Nessa Hyams, Influential Casting Director and Director, Passes Away at 84
Nessa Hyams, Pioneering Casting Director of New Hollywood, Passes Away at 84
Nessa Hyams, a prominent casting director renowned for her work on iconic 1970s films such as What’s Up, Doc?, The Exorcist, and Blazing Saddles, died on January 9 at her home in Manhattan. She was 84 years old. Family members announced her passing, though the cause of death has not been disclosed.
Hyams served as head of casting at Warner Bros. from 1970 to 1974 and later took on the role of vice president of creative affairs at Columbia Pictures from 1974 to 1975. At the time, she was one of the highest-ranking female executives in Hollywood.
In addition to her impactful casting career, which included assembling talent for some of the decade’s most celebrated films, Hyams directed 105 episodes of the acclaimed soap opera satire Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman between 1976 and 1977. Her episode count ranks second only to Jim Drake, who directed 157 episodes of the show.
Born on November 21, 1941, in New York City, Hyams was the daughter of Broadway producer Barry Hyams and Ruth Hurok. She was also the sister of Capricorn One writer-director Peter Hyams and the stepdaughter of Arthur Lief, a conductor who faced blacklisting during the McCarthy era.
Hyams commenced her casting career in 1971 with Robert Mulligan’s coming-of-age film Summer of ’42. Her breakthrough came a year later when she cast Barbra Streisand and Ryan O’Neal in What’s Up, Doc?, which became one of the year’s top-grossing films. Although her contributions to Get to Know Your Rabbit went uncredited, this project included a stellar cast of Tommy Smothers, John Astin, Katherine Ross, and Orson Welles.
Hyams’ portfolio continued to grow with her involvement in The Exorcist and Blazing Saddles, both of which were significant box office successes. However, her work on two other films in 1974, John Wayne’s McQ and the famously unsuccessful Mame, did not achieve the same acclaim.
Beyond box office hits, Hyams demonstrated a versatile talent as a casting director in various genres. Her filmography includes Paul Mazursky’s Blume in Love (1973), Jack Starrett’s Cleopatra Jones (1973), Mike Hodges’ The Terminal Man (1974), Richard Rush’s Freebie and the Bean (1974), and Arthur Penn’s Night Moves (1975).
Despite being uncredited, Hyams is believed to have contributed significantly to casting for Mike Nichols’ The Graduate (1967) and Catch-22 (1970). In a 2016 interview, Peter Hyams noted, “My sister was a great casting director. She was very smart,” highlighting her instincts in casting choices.
Known for her sharp wit, Hyams married Hollywood executive David V. Picker on June 8, 1975. Picker played a critical role in the success of United Artists and the James Bond franchise. Their marriage ended in divorce, and Hyams later married commercial real estate broker Jonathan Miller, who passed away in 2022.
Following her casting career, Hyams ascended to the vice president of production at Columbia Pictures, becoming one of the first women to hold such a significant executive position in the industry. After receiving training from the American Film Institute’s Directing Workshop for Women, she made her directorial debut with Leader of the Band in 1987.
Hyams continued to work in television, directing episodes of Cagney & Lacey (1987) and the miniseries Chillers starring Anthony Perkins (1990). In 1993, she served as producer and casting director for Tim Hunter’s The Saint of Fort Washington, featuring Danny Glover and Matt Dillon.
She is survived by her brother Peter, sister Danna, stepdaughters Caryn and Pam Picker, and nephews Chris, John, and Nick Hyams.
