Roger Corman honored at Telluride

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TELLURIDE, Colo., Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Filmmaker Roger Corman called himself a "failure of the Stanford engineering class of 1947" at a ceremony in his honor at the Telluride (Colo.) Film Festival.

Corman was awarded one of the festival's Silver Medallions for his prolific career as a producer, director and actor Friday, The Hollywood Reporter reported Saturday.

During an on-stage interview at the Sheridan Opera House, the indie director said he was disillusioned by big studio work when a story editor received a bonus for notes and ideas Corman contributed to "The Gunfighter."

"I was a failure of the Stanford engineering class of 1947," Corman said. "I got the worst job at $32.50 a week, as a messenger at Fox. I worked my way up to being a story analyst. I had vague thoughts, primarily as a writer and possibly also some kind of future in directing and production."

Corman said he was so nervous while driving to his first job as a director, he had to pull his car off to the side of the road, THR reported.

"Most of the good directors I know have also said they were nervous their first time out. The only person who wasn't was Ron Howard. He came in totally cool and prepared," he said.