Editing Cornel Wilde (section)

==Producer and director==
In the 1950s Wilde and his second wife, [[Jean Wallace]], formed their own film production company, Theodora, named after Theodora Irvine.{{efn|Film critic [[Tim Lucas]] states that the move made Wilde "only the second actor - after [[Burt Lancaster]] - to form his own production company, thus declaring himself a herdsman rather than cattle".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/review/4247 |title=The running man |first=Tim|last=Lucas|author-link=Tim Lucas |work=[[Sight and Sound]] |access-date=4 May 2025}}</ref>}} Their first movie was the film noir ''[[The Big Combo]]'' (1955), a co production with Security Pictures that was released through Allied Artists. Wilde and Wallace played the leads. That year he also directed an episode of ''[[General Electric Theatre]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Schallert |first=Edwin |date=March 15, 1955 |title=Jack Hawkins New Space Conqueror; French King Set for John Williams |page=B7 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Pryor |first=Thomas M. |date=June 22, 1954 |title=Palladium Stars Sought for Movie: History of Famous London Music Hall Would Include American Entertainers |page=24 |newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref>

That same year, he appeared in an episode of ''[[I Love Lucy]]'' as himself and starred in ''[[The Scarlet Coat]]'' (1956) for MGM.<ref>{{cite news |last=Schallert |first=Edwin |date=June 23, 1954 |title='Big Combo' Will Star Cornel Wilde; Vanessa Brown Debates Musical |page=B7 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times}}</ref>

Wilde produced and starred in another film for Theodora with Wallace, ''[[Storm Fear]]'' (1956) from a script by [[Horton Foote]]. This time Wilde also directed "to save money".<ref>{{cite news |last=Pryor |first=Thomas M. |date=March 7, 1955 |title=Theodora Plans Its Second Movie. |newspaper=The New York Times |id={{ProQuest|113204307}}}} {{closed access|date=November 2017}}</ref>

Theodora announced Wilde would play [[Lord Byron]], but the film was never made.<ref>{{cite news |last=Pryor |first=Thomas M. |date=December 21, 1954 |title=Independents Buy Two New Stories |newspaper=The New York Times |id={{ProQuest|113000136}}}} {{closed access|date=November 2017}}</ref> He later stated that not playing the part was one of his great regrets.<ref name="billington" /> Other announced projects included ''Curly'' and ''Second Act Curtin''.

Wilde was meant to appear as Joshua in de Mille's ''[[The Ten Commandments (1956 film)|The Ten Commandments]]'' (1956) but was not in the final film – he turned down the role, saying it was too small and the pay was too little ([[John Derek]] ended up playing it). Wilde later said it was his worst mistake because having even a small role in a big blockbuster would have given him career momentum.<ref>{{cite news |last=Pryor |first=Thomas M. |date=September 5, 1954 |title=Hollywood Canvas |newspaper=The New York Times |id={{ProQuest|113071008}}}} {{closed access|date=November 2017}}</ref>

As an actor only, he appeared in ''[[Hot Blood]]'' (1956) with [[Jane Russell]] for director [[Nicholas Ray]], and ''[[Beyond Mombasa]]'' (1956), shot in Kenya; both were released by Columbia.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/53604|title=Hot Blood|website=afi.com|access-date=2025-05-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/52105|title=Beyond Mombasa|website=afi.com|access-date=2025-05-04}}</ref> In 1957, he guest-starred in an episode of ''[[Father Knows Best]]'' as himself. Also in 1957, he played the role of the 13th century [[Persian literature|Persian poet]] [[Omar Khayyám]] in the film ''[[Omar Khayyam (1957 film)|Omar Khayyam]]''.

Wilde produced, directed and starred in two films for Theodora that were released through [[Paramount Pictures]]: ''[[The Devil's Hairpin]]'' (1957), a car-racing drama, and ''[[Maracaibo (film)|Maracaibo]]'' (1958). Wilde called them "an acceptable A-B, meaning a picture with a B budget but A pretensions".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bawden |first1=James |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HZQ0DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT71 |title=You Ain't Heard Nothin' Yet: Interviews with Stars from Hollywood's Golden Era |last2=Miller |first2=Ron |year=2017 |publisher=University Press of Kentucky |isbn=978-0-8131-7423-5}}</ref>

He had the lead in ''[[Edge of Eternity (film)|Edge of Eternity]]'' (1959) for director [[Don Siegel]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/52872|title=Edge of Eternity|website=afi.com|access-date=2025-04-14}}</ref>

Wilde went to Italy to star in ''[[Constantine and the Cross]]'' (1962).<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1963/03/14/archives/the-screenconstantine-tramples-history-to-death-the-cast.html | work=[[The New York Times]] | page=8 | title='Constantine' Tramples History to Death | first=Bosley | last=Crowther | author-link=Bosley Crowther | date=14 March 1963 |url-access=subscription | access-date=14 April 2025}}</ref> In Britain, he wrote, produced, directed and starred in ''[[Lancelot and Guinevere]]'' (1963).<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bentley |first=Jack |date=25 February 1962 |title=Church-Deacon Pat Finds His Sexy Film Scenes a Problem |work=[[The Sunday Mirror]] |issue=2445 |page=23}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=North |first=Rex |date=9 April 1963 |title=Life in the Mirror |work=[[The Daily Mirror]] |issue=18445 |page=13}}</ref><ref name="timesobit" />

Wilde produced, directed, and starred in ''[[The Naked Prey]]'' (1965), in which he played a man stripped naked and chased by hunters from an African tribe that was affronted by the behavior of other members of his safari party. The original script was largely based on a true historical incident about a trapper named [[John Colter]] being pursued by [[Blackfoot Confederacy|Blackfeet]] Indians in [[Wyoming]]. Lower shooting costs, tax breaks, and material and logistical assistance offered by [[Rhodesia]] persuaded Wilde and the other producers to shoot the film on location in Rhodesia (now [[Zimbabwe]]). It is probably his most highly regarded film as director.<ref name="timesobit" /><ref name="Rev">{{cite web |title=The Naked Prey |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/naked_prey/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524012733/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/naked_prey/ |archive-date=May 24, 2019 |access-date=October 5, 2018 |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/15/movies/homevideo/15dvds.html | work=[[The New York Times]] | title=Critic's Choice: New DVDs | first=Dave | last=Kehr | author-link=Dave Kehr | date=15 January 2008 |url-access=subscription | access-date=4 May 2025}}</ref>

Wilde followed this with a war movie, ''[[Beach Red]]'' (1967), shot in the Philippines.  He announced ''Namugongo'', another movie in Africa, about the [[White Fathers]] missionaries in the [[Buganda|Kingdom of Buganda]], but it was never made.<ref>{{cite news |date=September 10, 1969 |title=Cornel Wilde screenplay |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |id={{ProQuest|156304920}}}} {{closed access|date=November 2017}}</ref> He had a supporting role in ''[[The Comic]]'' (1969), directed by [[Carl Reiner]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/21110|title=The Comic|website=afi.com|access-date=2025-04-14}}</ref>

He wrote, produced, and directed the science fiction film ''[[No Blade of Grass (film)|No Blade of Grass]]'' (1970).<ref>{{cite book |editor-last=Hardy |editor-first=Phil |editor-link=Phil Hardy (journalist) |year=1984 |title=The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Science Fiction |publisher=[[Aurum Press]] |page=295 |isbn=0-906053-82-X}}</ref>{{efn|Wilde's script contribution was credited under the pseudonym "Jefferson Pascal".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/22222|title=No Blade of Grass|website=afi.com|access-date=2025-05-04}}</ref>}} Later he wrote, directed, and starred in the exploitation film ''[[Sharks' Treasure]]'',<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1975/09/11/archives/sharks-treasure.html | work=[[The New York Times]] | page=35 | title=Sharks' Treasure | first=Richard | last=Eder | author-link=Richard Eder | date=11 September 1975 |url-access=subscription | access-date=4 May 2025}}</ref> a 1975 film released during the "Shark Fever" of the mid-1970s in the wake of the success of [[Peter Benchley]]'s ''[[Jaws (novel)|Jaws]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=French |first=Philip |author-link=Philip French |date=21 November 1975 |title=Ignoble savage: a famous mystery reworked |work=[[The Times]] |issue=59558 |page=14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Powell |first=Dilys |author-link=Dilys Powell |date=23 November 1975 |title=A Phoenix rises in Finchley |work=[[The Sunday Times]] |issue=7954 |page=36}}</ref>{{efn|When pre-production began at [[Columbia Pictures]] in 1968, the film's working title was ''The Raging Sea'', later altered to ''The Treasure''. ''Sharks' Treasure'' was chosen by [[United Artists]], who ultimately distributed it.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/55631|title=Sharks' Treasure|website=afi.com|access-date=2025-04-14}}</ref>}}

He acted in ''[[The Norseman]]'' (1978)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/56952|title=The Norseman|website=afi.com|access-date=2025-04-14}}</ref> and ''[[The Fifth Musketeer]]'' (1979).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/56765|title=The Fifth Musketeer|website=afi.com|access-date=2025-04-14}}</ref>

Wilde's TV performances include an appearance in the 1957 episode of ''Father Knows Best'' "An Evening to Remember." He appeared as an unethical surgeon in the 1971 ''[[Night Gallery]]'' episode "Deliveries in the Rear" and portrayed an anthropologist in the 1972 TV movie ''[[Gargoyles (TV film)|Gargoyles]]''.