Bud-Greenspan-Obituary

Bud Greenspan

Obituary

Bud Greenspan, the filmmaker whose documentaries often soared as triumphantly as the Olympic athletes he chronicled for more than six decades, died at his home in New York City. He was 84.

He died Saturday from complications of Parkinson's disease, companion Nancy Beffa said.

Even as controversies over politics, performance-enhancing drugs and commercialism began vying for attention on the Olympic stage, Greenspan remained unapologetic about his focus on the most uplifting stories from the planet's most spectacular sporting event.

"I spend my time on about the 99 percent of what's good about the Olympics and most people spend 100 percent of their time on the one percent that's negative. I've been criticized for seeing things through rose-colored glasses, but the percentages are with me," he said in an interview with ESPN.com nearly a decade ago.

He received lifetime achievement awards from the Directors Guild of America and the Nationa l Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, as well as a Peabody and the Olympic Order award. His best-known work was "The Olympiad," the culmination of 10 years of research, more than three million feet of rare, archived film, hundreds of interviews and visits to more than 30 countries. The 10-part series he produced was aired in more than 80 countries.

As a 21-year-old radio reporter, Greenspan filed his first Olympic story from a pay telephone booth at Wembley stadium at the 1948 London Games. With his eyeglasses familiarly perched atop a bald dome, he cut a distinct figure at nearly every Summer and Winter Games afterward. His most recent work dealt with the rough cuts of films from the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games.

Greenspan's career took off with a film he made in 1964 about Olympian Jesse Owens returning to the scene of his gold-medal achievements in Berlin some 30 years earlier. But he never lost his love for the smallest victories as well, citing a last-pla ce finish by Tanzanian marathoner John Stephen Ahkwari at Mexico City in 1968 as his favorite Olympic moment.

"He came in about an hour and a half after the winner. He was practically carrying his leg, it was so bloodied and bandaged," Greenspan recalled in that ESPN.com interview. "I asked him, 'Why did you keep going?' He said, 'You don't understand. My country did not send me 5,000 miles to start a race, they sent me to finish it.' That sent chills down my spine and I've always remembered it."

The International Olympic Committee described Greenspan as a "true supporter of the Olympic Games and their values throughout his career." In 1985, when Greenspan received the Olympic Order award, former IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch called him "the foremost producer, writer and director of Olympic films; more than that, he is an everlasting friend of the Olympic family."

The admiration was mutual. Greenspan acknowledged the problems that plagued the Olympic movement, but rarely lingered over them in his films.

"They're two weeks of love," he said about the games. "It's Like Never Never Land. Like Robin Hood shooting his arrow through the other guy's arrow.

"It's a privilege to be associated with the best in the world. How many times are you with the best in the world in something? They bring things forward that they don't ordinarily do."

Greenspan, a native New Yorker, also wrote books and produced nearly 20 spoken-word albums.


Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press

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MR Greenspan with your films and your brothers voice it made the Olympics perfect. You and your brother are very much missed

Our hearts go out to you at this time and in the days ahead.

I learned so much from this great man in Atlanta in 1996 and Nagano i 1998
Thank you Bud, RIP

i just fought about you and Steve Sabol today because both of you your are the Greatest filmmakers of all time but in sports history because everytime i watch these films from you on the olympic games Winter or Summer you give new emotions always learning a lot more from you and teaching me the about the history of the olympic games to fans all around the world and always enjoyed them when i watch 16 days of glory till we meet Bud RIP Love
Amar and i fought about something early this...

thanks for do so much for the olympic games bud RIP

Bud you did my olympic hero because you
did so much for the modern olympic games and every time i see these olympic films on tv on on the internet on you tube.com 16 days of glory the Games of the XXIII Olympiad in Los Angeles 1984 so thanks a lot for all the memories Bud RIP love Amar see you in heaven

Remembering all the wonderful times we shared with you and Nancy 20 years ago, in Barcelona'92 Olympic Games. Our great privilege to have such an unforgettable memories.

As the 2012 Olympic Games begin, I'm thinking of you and missing you, Nancy, and the Cappy family. What a pleasure and honor it was to work with you for almost two years, especially to work with you and the Cappy family at the 2004 and 2006 Games. I learned a lot about storytelling from you. Thank you, Bud! You are greatly missed! I hope you are enjoying the Games from heaven. Best seat in the house.

i mel donnell just found the olympics because of your films.all i can say,i will never forget your films.you gave me insite,as to what happens,at the olympics.thanks for opening my eyes.i will never forget you for this.sorry to be a late bloomer.my prayers are with you always,so sorry for family.