Here is the biography of Charles B. Pierce:
Charles B. Pierce was a renowned independent filmmaker from Arkansas, best known for his cult classic films that drew inspiration from Arkansas themes and featured local actors. Born on June 16, 1938, in Hammond, Indiana, Pierce grew up in Hampton, Arkansas, next door to future producer and director Harry Thomason.
As a child, Pierce was given the task of mowing the lawn, which would later become the source of one of the most famous lines in American film history: "Go ahead, make my day." Pierce used this phrase to great advantage in his film career, which spanned over three decades.
Pierce began his career in television, working as an art director and weatherman at KTAL-TV in Shreveport, Louisiana. He later started an advertising business in Texarkana, Arkansas, and even played a character called Mayor Chuckles on a local television show.
In 1971, the "Fouke Monster" was sighted in the wetlands near Fouke, Arkansas, and Pierce created a semi-documentary film about the creature, titled "The Legend of Boggy Creek." The film was shot on a low budget and featured local residents and students as actors and crew. It became a surprise hit, earning over $20 million and cementing Pierce's reputation as a filmmaker.
Pierce went on to write and direct several other films, including "Bootleggers," "Winterhawk," "The Town that Dreaded Sundown," and "Boggy Creek II." He also acted in several of his own films, often in small roles.
In the 1980s, Pierce moved to California and became friends with Clint Eastwood, with whom he co-wrote the screenplay for "Sudden Impact." The film's famous line, "Go ahead, make my day," has been ranked as one of the top movie quotes of all time.
Pierce was married three times and had three children. He died on March 5, 2010, at the age of 71, and was buried in Stewart Memorial Gardens near his home in Dover, Tennessee.
