

According to 'TV Tropes', the movie, experienced executive meddling where "Embassy Pictures made significant cuts to the film, including all of Elizabeth Taylor's scenes (which were later restored for video and television edits), and did little to promote or distribute the film".

At one point Nick Kegan (Jeff Bridges) is asked by Yvette Malone (Belinda Bauer) where he has recently traveled to. Kegan replies Brisbane, Australia. Actress Bauer is actually from Australia.

For Elizabeth Taylor's scenes, cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond sought out a lens that squeezed the frame. This was because Taylor had put on weight and looked fat and overweight in real life and on camera, the lens makes a person look even bigger. The special lens, which took about a week to find, gave the appearance that Taylor was thinner, and Zsigmond was very happy with the result. Because the outcome was very effective, the Director of Photography said he got nick-named "Dr. Zsigmond", apparently a kind of reference to 'Doctor Zhivago' (1965).

The character of Nick Kegan (Jeff Bridges) is seen playing the piano at one point in this movie. Bridges, along with his brother Beau Bridges, would about a decade later portray brother lounge jazz pianists in 'The Fabulous Baker Boys' (1989). 'Winter Kills' is also about the relationship of two brothers, as Nick seeks to solve the mystery of his half-brother's assassination.

All the lead cast, though billed in the opening credits for their cast names, do not have any closing credits billings, and as such, there are no end credits stating their character names at all in the picture, in neither the opening nor closing credits.

One of the personal favorite films that the movie's production designer, Robert F. Boyle, said he had worked on. On one of the DVD bonus features, Boyles states how he had seen the film several times over the years.

The film was the selected to be the picture for a Robert F. Boyle Homage Memorial Screening by the American Cinematheque and the Art Directors Guild Film Society on Sunday 10th October 2010 at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. Boyle was the film's production designer and the movie was one of his favorite pictures he worked on.

The hand crafted golden chess set seen during the opening credits, at the time the film was made, reputedly had a value of around US $100,000.

At one point towards the end of the movie 'Winter Kills' (1979), at the information center, John Cerruti (Anthony Perkins) refers to "black holes". Perkins starred as Dr. Alex Durant in Disney's 'The Black Hole' (1979) which premiered in cinemas later that very same year of 1979.

Final dramatic theatrical feature film directed by the movie's director William Richert for around nine years until 'A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon' (1988). Richert directed 'The American Success Company' (1980) during a hiatus in filming 'Winter Kills' (1979), which debuted the following year after, but this picture had had its filming finished before the shooting of 'Winter Kills' (1979) had been completed.

Elizabeth Taylor: Uncredited, as Lola Comante, who says only one word of dialogue.

Robert F. Boyle: The production designer as a Desk Clerk, billed as Robert Boyle.

During the sequence when Nick Kegan (Jeff Bridges) hits John Cerruti (Anthony Perkins) on the arms, he allegedly hit him too hard, and Perkins felt real pain, and the camera was kept on rolling to capture the drama.

The gigantic finale flag sequence atop a high-rise building where Pa Kegan (John Huston) falls to his death was filmed horizontally on a sound stage with Huston attached to a runner under the flag with a blade behind his back to cut the flag. This shot was inverted vertically to create the appearance of the character falling and tearing the flag at the same time.

At the end of the movie, whilst hanging off of an American flag draped across his high-rise building, Pa Kegan (John Huston) says to his son Nick Kegan (Jeff Bridges) to invest in South America. In real life, Huston's retreat home was located in Puerto Vallarta in Mexico in Central America.

The amount of money that high-class D.C. Madam Lola Comante (Elizabeth Taylor) offered President Timothy Kegan (John Warner) in campaign donations was US $2 million.