Les Blank

Career overview

Role: Meticulous television and film archivist.
Task: Write a 180-260 word career overview of Les Blank (Directing).
Constraints:
Use ONLY verifiable facts from provided SYNOPSIS and SOURCES.
No invented titles, names, dates, awards, etc.
Original, neutral, encyclopedic prose.
Plain text only (no markdown, no asterisks, no headings, no bullet points).
Word count: 180-260 words.
Structure: 2-3 short paragraphs.
No preamble or JSON.
Name: Les Blank (also known as Leslie Harrod or Leslie Harrod Blank).
Profession: American documentary filmmaker.
Known for: Portraits of American traditional musicians.
Birth: November 27, 1935, in Tampa, Florida.
Death: April 7, 2013 (age 77) in Berkeley, California.
Known Credits: 67 (as Director).
Awards:
Edward MacDowell Medal (2007) - first documentary filmmaker to earn it.
American Film Institute's Maya Deren Award (1990) for outstanding lifetime achievement as an independent filmmaker.
Academic/Residency roles:
Distinguished filmmaker-in-residence at San Diego State University (1989-1990).
Adjunct assistant professor in film at the University of California, Berkeley (1991).
Paragraph 1: Identity and Focus.
Les Blank, also known as Leslie Harrod, was an American documentary filmmaker born on November 27, 1935, in Tampa, Florida. He is best known for his portraits of American traditional musicians. Throughout his career, Blank earned 67 known credits for directing. He passed away on April 7, 2013, at the age of 77 in Berkeley, California.
Paragraph 2: Awards and Academic Work.
Blank received several honors for his work in film. In 1990, he was awarded the American Film Institute's Maya Deren Award for outstanding lifetime achievement as an independent filmmaker. In 2007, he became the first documentary filmmaker to earn the Edward MacDowell Medal, a national honor presented to one artist each year. His professional experience also included academic roles. Between 1989 and 1990, Blank served as the distinguished filmmaker-in-residence at San Diego State University. Following this, in 1991, he held the position of adjunct assistant professor in film at the University of California, Berkeley.
Drafting check:
"Les Blank, also known as Leslie Harrod, was an American documentary filmmaker born on November 27, 1935, in Tampa, Florida. He is best known for his portraits of American traditional musicians. Throughout his career, Blank earned 67 known credits for directing. He passed away on April 7, 2013, at the age of 77 in Berkeley, California.

Blank received several honors for his work in film. In 1990, he was awarded the American Film Institute's Maya Deren Award for outstanding lifetime achievement as an independent filmmaker. In 2007, he became the first documentary filmmaker to earn the Edward MacDowell Medal, which is a national honor given to one artist per year. His professional experience also included academic roles. Between 1989 and 1990, Blank served as the distinguished filmmaker-in-residence at San Diego State University. Following this, in 1991, he held the position of adjunct assistant professor in film at the University of California, Berkeley."
Word Count Check:
Para 1: ~55 words.
Para 2: ~115 words.