spiderwort
Junior Member
@spiderwort
Posts: 2,544
Likes: 9,340
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Post by spiderwort on May 6, 2017 20:21:30 GMT
There are so many classic directors that we take for granted as being American who were actually born in other countries and immigrated to America, some when they were very young.
I'll start with these:
Elia Kazan (Elias Kazantzoglou) - born in 1909 in Constantinople, Ottoman Empire [now Istanbul, Turkey] (though he was Greek); immigrated to US in 1913
Mike Nichols (Mikhail Igor Peschkowsky) - born 1931 in Berlin; fled the Nazis to the US in 1939
Frank Capra (Francesco Rosario Capra) - born in 1897 in Bisacquino, Sicily, Italy; immigrated to US in 1903
Michael Curtiz (Mihaly Kertesz) - born in 1888 in Budapest, Austria-Hungary (now Hungary); immigrated to US in 1926 after a long career directing in Europe; was brought over by the Warner Brothers.
Lewis Milestone (Leib Milstein) - born in in 1895 in Kishinev, Russian Empire [now Chisinau, Moldova]; immigrated to US in 1912
Anyone else want to give it a try? And please, no directors like von Stroheim or Lang, who we know were not American; rather, those we believed were American but weren't.
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Post by teleadm on May 6, 2017 20:35:38 GMT
Though he moved back to Germany, but he made many great noirs during the 1940s Robert Siodmak born in Dresden, Saxony, Germany
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Post by bravomailer on May 6, 2017 20:37:43 GMT
Billy Wilder – Austria-Hungary
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Post by teleadm on May 6, 2017 20:42:39 GMT
Douglas Sirk born in Hamburg Germany
Otto Preminger born in what is now Ukraine in Vyzhnytsia but back then Austria-Hungary empire.
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Post by teleadm on May 6, 2017 21:17:52 GMT
Though he also acted in others movies, most famously maybe as Max Fabian in All About Eve, Gregory Ratoff he did direct around 30 movies (not all of them in Hollywood though), was born in Samara, in Czarist Russia.
George Pal who made many trick short movies but also features like The Time Machine, was born in Cegléd now in Hungary (Back when George Pal was young it was called Austrian-Hungarian Empire).
Fred Zinnemann, who made classics like High Noon and From Here to Eternity, was born in Rzeszów in Galicia also from the Austrian-Hungarian Empire.
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Post by teleadm on May 6, 2017 23:05:19 GMT
You've made some great contributions to this thread, teleadm. The only one I would question is Zinneman, whom I know wasn't born here. But maybe most people don't know that. We are a nation of immigrants, so it's easy to think of many directors as first generation Americans. Anyway, you got me with Pal - that was indeed a surprise. I thought he was American. First I wan't to apologise for my behaviour yesterday, beeing such a discussion hungry jerk as I behaved! Rudolph Maté one of the great cinemtographers (nominated 5 times for Oscars), who late became a director of mostly matinee movies like The Black Shield of Falworth and The 300 Spartans (not as bad some movie guides says). He was born in guess what??.. The Austrain-Hungarian empire what is now Krakow in Poland. André De Toth who's most famoues movie is House of Wax in early 3-D, and a few matinee westerns, was born in Austrian-Hungarian empire, now called Makó, in Hungary. James Whale, director of Frankenstein, Show Boat and Bride of Frankenstein, was born in Dudley, Worcestershire. Jacques Tourneur, director of many stylish b-movies, was born in no other place than Paris, France |
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Post by hi224 on May 6, 2017 23:36:22 GMT
Three more: Douglas Sirk (Hans Detlef Sierck) - born 1897 in Hamburg, German Empire (though he was Danish); immigrated to US in 1937 to escape Hitler Henry Koster (Hermann Kosterlitz) - born in 1905 in Berlin; fled Hitler by going to France in 1933, and came to America in 1936. William Dieterle (Wilhelm Dieterle) - born 1893 in Ludwigshafen, German Empire; immigrated to US in 1930 as Fascism was on the rise & returned to Germany in 1957 had no real idea. |
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Post by petrolino on May 6, 2017 23:39:58 GMT
Another talented Hungarian, Steve Sekely, was born Székely István in 1899.
Anatole Litvak is often said to have been Russian; he hailed from the historical city Kiev, now the capital of Ukraine.
John Brahm was originally from Hamburg, Germany.
Robert Siodmak was originally from Dresden, Germany.
Kurt Neumann was orignally from Nuremberg, Germany.
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spiderwort
Junior Member
@spiderwort
Posts: 2,544
Likes: 9,340
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Post by spiderwort on May 6, 2017 23:48:46 GMT
First I wan't to apologise for my behaviour yesterday, beeing such a discussion hungry jerk as I behaved! No worries. It was just a misunderstanding. Those things happen. And you've added some more great names, though I have to say that I, at least, know that they weren't American, though except for Whale that may not be common knowledge.
I want to say something about Maté, however. He wasn't the world's best director by any means, but as you say he was a cinematographer, and what a great one he was! He shot Dreyer's masterpiece, La Passion de Jeanne D'Arc, one of the most amazing cinematic achievements I've ever seen. Sheer genius, I'm sure in close collaboration with Dreyer. Also Dreyer's Vampyr. And Lang's Liliom, Hitchcock's Foreign Correspondent, and so many wonderful others - Gilda, To Be or Not To Be, Cover Girl, etc. What a resume he had as a cinematographer!
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Post by petrolino on May 7, 2017 0:01:21 GMT
The great Austrian Fritz Lang had strong careers in Europe and North America, directing many Hollywood genre classics. He came from Vienna.
Experimental artist Robert Florey was born in Paris, France.
William Wyler was from a region of the German Empire that's now part of France.
Mark Robson was Canadian - he was from Quebec.
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Post by petrolino on May 7, 2017 1:02:58 GMT
I knew about all except Florey, whom I thought was American. He was a talented director, even though he mostly made 'B' movies. And Robson, whom I also thought was American. Thanks for the update. Oh, and want to add this one: Edgar G. Ulmer, born in 1904 in Olmütz, Moravia, Austria-Hungary [now Olomouc, Czech Republic]; immigrated to America in 1927 with F.W. Murnau to help him with Sunrise, then began his own directing career. Edward Dmytryk was another Canadian in Hollywood. And John S. Robertson was Canadian too. Great shout on cool stylist Ulmer. |
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Post by petrolino on May 7, 2017 1:22:59 GMT
Armand Schaefer was from Canada.
Louis Gasnier, a genuine cinematic pioneer, was originally from Paris, France.
John Reinhardt was from Vienna, Austria.
Arthur Dreifuss was from Germany.
Curtis Bernhardt was originally from a place called Worms in Germany lol.
Gus Meins ('Our Gang' director) was originally from Frankfurt, Germany.
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Post by petrolino on May 7, 2017 1:23:38 GMT
John H. Auer was originally from Budapest, Hungary.
Charles Vidor was originally from Budapest, Hungary.
Laszlo Benedek also hailed from the Hungarian capital Budapest.
B-movie maestro Phil Rosen was from a place called Olinka in Poland (then Congress Poland).
Enigmatic artist Rouben Mamoulian was from Georgia.
Melodrama king John M. Stahl was from Azerbaijan.
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Post by petrolino on May 7, 2017 1:53:59 GMT
petrolino , you've amazed me! Except for Mamoulian, Benedek, Dreifuss, and Dmytryk, you surprised me with everyone. Especially John Stahl and Charles Vidor. I think of them as so American. Thanks so much! You always amaze me, spiderwort. Thanks for another fascinating movie topic (and hope you're having a nice weekend)! |
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Post by manfromplanetx on May 7, 2017 1:54:32 GMT
Australian born John Farrow (1904-1963), writer and director , ran away to sea and ended up in Hollywood in the 1920s father of Mia.
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Post by petrolino on May 7, 2017 2:33:09 GMT
Thank you, petrolino . And please look at the edited-to-add part of my last post, which I think you probably didn't see before you posted to me. All of that makes me so sad - for them, for everyone who suffered in that horrible time - for Mike Nichols, who was just a kid when he had to escape to America in order to flee Hitler. Anyway, thanks again, and I hope you're having a nice weekend, too. I'm on the case! And i LOVE (& miss) the wonderful Mike Nichols ... |
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Post by manfromplanetx on May 8, 2017 3:45:10 GMT
Edmund Goulding born Middlesex, England 20 March 1891, died Los Angeles 24th December 1959
Emigrated to America 1919 began Hollywood career as writer on arriving, directed first film in 1925, his last film in 1958.
Had a diverse directing career, best remembered for directing cultured dramas such as Love (1927) and Grand Hotel (1932), and The Razor's Edge (1946) & film noir Nightmare Alley (1947)
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Post by petrolino on May 13, 2017 20:52:38 GMT
Edmund Goulding born Middlesex, England 20 March 1891, died Los Angeles 24th December 1959 Emigrated to America 1919 began Hollywood career as writer on arriving, directed first film in 1925, his last film in 1958. Had a diverse directing career, best remembered for directing cultured dramas such as Love (1927) and Grand Hotel (1932), and The Razor's Edge (1946) & film noir Nightmare Alley (1947) Another talented Englishman who made his name directing pictures in Hollywood was Irving Rapper who was from London. |
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Post by petrolino on May 13, 2017 21:05:07 GMT
Richard Boleslawski was from Debowa Gora in the south of Poland.
Jean Negulesco was from Craiova in Romania.
Bretaigne Windust was from Paris, France.
George Fitzmaurice was also born in Paris, France.
Allan Dwan was from Toronto, Canada.
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Post by petrolino on May 13, 2017 21:10:46 GMT
Reginald Le Borg was from Vienna, Austria.
Nathan Juran was from Gura Humorului, Romania.
Robert Stevenson was from Buxton in England.
Legendary director Frank Lloyd was from Glasgow, Scotland.
Stuart Paton is another director who came from Glasgow, Scotland.
Roy William Neill ('Sherlock Holmes' director) was originally from either Britain or Ireland, there's a funny story behind this ...
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