William Wyler (/ˈwaɪlər/; born Willi Wyler (German: [ˈvɪlɪ
ˈvi:lÉ ]); July 1, 1902 â€" July 27, 1981) was a Swiss-German film
director and producer. Notable works include Mrs. Miniver (1942), The
Best Years of Our Lives (1946), and Ben-Hur (1959), all of which won
him the Academy Awards for Best Director, and Best Picture, making him
the only director of three Best Picture winners. Wyler received his
first Oscar nomination for directing Dodsworth in 1936, starring
Walter Huston, Ruth Chatterton and Mary Astor, "sparking a 20-year run
of almost unbroken greatness.":24Film historian Ian Freer calls Wyler
a "bona fide perfectionist", whose penchant for retakes and an attempt
to hone every last nuance, "became the stuff of legend.":57 His
ability to direct a string of classic literary adaptations into huge
box-office and critical successes made him one of "Hollywood's most
bankable moviemakers" during the 1930s and 1940s and into the '60s.
Through his talent for staging, editing, and camera movement, he
turned dynamic theatrical spaces into cinematic ones.He helped propel
a number of actors to stardom, finding and directing Audrey Hepburn in
her Hollywood debut film, Roman Holiday (1953), and directing Barbra
Streisand in her debut film, Funny Girl (1968). Both of these
performances won Academy Awards. He directed Olivia de Havilland to
her second Oscar in The Heiress (1949) and Laurence Olivier in
Wuthering Heights (1939), for his first Oscar nomination. Olivier
credited Wyler with teaching him how to act for the screen. And Bette
Davis, who received three Oscar nominations under his direction and
won her second Oscar in Jezebel (1938), said Wyler made her a "far,
far better actress" than she had ever been.
ˈvi:lÉ ]); July 1, 1902 â€" July 27, 1981) was a Swiss-German film
director and producer. Notable works include Mrs. Miniver (1942), The
Best Years of Our Lives (1946), and Ben-Hur (1959), all of which won
him the Academy Awards for Best Director, and Best Picture, making him
the only director of three Best Picture winners. Wyler received his
first Oscar nomination for directing Dodsworth in 1936, starring
Walter Huston, Ruth Chatterton and Mary Astor, "sparking a 20-year run
of almost unbroken greatness.":24Film historian Ian Freer calls Wyler
a "bona fide perfectionist", whose penchant for retakes and an attempt
to hone every last nuance, "became the stuff of legend.":57 His
ability to direct a string of classic literary adaptations into huge
box-office and critical successes made him one of "Hollywood's most
bankable moviemakers" during the 1930s and 1940s and into the '60s.
Through his talent for staging, editing, and camera movement, he
turned dynamic theatrical spaces into cinematic ones.He helped propel
a number of actors to stardom, finding and directing Audrey Hepburn in
her Hollywood debut film, Roman Holiday (1953), and directing Barbra
Streisand in her debut film, Funny Girl (1968). Both of these
performances won Academy Awards. He directed Olivia de Havilland to
her second Oscar in The Heiress (1949) and Laurence Olivier in
Wuthering Heights (1939), for his first Oscar nomination. Olivier
credited Wyler with teaching him how to act for the screen. And Bette
Davis, who received three Oscar nominations under his direction and
won her second Oscar in Jezebel (1938), said Wyler made her a "far,
far better actress" than she had ever been.
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