Dizzy Gillespie was on tour at the time of recording, so trumpet player Jon Faddis was hired to record his parts. Soundtrack Reception Bird received a positive reception from critics, scoring an 83% "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 23 reviews. Whitaker's performance as Parker earned positive notices and honors including the Best Actor award at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival and a Golden Globe nomination. Eastwood was awarded the Golden Globe for Best Director. The film won the Grand Prix of the Belgian Film Critics Association and the Academy Award for Best Sound (Les Fresholtz, Dick Alexander, Vern Poore, Willie Burton). Despite its positive reception, Bird was a commercial failure, only grossing $2.2 million in North America, Eastwood's worst-performing film since Breezy, and his third least-successful film overall; Breezy earned $200,000, while White Hunter Black Heart earned $2 million at the box office. The film opened in one theater in New York City and only grossed $27,116 in its opening weekend. "Clint Eastwood is a fabulous actor as well as a fabulous filmmaker," observed Rolling Stones drummer and jazz aficionado Charlie Watts. "When he made 52nd Street move in Bird, it was one of the most exciting things I'd ever seen. He took the shot from a black-and-white still and then suddenly it all became color and it moved! I'd have loved to have been there in the '40s." References Bibliography External links 1988 films 1980s biographical drama films American biographical drama films 1980s English-language films Biographical films about musicians Jazz films Charlie Parker Cultural depictions of jazz musicians Films about drugs Films directed by Clint Eastwood Films produced by Clint Eastwood Warner Bros. films Malpaso Productions films Films shot in Sacramento, California Films that won the Best Sound Mixing Academy Award Films whose director won the Best Director Golden Globe Films scored by Lennie Niehaus 1988 drama films 1980s American films