William Wyler

William Wyler - Film Director, Life Achievements and Family

Violet FieldHome › AmericanWilliam WylerJuly 1, 1902321 views

0 based on 0 rates
William Wyler Biography Stories 

William Wyler's Personal Details

William Wyler was a renowned American filmmaker

InformationDetail
BirthdayJuly 1, 1902
Died onJune 27, 1981
NationalityAmerican
FamousFilm & Theater Personalities, Actors, Film Director
SpousesMargaret Sullavan
ChildrensCatherine Wyler, David Wyler, Judy Wyler, Melanie Ann Wyler, William Wyler Jr.
Birth PlaceMülhausen, Alsace
GenderMale
FatherLeopold
MotherMelanie
Sun SignCancer
Born inMülhausen, Alsace
Famous asFilm director
Died at Age78

// Famous Film Director

Stanley Kubrick

Stanley Kubrick

Stanley Kubrick was a screenwriter and film director known for his movies like ‘The Clockwork Orange’ and ‘The Shining’. This biography of Stanley Kubrick provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.

Baz Luhrmann

Baz Luhrmann

Baz Luhrmann is an Australian writer, filmmaker, and producer. Check out this biography to know about his birthday, childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about him.

Mel Brooks

Mel Brooks

Known as the king of farces and comic parodies, Mel Brooks is a famous American film director, comedian, actor, producer and composer. This biography provides detailed information on his childhood, life, career, works, achievements & timeline.

William Wyler's photo

Who is William Wyler?

William Wyler was an American filmmaker, producer and scriptwriter. In his directorial career of 45 years, he created films like ‘Ben-Hur’, ‘Mrs Miniver’ and ‘the Best Years of Our Lives. He was an inattentive student during his school days and developed an interest towards concerts and films at a young age. While working as a shipping clerk in New York, he decided to pursue a career in film direction. After directing some silent films, he made ‘Hell’s Heroes’, his first sound film. He was notable for his ability to make successful films based on several classic literatures like ‘Wuthering Heights’, which is based on a classic novel of Emily Bronte by the same name. While serving the United States Army Air Force during the World War II, he learnt so many things about war. He utilized this knowledge for making some great documentaries like ‘The Fighting Lady’. These documentaries represent the War’s footage that he captured carefully. Due to his fastidious nature, he was known by his nickname - ‘90-Take Wyler’. Several of his films won Academy Awards in various categories. He won the Oscar Award three times.

// Famous Film & Theater Personalities

Jacob Elordi

Jacob Elordi

Jacob Elordi is an Australian actor. Let’s take a look at his childhood, family, personal life, career, etc.

Wentworth Miller

Wentworth Miller

Wentworth Miller is an American actor and screenwriter who achieved recognition for his role in the TV series ‘Prison Break’.

Skai Jackson

Skai Jackson

Skai Jackson is an American child actress with huge fan following. Find more about her family & personal life, relationships, facts and more.

Childhood & Early Life

Born as Willy Wyler in a Jewish family of Mulhouse, Alsace, William Wyler was the son of Leopold and Melanie, a German descendant. His father was a dry goods merchant by profession.

He attended several schools and was expelled more than once for indiscipline. It was his mother who introduced him to opera, concerts, theatre and films. He attended the Paris Conservatoire where he studied music for several months.

Career

After receiving a job offer from his mother’s cousin Carl Laemmle, the head of Universal Studios, he shifted to New York, in 1920. There he used to work as a shipping clerk.

While working there, he decided to pursue a career in film making. Thereafter, he moved to Los Angeles and did several jobs. For a brief period, he also served as an assistant director.

As a director, his debut film was ‘The Crook Buster’. It was released in 1925 and the duration of this film was twenty four minutes. In the following year, he directed his first full length film ‘Lazy Lightning’.

After that, he directed several low budget silent westerns. His first non-western film ‘Anybody Here Seek Kelly’ - a silent film - was released in 1928. In the next year, he directed his first talkie film ‘Hell’s Heroes’.

In 1935, his romantic comedy ‘The Good Fairy’ was released. This film tells the story of a young orphan girl. Based on Lillian Hellman’s play ‘the Children’s Hour’, his film ‘These Three’ appeared under the production of MGM producer Samuel Goldwyn in 1936.

In 1937, he directed ‘Dead End’, a comedy drama film. In 1940, his film ‘The Westerner’ appeared. After directing ‘Little Foxes’ in 1941, he directed one of his best films ‘Mrs. Miniver’ in 1942.

During the period 1942 to 1945, he served as a major in the United States Air Force. He captured some live-footage of the war during his stint with the US military. He represented these important footage in the form of documentaries like ‘The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress’ and ‘The Fighting Lady’. He released both of these works in 1944

He directed ‘The Heiress’ under the banner of Paramount Pictures in 1949. This film is a love story of a young woman. Due to the success of this film, his name was nominated for Oscar.

In 1951, ‘Detective Story’ appeared and it earned him instant fame. In 1953, he directed one of his successful films ‘Roman Holiday’, a romantic comedy.

In 1966, he directed ‘The Collector’, a psychological thriller. This is a story of an eccentric bank employee who collects butterflies and later starts collecting human beings by kidnapping them. He directed ‘Funny Girl’ in 1968.

Major Works

His first talkie film ‘Hell’s Heroes’ was released in 1929. Shot outside of a studio, this film depicts the story of three criminals and their effort of saving a newborn child.

Based on the satirical novel of Sinclair Lewis, his film ‘Dodsworth’ skilfully portrays the difference between the US and the European culture and manners. Released in 1936, this film earned him an Oscar nomination for the Best Director.

Released in 1942, ‘Mrs. Miniver’ narrates the story of a British housewife and a German pilot during the World War II. The representation of this classic story earned him his first Oscar Award.

Released in 1946, one of his successful films ‘The Best Years of Our Lives’ is the story of three persons who served in the World War II. The film depicts their life after the war.

Awards & Achievements

He won Academy Award in the Best Director category for his film ‘Mrs Miniver’ which was released in 1942. ‘The Best Years of Our Lives’ again earned him the Oscar as the Best Director in 1946. He won the Academy Award for the third time for his film ‘Ben-Hur’, which released in 1959.

Personal Life & Legacy

In 1934, he married Margaret Sullivan whom he divorced in 1936. In 1938 he tied the nuptial knot for the second time with Margaret Tallichet with whom he had five children.

After the failure of his film ‘The Liberation of L.B. Jones’, released in 1970, he retired from film direction. He died from a heart attack in Beverly Hills, California.

Trivia

Due to his fastidious nature, this celebrated director used to force his actors to retake scenes for several times which created lots of tensions and conflicts among his actors. Due to his careful attention towards detail, he earned the nickname ’90-Take Wyler’ and ‘Once-more Wyler’.

// Famous Actors

Jacob Elordi

Jacob Elordi

Jacob Elordi is an Australian actor. Let’s take a look at his childhood, family, personal life, career, etc.

Wentworth Miller

Wentworth Miller

Wentworth Miller is an American actor and screenwriter who achieved recognition for his role in the TV series ‘Prison Break’.

Shemar Moore

Shemar Moore

Shemar Moore is a model turned actor best known for his role in the television series ‘The Young and the Restless’. This biography of Shemar Moore provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.

William Wyler's awards

YearNameAward

Academy Awards(Oscars)

1960Best DirectorBen-Hur (1959)
1947Best DirectorThe Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
1943Best DirectorMrs. Miniver (1942)

Golden Globe Awards

1960Best DirectorBen-Hur (1959)

BAFTA Awards

1960Best Film from any SourceBen-Hur (1959)

William Wyler biography timelines

  • // 1st Jul 1902
    Born as Willy Wyler in a Jewish family of Mulhouse, Alsace, William Wyler was the son of Leopold and Melanie, a German descendant. His father was a dry goods merchant by profession.
  • // 1920
    After receiving a job offer from his mother’s cousin Carl Laemmle, the head of Universal Studios, he shifted to New York, in 1920. There he used to work as a shipping clerk.
  • // 1925 To 1926
    As a director, his debut film was ‘The Crook Buster’. It was released in 1925 and the duration of this film was twenty four minutes. In the following year, he directed his first full length film ‘Lazy Lightning’.
  • // 1928 To 1929
    After that, he directed several low budget silent westerns. His first non-western film ‘Anybody Here Seek Kelly’ - a silent film - was released in 1928. In the next year, he directed his first talkie film ‘Hell’s Heroes’.
  • // 1929
    His first talkie film ‘Hell’s Heroes’ was released in 1929. Shot outside of a studio, this film depicts the story of three criminals and their effort of saving a newborn child.
  • // 1934 To 1938
    In 1934, he married Margaret Sullivan whom he divorced in 1936. In 1938 he tied the nuptial knot for the second time with Margaret Tallichet with whom he had five children.
  • // 1935 To 1936
    In 1935, his romantic comedy ‘The Good Fairy’ was released. This film tells the story of a young orphan girl. Based on Lillian Hellman’s play ‘the Children’s Hour’, his film ‘These Three’ appeared under the production of MGM producer Samuel Goldwyn in 1936.
  • // 1936
    Based on the satirical novel of Sinclair Lewis, his film ‘Dodsworth’ skilfully portrays the difference between the US and the European culture and manners. Released in 1936, this film earned him an Oscar nomination for the Best Director.
  • // 1937 To 1942
    In 1937, he directed ‘Dead End’, a comedy drama film. In 1940, his film ‘The Westerner’ appeared. After directing ‘Little Foxes’ in 1941, he directed one of his best films ‘Mrs. Miniver’ in 1942.
  • // 1942 To 1945
    During the period 1942 to 1945, he served as a major in the United States Air Force. He captured some live-footage of the war during his stint with the US military. He represented these important footage in the form of documentaries like ‘The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress’ and ‘The Fighting Lady’. He released both of these works in 1944
  • // 1942
    Released in 1942, ‘Mrs. Miniver’ narrates the story of a British housewife and a German pilot during the World War II. The representation of this classic story earned him his first Oscar Award.
  • // 1942 To 1959
    He won Academy Award in the Best Director category for his film ‘Mrs Miniver’ which was released in 1942. ‘The Best Years of Our Lives’ again earned him the Oscar as the Best Director in 1946. He won the Academy Award for the third time for his film ‘Ben-Hur’, which released in 1959.
  • // 1946
    Released in 1946, one of his successful films ‘The Best Years of Our Lives’ is the story of three persons who served in the World War II. The film depicts their life after the war.
  • // 1949
    He directed ‘The Heiress’ under the banner of Paramount Pictures in 1949. This film is a love story of a young woman. Due to the success of this film, his name was nominated for Oscar.
  • // 1951 To 1953
    In 1951, ‘Detective Story’ appeared and it earned him instant fame. In 1953, he directed one of his successful films ‘Roman Holiday’, a romantic comedy.
  • // 1966 To 1968
    In 1966, he directed ‘The Collector’, a psychological thriller. This is a story of an eccentric bank employee who collects butterflies and later starts collecting human beings by kidnapping them. He directed ‘Funny Girl’ in 1968.
  • // 1970 To 27th Jul 1981
    After the failure of his film ‘The Liberation of L.B. Jones’, released in 1970, he retired from film direction. He died from a heart attack in Beverly Hills, California.

// Famous Cancer Celebrities peoples

Jacob Elordi

Jacob Elordi

Jacob Elordi is an Australian actor. Let’s take a look at his childhood, family, personal life, career, etc.

Riele Downs

Riele Downs

Riele Downs is a Canadian-American actress & Musical.ly star. Let’s take a look at her family and personal life including age, birthday, net worth, boyfriends and fun facts.

Yammy Xox

Yammy Xox

Check out all that you wanted to know about Yammy Xox, the famous British YouTube Personality; her birthday, her family and personal life, her boyfriends, fun trivia facts and more.

Kaylee Quinn

Kaylee Quinn

Kaylee Quinn is an American dancer, model, and actress. Let’s have a look at her family and personal life including age, date of birth, net worth, relationships, and fun facts.

Sophia Montero

Sophia Montero

Sophia Montero is an American singer and YouTuber. Let’s have a look at her family and personal life including age, date of birth, net worth, relationships, and fun facts.

Domo Wilson

Domo Wilson

Check out all that you wanted to know about Domo Wilson, the famous American Vlogger & YouTube Personality; her birthday, her family and personal life, fun trivia facts and more.

William Wyler's FAQ

  • What is William Wyler birthday?

    William Wyler was born at 1902-07-01

  • When was William Wyler died?

    William Wyler was died at 1981-06-27

  • Which age was William Wyler died?

    William Wyler was died at age 78

  • Where is William Wyler's birth place?

    William Wyler was born in Mülhausen, Alsace

  • What is William Wyler nationalities?

    William Wyler's nationalities is American

  • Who is William Wyler spouses?

    William Wyler's spouses is Margaret Sullavan

  • Who is William Wyler childrens?

    William Wyler's childrens is Catherine Wyler, David Wyler, Judy Wyler, Melanie Ann Wyler, William Wyler Jr.

  • Who is William Wyler's father?

    William Wyler's father is Leopold

  • Who is William Wyler's mother?

    William Wyler's mother is Melanie

  • What is William Wyler's sun sign?

    William Wyler is Cancer

  • How famous is William Wyler?

    William Wyler is famouse as Film director