About

Known credits:
25
Birthday:
1905-03-05
Place of birth:
Budapest, Hungary
Website:
N/A

László Benedek

Overview

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

László Benedek (Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈlaːsloː ˈbɛnɛdɛk]; March 5, 1905 – March 11, 1992; sometimes Laslo Benedek) was a Hungarian-born film director and cinematographer, most notable for directing The Wild One (1953).

Born in Budapest, he worked as a writer and editor in Hungarian cinema until World War II. Louis B. Mayer helped the Jewish Benedek escape and brought him to Hollywood where he directed his first film for MGM in 1944 as a stand-in.

He gained recognition for his direction of the film version of Death of a Salesman (1951), for which he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Director and a Best Director nomination from the Directors Guild of America. However, it was for his directorial efforts on his next project that Benedek is best remembered. His motorcycle gang film The Wild One (1953) caused a storm of controversy and was banned in the United Kingdom until 1968.

László Benedek spoke several languages and directed the films Kinder, Mütter und ein General (Germany, 1955) and Recours en grâce (France, 1960). In Hollywood, Benedek made more motion pictures, but also became a director of television series, such as the Perry Mason series from 1957. His other credits include episodes of The Outer Limits, Mannix, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Untouchables, and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.

Benedek also directed Malaga aka Moment of Danger (1960) starring Dorothy Dandridge and Trevor Howard. This low budget crime drama was the last film made by Dandridge.

Benedek died in 1992 in The Bronx, New York.

Known for

Acting
1985 King Kongs Faust Actor Sammler in England N/A
N/A

Directing
1975 Assault on Agathon Directing Director 58
Average
1971 The Night Visitor Directing Director 59
Average
1968 Daring Game Directing Director N/A
N/A
1966 Namu, the Killer Whale Directing Director 58
Average
1960 Recourse in Grace Directing Director 58
Average
1960 Moment of Danger Directing Director N/A
N/A
1957 Affair in Havana Directing Director 58
Average
1956 The Blessed Midnight Directing Director 59
Average
1956 Johnny Moccasin Directing Director N/A
N/A
1956 Boy with a Knife Directing Director 58
Average
1955 Children, Mother, and the General Directing Director 59
Average
1954 Bengal Brigade Directing Director 58
Average
1953 The Wild One Directing Director 61
Fair
1951 Death of a Salesman Directing Director 59
Average
1949 Port of New York Directing Director 58
Average
1948 The Kissing Bandit Directing Director 58
Average
1930 The Great Longing Directing Assistant Director 59
Average

Writing
1955 Children, Mother, and the General Writing Writer 59
Average
1936 Secret of Stamboul Writing Adaptation 59
Average

Production
1966 Namu, the Killer Whale Production Producer 58
Average
1957 Perry Mason Production Producer 74
Good

Crew
1927 Die Geliebte Crew Cinematography N/A
N/A

Editing
1931 The Man Who Committed the Murder Editing Editor 58
Average
1931 The Man Who Killed Editing Editor N/A
N/A