Eldred daughter shines in Hollywood spotlight

Eldred’s own Corinne Marrinan wins an Oscar

By LISA CUTRONI

HOLLYWOOD, CA — For a small-town country girl, Corinne Marrinan has become the bright star of Eldred.

“I think it hasn’t quite sunken in yet, I haven’t seen the broadcast yet, but when I do, I think then it will be real. Of course it feels great. I’m just really happy and surprised and glad that people are going to see the film,” Marrinan said.

After accepting the academy award, along with director Eric Simonson, for producing this year’s Best Short Subject Documentary, “A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin” on March 5, 31-year-old Marrinan called home.

“She was very excited,” Cathy Marrinan, Corinne’s mother, said.

And Marrinan added, “nervous;” but, she was able to alleviate that a bit with one simple wardrobe change.

“It helped that I wasn’t wearing my glasses, so I couldn’t see anything. It was a blur in a good way,” Marrinan said.

But nervous or not, her parents were proud.

“We were so excited. All day, we were a little nervous, but it’s just incredible. She’s worked so hard. She’s always worked hard, every since she was little. We are just so proud of her.”

Working hard may be an understatement for the associate producer of the CBS dramas “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”, “CSI: Miami” and “CSI: New York” and co-author of the “CSI: Companion Book,” who produces documentaries on the side.

Marrinan, a 1991 Eldred Central School graduate, grew up in the sleepy little town, and could be said to have found her life’s calling in an abandoned church in Highland Lake.

When Marrinan was 13, her father, Kevin, who did electrical work at the Catskills Actor Theater, volunteered his daughter for the babysitting job there. From there, the theater bug bit and held on.

“She started out as my son’s babysitter,” Asta Hansen, co-founder of the theater, said. As he got older, he didn’t need as much watching, so Marrinan became more involved with the theater activities. She started working at the concession stand and then worked on the children’s theater backdrops and sets. Then, she became very involved with the children’s shows and finally became the assistant producer of the children’s shows,” Hansen said.

“She was around the theater so much, she knew how everything worked. She was very valuable,” said Hansen.

She remembers Marrinan as a spirited, bright child, who was excited to meet new people and was compelled by the working artists and creative atmosphere. And now, the successful young woman is like a daughter.

“I feel so proud of her and so moved by her success. She put one foot in front of the other and followed her dream,” Hansen said.

That dream has led Marrinan on an exciting course.

She graduated from high school a year early, at 16. Cathy recalls her daughter’s independent nature and drive to succeed.

“She has always been a self-starter. Of course, as a parent you’re a little worried, but we just felt she had to follow her dream,” Cathy said.

From Eldred, Marrinan enrolled at Boston University, graduated with a theater degree in 1995 and moved to Chicago. She stayed there for five years, starting up her own theater company and working at the renowned Goodman Theatre. Over the course of a few years, she also worked with the Huntington Theatre and the Royal National Theatre of Great Britain, among others.

But it was during her time in Chicago that her artistic path took a detour. Marrinan met William Peterson, future executive producer of CBS’s “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.” He asked Marrinan to accompany him to L.A. to produce the popular show.

“She started there and worked her way up. She likes it all: her regular job at CSI, and producing the documentaries on the side,” Cathy said. “She multi-tasks a lot.”

Marrinan credits her family and friends at the Catskills Actor theatre with getting her where she is today.

“I was very lucky. I had parents who always told me I could do anything and never put limitations on us – my sister, Amy, and I – they always told us we were smart and talented, that we could do anything. That is a great and wonderful thing to have a strong family who supports you. It’s a great foundation,” Marrinan said.

This is Marrinan’s second academy award nomination. Her first in 2000 was for a short documentary film, “On Tip Toe: Gentle Steps to Freedom.” Sunday’s ceremony sealed her fate as a talented artist.

“Two is not a fluke; two is clearly talent and vision,” Hansen said.

“On a Note of Triumph: The Golden years of Norman Corwin” highlights the life of Corwin, who was considered the king of radio during his heyday. He is most famous for a speech he gave in May 1945 on national radio to celebrate victory in Europe.

“I think everybody should know Corwin. Besides being a brilliant man that should be known on a wider scale, he was a great poet and great people like that, with great ideas and strong voices, should be honored,” Marrinan said.

And with that, the Oscar statuette is sitting on Marrinan’s boss’s desk, as a special thank-you.