St. Louis (KSDK) -- A tribute is planned for an Emmy-award winning film director who died suddenly at age 47.
St. Louis-born George Hickenlooper was in Denver for the premiere of his latest film, "Casino Jack," starring actor Kevin Spacey, when he died.
Hickenlooper was expected to host the upcoming St. Louis Film Festival which begins November
11th. Instead, there will be a tribute to Hickenlooper at the Tivoli Theatre on November 11 at 8:00 p.m. and his film "Casino Jack" will be shown. A cocktail party scheduled for 6:30 p.m. has been cancelled.
Hickenlooper visited his hometown often. He was here for the film festival a few years ago and he talked with some of his teachers and friends from St. Louis University High School.
"Superbill" was George Hickenlooper's signature character when he worked on the the high school paper, The Prep News. Jim Raterman was his instructor. Three years ago, Hickenlooper introduced his film "Factory Girl" at the St. Louis Film Festival. He won an Emmy in 1992 for directing "Hearts of Darkness: A Filmamer's Apocalypse." He died, apparently of natural causes, while visting his cousin, Denver mayor John Hickenlooper. When Raterman retired from his job as Prep Coordinator, Hickenlooper made him a special t-shirt. Hickenlooper graduated from SLU High in 1982. Raterman called him a kind and generous man. Hickenlooper was also a co-producer of a documentary about St. Louis musician Johnny Johnson which is being written and produced by KSDK's Art Holliday.
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