William Wyler
| William Wyler | |
|---|---|
c. 1945
|
|
| Born |
Wilhelm (Willy) Weiller July 1, 1902 Mülhausen, Alsace-Lorraine, German Empire (present-day Mulhouse, Haut-Rhin, France) |
| Died | July 27, 1981 (aged 79) Beverly Hills, California, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Heart attack |
| Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) |
| Nationality | American, Swiss |
| Occupation | Film director, producer |
| Years active | 1925–1970 |
| Spouse(s) |
Margaret Sullavan (1934–1936; divorced) Margaret Tallichet (1938–1981; his death; 5 children) |
William Wyler, born as Wilhelm (Willy) Weiller (July 1, 1902 – July 27, 1981) was a German-born American film director, producer and screenwriter. Notable works included Ben-Hur (1959), The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), and Mrs. Miniver (1942), all of which won Academy Awards for Best Director, as well as Best Picture in their respective years, 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."
Film 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." 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 60's. 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 debut film, Roman Holiday (1953), and directing Barbra Streisand in her debut film, Funny Girl (1968). He directed Olivia de Havilland to her second Oscar in The Heiress (1949) and Laurence Olivier in Wuthering Heights (1939), for his first-ever 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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