Career
Kastner started his career as a talent agent at the Music Corporation of America (MCA). When that agency was dissolved his first assignment as producer came in 1965, with Bus Riley's Back in Town. He then temporarily switched his base of operations to England where he formed Winkast Film Productions Ltd. with producer Jerry Gershwin based at Pinewood Studios. Together Gershwin and Kastner would produce several motion pictures including Harper (1966) from a novel by Ross Macdonald, and three films based on Alistair MacLean novels: Where Eagles Dare (1968), When Eight Bells Toll (1971) and Breakheart Pass (1975). He also partnered up with noted producers Alan Ladd, Jr. and Jay Kanter and together they produced the films Villain (1971), The Nightcomers (1972), Zee and Co. (1972) and Fear Is the Key (1972) also based on an Alistair MacLean novel.
Kastner is also famous for his film adaptations of three Raymond Chandler's novels based on the exploits of one of Chandler's most famous creations, Philip Marlowe: The Long Goodbye (1973), Farewell, My Lovely (1975) and The Big Sleep (1978) the latter two both starring Robert Mitchum as Marlowe.
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