Quick Facts
Biography
Arthur Knight (1916–1991) was a movie critic, film historian, professor and TV host.
His book The Liveliest Art, first published in 1957, is a history of the cinema used as a textbook at colleges and universities throughout the world.
Early life
He graduated from City College of New York in 1940, and became an assistant film curator at the Museum of Modern Art. He served in the Army from 1941 to 1945, becoming a first lieutenant.
Film teacher
Institutions at which he taught include:
- Brooklyn Academy of Music
- City College of New York Institute of Film Techniques
- New School for Social Research
- Hunter College
- Columbia University
- UCLA
- University of Southern California
- Australian Film Television and Radio School
His former students at USC include George Lucas, Robert Zemeckis, John Carpenter and Randal Kleiser.His former film history students at the City College of New York Institute of Film Techniques include Donald Swerdlow (now Don Canaan), an award-winning journalist and film editor.
Movie critic
He reviewed movies for many publications, principally:
- The Saturday Review (1949 — 1973)
- The Hollywood Reporter (1973 — 1986)
Host and producer
He wrote, produced and hosted the 1985 cable TV series Sex in Cinema for the Playboy Channel. He was also the host of the syndicated radio series Knight at the Movies. In 1974, he was a member of the jury at the 24th Berlin International Film Festival.
Personal life
His first wife was costume designer Mary Ann Nyberg, who died in 1979. He was survived by his wife, Anne.