Kieth Merrill
American filmmaker (born 1940)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kieth W. Merrill[1] (born May 22, 1940)[2] is an American filmmaker who has worked as a writer, director, and producer in the film industry since 1967. He is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Directors Guild of America, and received an Academy Award for The Great American Cowboy (1973) and a nomination for Amazon (1997). He is also known for directing The Testaments of One Fold and One Shepherd[3], Legacy[4] and Windwalker[5][6].
Kieth W. Merrill | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 22, 1940 Farmington, Utah, U.S. |
| Occupation | Filmmaker |
| Education | Bachelor of Arts |
| Alma mater | Brigham Young University |
| Genres |
|
| Years active | 1973–present |
| Notable works | The Great American Cowboy (1973) The Wild West (1993) Amazon (1997) Various films for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints |
| Notable awards | Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Film (1973) |
He published a novel, The Evolution of Thomas Hall, through Shadow Mountain in 2011. His first fantasy novel, The Immortal Crown, was published by Shadow Mountain in 2016.
Biography
The son of artist/landscape architect David Merrill and playwright/actress Leola Green Merrill, Kieth Merrill was born and raised in Farmington, Utah, a small, pioneer-founded town 20 miles north of Salt Lake City.[7]
As an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he served as a missionary for the church in Denmark for two-and-a-half years.[8][9]
Merrill graduated in 1967 with a bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University (BYU). He is married to Dagny Johnson, and they are the parents of eight children. They reside in Northern California.[7] Merrill was commissioned by the LDS Church's First Presidency to produce the films Legacy and The Testaments for the state-of-the-art 70 mm Legacy Theater at Temple Square in Salt Lake City.[citation needed]
Merrill has been a member of the Board of Trustees of Southern Virginia University and president of the BYU Alumni Association. He received the Franklin S. Harris Fine Arts Award from BYU[10] when he delivered the commencement address to the BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications in 2007.[11]
In 2021, his refusal to watch Never Rarely Sometimes Always for Academy Awards consideration as a voting member garnered some attention.[12]
Filmography
Merrill has done work in various formats, including IMAX and 70mm. He has created feature films, documentaries, television commercials, and miniseries.[13][14]
- The Great American Cowboy (1973 Documentary Academy Award Winner)[15]
- A Matter of Winning (1973)
- Great American Indian (1976)
- Three Warriors (1977)
- Take Down (1979)
- Kenny Rogers and the American Cowboy (1979)
- Windwalker (1980)
- Mr. Krueger's Christmas (1980)
- Wheels of Fire (1981)
- Harry's War (1981)
- Rivals (1981)
- The Cherokee Trail (1981)
- Grand Canyon: The Hidden Secrets (1984, IMAX)
- Niagara: Miracles, Myths and Magic (1986, IMAX)
- Alamo: The Price of Freedom (1988)
- Legacy (1990)
- Polynesian Odyssey (1991, IMAX)
- On The Way Home (1992)
- The Wild West (1993, TV miniseries, Emmy nomination)
- Yellowstone (1994, IMAX)
- Passion for Life (1995, IMAX)
- Ozarks: Legacy and Legends (1995, IMAX)
- San Francisco: The Movie (1995, IMAX)
- Zion Canyon: Treasure of the Gods (1996, IMAX)
- Amazon (1997, IMAX, nominated for Academy Award)
- The Witness (1997, IMAX)
- Olympic Glory (1999, IMAX)
- The Testaments (2000)
- The 12 Dogs of Christmas (2005)
- The 12 Dogs of Christmas – Great Puppy Rescue (2012)
Bibliography
- The Evolution of Thomas Hall (May 2011, ISBN 9781606418369, Shadow Mountain)
- Saga of Kings series
- The Immortal Crown (May 2016, ISBN 978-1-62972-025-8, Shadow Mountain)
