Barry Spikings - One of the Best

(Article extracted from The Old Bostonian, August 1999 edition) To quote Pat Ashberry in the Boston Standard: "Local golden boy Barry Spikings, who started as a cub reporter on the Standard and became a millionaire film tycoon, has received the ultimate accolade for his film The Deer Hunter, which won a Best Film Oscar 20 years ago." The American Film Institute, as the 20th Century draws to a close, has compiled a list of the 100 greatest American movies of the century - "100 years ... 100 movies". Barry's The Deer Hunter has been included - a great honour indeed. Barry received a special framed certificate recognising his contribution to America's Film Heritage. With it came a letter from the Institute expressing the hope that Barry will display the certificate "with the same level of pride AFI feels your artistic efforts deserve." Truly great praise and no better recognition could there be than from the Institute which has Charlton Heston as its president. After BGS Barry joined the Standard as a trainee reporter and later joined the Farmers' Weekly and during his time there he won a Golden Ear award with a 15-minute film he produced and directed himself (shades of great things to come!).

He then steered a course into the entertainment world and made his way from Bardney to Hollywood:

• Promoted pop festivals in Bardney
• Became co-owner of British Lion Films in the 70s
• Joined EMI when it took over British Lion
• In 1978 his film "The Deer Hunter" won the Oscar for Best Picture
• Took over running EMI from Lord Delfont
• 2 years later joined Nelson Entertainment Inc and became its president in the 80s
• Presented the prizes at BGS Prize Giving in 1999

Well done Barry, congratulations from the OBA.

Barry has agreed to be the guest of honour and say a few words at out Centenary Dinner on Saturday 15th April 2000.

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Barry Spikings - Filmography

Conduct Unbecoming	1975	Producer with Michael Deeley and Andrew Donally
The Man Who Fell To Earth	1976	Producer with Michael Deeley
Convoy	1978	Executive Producer
The Deer Hunter	1978	Producer with Michael Deeley, Michael Cimino, and John Peverall	Oscars 1978: Picture (Barry Spikings, Michael Deeley, Michael Cimino, Andrew Donally) Supporting Actor (Christopher Walken) Director (Michael Cimino) Film Editing (Peter Zinner) Sound (Richard Portman, William McCaughey, Aaron Rochin, Darrin Knight)
Texasville	1990	Producer with Peter Bogdanovich
Bill And Ted's Bogus Journey	1991	Executive Producer
Picture This - The Times of Peter Bogdanovich in Archer City, Texas	1991	Producer
The Taking of Beverley Hills (Boomer: The Taking of Beverley Hills)	1991	Executive Producer
The Favour	1994	Executive Producer
There Goes My Baby (The Last Days of Paradise)	1994	Executive Producer
Beyond Rangoon	1995	Producer with John Boorman and Eric Pleskow

Links relating to Barry Spikings

• Spikings family films
• filmUnlimited