Film/Video

Retrospective: Michael Schultz

A collage of images from Michael Schultz films
“The continuum of African American cinema is incomplete without a thorough accounting of Michael Schultz’s contributions.”—Keith Corson

In conjunction with a citywide celebration of Columbus-born author Wil Haygood’s new book Colorization: One Hundred Years of Black Films in a White World, the Wex is proud to present Retrospective: Michael Schultz. Schultz, whose work is included in the book, will join us via Zoom for a virtual masterclass and a conversation presented at the Wex. We look forward to spotlighting his prolific and distinguished career for our communities.

If Michael Schultz is not a household name, the same cannot be said for his body of film and television work. Schultz directed some of the most memorable films of the 1970s and 80s including Cooley High (1975), Car Wash (1976), Krush Groove (1985), a series of features starring Richard Pryor, and a long list of hit television shows stretching from the 1970s to the present day. Born in Milwaukee in 1938, Schultz began his career directing for the stage, where his work caught the attention of Hollywood. Within a few years he moved from directing episodic television shows such as The Rockford Files and Starsky & Hutch to feature films. The success of his coming-of-age film Cooley High (1975) cemented his reputation and made fans out of the likes of Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas. Schultz has been almost exclusively a television director for the past 20 years, working on such hit shows as Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, Black-ish, The Practice, Arrow, Black Lightning, and All American, among many others.

The Wexner Center joins Columbus Metropolitan Library, Columbus Metropolitan Club, Columbus Museum of Art, Drexel Theatre, Gateway Film Center, Gramercy Books, and Lincoln Theatre in celebrating the release of Wil Haygood’s book Colorization. Find out more about events across the city at gcac.org

Thank you to Larry and Donna James for their generous support of this event.

FILM/VIDEO PROGRAMS MADE POSSIBLE BY
Cardinal Health
Kaufman Development

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY
Rohauer Collection Foundation

WEXNER CENTER PROGRAMS MADE POSSIBLE BY
The Wexner Family
Greater Columbus Arts Council
The Columbus Foundation
Ohio Arts Council
American Electric Power Foundation
Adam Flatto
Mary and C. Robert Kidder
Bill and Sheila Lambert
L Brands Foundation
Institute of Museum and Library Services
Nationwide Foundation
Vorys, Sater, Seymour, and Pease
Arlene and Michael Weiss

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY
Carol and David Aronowitz
Michael and Paige Crane
Pete Scantland
Axium Packaging
Bocchi Laboratories
Fenwick & West LLP
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
President Kristina M. Johnson and Mrs. Veronica Meinhard
KDC/ONE
Nancy Kramer
M/I Homes
Voyant Beauty
Huntington
Lisa Barton
Regina Miracle International Ltd.
Washington Prime Group
Alene Candles
Fuel Transport
Russell and Joyce Gertmenian
Liza Kessler and Greg Henchel
Matrix Psychological Services
Paramount Group, Inc.
Ron and Ann Pizzuti
Joyce and Chuck Shenk
Bruce and Joy Soll
Clark and Sandra Swanson
Business Furniture Installations
CASTO
E.C. Provini Co, Inc.
Garlock Printing & Converting
Jones Day
M-Engineering
New England Development
Our Country Home
Performance Team
Premier Candle Corporation
ProAmpac
Steiner + Associates
Textile Printing
Andrew and Amanda Wise