Biography
Bernard Woolner was the older brother of producer Lawrence Woolner. Based in Louisiana, the Woolner family owned a chain of drive-in theaters, and in the mid-'50s Lawrence began investing in the production of low-budget crime and horror thrillers that the chain could program in its theaters. In 1955, Bernard became partners with Lawrence and a third brother, David, in Woolner Brothers Pictures, which made such movies as
Swamp Women and
Teenage Doll in association with
Roger Corman. Bernard brought in one of the company's biggest hits,
Nathan Juran's
Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958), in partnership with cinematographer/producer
Jacques Marquette, and the two later worked on
Flight of the Lost Balloon together. Woolner's work as a producer and/or executive producer ended with a pair of mid-'60s exploitation titles,
Las Vegas Hillbillys (1966) and
Hillbillys in a Haunted House (1967). He died a decade later. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide