Purdue alumnus, director Tom Moore to screen new flying trapeze documentary during Homecoming Week

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Tom Moore, film, theater and television director, will screen his new documentary "The Flight Fantastic" on Oct. 13 at Purdue University.

The screening, which is free and open to the public, is 7:30 p.m. in Stewart Center's Fowler Hall. A question-and-answer session will follow the College of Liberal Arts event. The documentary presents the world of the "Flying Trapeze" through one of its famous families, the Gaonas.

"The Flight Fantastic" is Moore's first documentary feature. Moore, a Purdue alumnus, directed the original "Grease," which ran for eight years on Broadway. He also directed the Pulitzer Prize-winning "Night Mother," which starred Kathy Bates and Anne Pitoniak. He received a Tony nomination and also directed the movie version starring Sissy Spacek and Anne Bancroft.

On television, Moore received Emmy nominations for episodes of "ER," "Mad About You" and "L.A. Law." His other directing credits include "Ally McBeal," "Gilmore Girls," "The Wonder Years," "Cheers" and "Felicity." He also received two international film awards for his short film "The Journey."

Moore, who earned his bachelor's degree in speech in 1965, also will be Purdue's Homecoming parade grand marshal. He is from West Lafayette and graduated from West Lafayette High School. After graduation he moved to New York to become a director while obtaining his Master of Fine Arts degree from the Yale University School of Drama. He received an honorary doctorate from Purdue in 1995.

He also has taught and directed at the State University of New York at Buffalo, Brandeis University and the University of London. He lives in Los Angeles. 

Writer: Cat Dillon, dillon16@purdue.edu 

Media contact: Amy Patterson Neubert, 765-494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu 

Source: Lorri Foster, assistant director of marketing and communication in the College of Liberal Arts, 765-494-3745, lorrifoster@purdue.edu