Robert Harmon Biography

Fast Facts

• Nominated for Outstanding Directorial Achievements in Dramatic Specials at the Directors Guild of America in 1996 for the HBO original movie "Gotti," chronicling the life of infamous Gambino crime family boss John Gotti
• Prior to pursuing a film career, Harmon graduated from Boston University's film school and worked for many years as a still photographer with a second job as an industrial and advertising photographer to supplement his income
• Worked a one-year stint as a Playboy magazine photographer and did camera work for a number of student films at the University of California in Los Angeles
• After his jobs as an industrial and advertising photographer, directed his first short film called "China Lake," whose work was noticed by two producers who hired him to direct the feature horror film "The Hitcher․"
• Quote: "(On the longevity of the 1986 road horror film "The Hitcher") "We designed the movie to be somewhat 'lost in time'․․․ and as the story takes place in a physical space that's also very hard to date, I think the film has aged pretty well․""
• Quote: "(On choosing Rutger Hauer for the role of John Ryder in "The Hitcher") "'The Hitcher' is unthinkable without Rutger Hauer․ He brought a nobility and near 'god-like' quality to the role which, considering who John Ryder is, was vitally important․""
• Made his directorial debut with the 1983 psychological thriller "China Lake․"