William Wyler (1902-1981)
A prolific Oscar-winning director of epics and prestige pictures he entered the business in the silent days working as an assistant on the silent version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923). Wyler was related to studio boss Carl Laemmle through his mother who was a cousin of the Universal moghul.
It was however his association with producer Samuel Goldwyn from 1936 that produced his greatest work including Dodsworth (1936), Dead End (1937) and Wuthering Heights (1939). He also directed several of Bette Davis' best melodramas Jezebel (1938), The Letter (1940) and The Little Foxes (1941). His contributions to the war effort included Mrs Miniver (1942) starring Greer Garson at MGM and while he served as a major for the US Army Air Corps the documentary Memphis Belle.
The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) was by far the best film about returning servicemen readjusting to civilian life, the movie winning Best Picture and a Best Director Oscar for Wyler. During the next decade he directed Olivia de Havilland (The Heiress (1949)) and Audrey Hepburn (in Roman Holiday (1953) to Oscar winning performances before embarking on an entertaining star laden Western The Big Country (1958) and another Best Picture Oscar for an expensive remake of Ben Hur (1959).
In 1965 the director was awarded the Irving Thalberg award for lifetime achievement, he then directed Barbara Streisand in Funny Girl (1968).
FilmographyA prolific Oscar-winning director of epics and prestige pictures he entered the business in the silent days working as an assistant on the silent version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923). Wyler was related to studio boss Carl Laemmle through his mother who was a cousin of the Universal moghul.
It was however his association with producer Samuel Goldwyn from 1936 that produced his greatest work including Dodsworth (1936), Dead End (1937) and Wuthering Heights (1939). He also directed several of Bette Davis' best melodramas Jezebel (1938), The Letter (1940) and The Little Foxes (1941). His contributions to the war effort included Mrs Miniver (1942) starring Greer Garson at MGM and while he served as a major for the US Army Air Corps the documentary Memphis Belle.
The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) was by far the best film about returning servicemen readjusting to civilian life, the movie winning Best Picture and a Best Director Oscar for Wyler. During the next decade he directed Olivia de Havilland (The Heiress (1949)) and Audrey Hepburn (in Roman Holiday (1953) to Oscar winning performances before embarking on an entertaining star laden Western The Big Country (1958) and another Best Picture Oscar for an expensive remake of Ben Hur (1959).
In 1965 the director was awarded the Irving Thalberg award for lifetime achievement, he then directed Barbara Streisand in Funny Girl (1968).
1926 LAZY LIGHTNING director
1926 THE STOLEN RANCH director
1927 BLAZING DAYS director
1927 THE BORDER CAVALIER director
1927 DESERT DUST director
1927 HARD FISTS director
1927 STRAIGHT SHOOTIN' director
1928 ANYBODY HERE SEEN KELLY? director
1928 THUNDER RIDERS director
1929 HELL'S HEROES director
1929 THE LOVE TRAP director
1929 THE SHAKEDOWN director
1930 THE STORM director
1932 A HOUSE DIVIDED director
1932 TOM BROWN OF CULVER director
1933 COUNSELLOR-AT-LAW director
1933 HER FIRST MATE director
1934 GLAMOUR director
1935 THE GAY DECEPTION director
1935 THE GOOD FAIRY director
1936 COME AND GET IT/ ROARING TIMBER director
1936 DODSWORTH director
1936 THESE THREE director
1937 DEAD END director
1938 JEZEBEL director
1939 WUTHERING HEIGHTS director
1940 THE LETTER director
1940 THE WESTERNER director
1941 THE LITTLE FOXES director
1942 MRS. MINIVER director
1944 THE FIGHTING LADY director
1945 THUNDERBOLT director
1946 THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES director
1949 THE HEIRESS director, producer
1951 DETECTIVE STORY director, producer
1952 CARRIE director, producer
1953 ROMAN HOLIDAY director, producer
1955 THE DESPERATE HOURS director, producer
1956 FRIENDLY PERSUASION director, producer
1958 THE BIG COUNTRY director, producer
1959 BEN-HUR director
1962 THE CHILDREN'S HOUR director, producer
1965 THE COLLECTOR director
1966 HOW TO STEAL A MILLION director
1968 FUNNY GIRL director
1970 THE LIBERATION OF L.B. JONES director
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Written content of the Golden Age of Hollywood Website (except where indicated) copyright Derek McLellan, 2007.