About
William Wyler
Overview
William Wyler (July 1, 1902 – July 27, 1981) was a German-born film director, producer, and screenwriter. Notable works include Ben-Hur (1959), The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), and Mrs. Miniver (1942), all which won Wyler Academy Awards for Best Director, and also won Best Picture. He earned his first Oscar nomination for directing Dodsworth in 1936, 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.
Known for
Acting |
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2019 | Hollywood's Second World War | Actor | Self (archive footage) | 59 Average |
2019 | Sword-and-Sandal | Actor | Self (archive footage) | 59 Average |
2018 | The Cold Blue | Actor | Himself (archive footage) | 59 Average |
2017 | Five Came Back | Actor | Self (archive footage) | 60 Fair |
2005 | Ben-Hur: The Epic That Changed Cinema | Actor | Self (archive footage) | 59 Average |
2001 | Goldwyn: The Man and His Movies | Actor | Self | 59 Average |
2000 | Backstory: 'How Green Was My Valley' | Actor | Self (archive footage) | N/A N/A |
1993 | Ben-Hur: The Making of an Epic | Actor | Self - Director (archive footage) | 59 Average |
1986 | Directed by William Wyler | Actor | Self | N/A N/A |
1958 | Fun in the Big Country | Actor | Self | N/A N/A |
1956 | Stars of Cabaret | Actor | Self (archive footage) | N/A N/A |
1951 | The Screen Director | Actor | Self (staged 'archive' footage) (uncredited) | N/A N/A |
1946 | The Best Years of Our Lives | Actor | Drug Store customer (uncredited) | 69 Fair |
1936 | Dodsworth | Actor | Violin Player in Dance Orchestra (Uncredited) | 61 Fair |
Directing |
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2011 | History Rediscovered: The Memphis Belle | Directing | Director | N/A N/A |
2006 | National Archives WWII: Air War | Directing | Director | N/A N/A |
1970 | The Liberation of L.B. Jones | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1968 | Funny Girl | Directing | Director | 64 Fair |
1966 | How to Steal a Million | Directing | Director | 67 Fair |
1965 | The Collector | Directing | Director | 62 Fair |
1961 | The Children's Hour | Directing | Director | 66 Fair |
1959 | Ben-Hur | Directing | Director | 75 Good |
1958 | The Big Country | Directing | Director | 65 Fair |
1956 | Friendly Persuasion | Directing | Director | 60 Fair |
1955 | The Desperate Hours | Directing | Director | 61 Fair |
1953 | Roman Holiday | Directing | Director | 75 Good |
1952 | Carrie | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1951 | Detective Story | Directing | Director | 61 Fair |
1949 | The Heiress | Directing | Director | 64 Fair |
1947 | Thunderbolt | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1946 | The Best Years of Our Lives | Directing | Director | 69 Fair |
1944 | The Fighting Lady | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1944 | The Memphis Belle | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1942 | Mrs. Miniver | Directing | Director | 62 Fair |
1941 | The Little Foxes | Directing | Director | 62 Fair |
1940 | The Letter | Directing | Director | 63 Fair |
1940 | The Westerner | Directing | Director | 60 Fair |
1939 | Wuthering Heights | Directing | Director | 63 Fair |
1938 | The Cowboy and the Lady | Directing | Co-Director | 59 Average |
1938 | Jezebel | Directing | Director | 61 Fair |
1937 | Dead End | Directing | Director | 61 Fair |
1936 | Come and Get It | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1936 | Dodsworth | Directing | Director | 61 Fair |
1936 | These Three | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1935 | The Gay Deception | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1935 | The Good Fairy | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1934 | Glamour | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1933 | Counsellor at Law | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1933 | Her First Mate | Directing | Director | N/A N/A |
1932 | Tom Brown of Culver | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1931 | A House Divided | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1930 | The Storm | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1929 | Hell's Heroes | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1929 | The Love Trap | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1929 | The Shakedown | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1928 | Anybody Here Seen Kelly? | Directing | Director | N/A N/A |
1928 | Thunder Riders | Directing | Director | N/A N/A |
1927 | Desert Dust | Directing | Director | N/A N/A |
1927 | The Border Cavalier | Directing | Director | N/A N/A |
1927 | The Horse Trader | Directing | Director | N/A N/A |
1927 | Hard Fists | Directing | Director | N/A N/A |
1927 | Straight Shootin' | Directing | Director | N/A N/A |
1927 | Blazing Days | Directing | Director | N/A N/A |
1927 | The Two Fister | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1926 | The Stolen Ranch | Directing | Director | 59 Average |
1926 | Lazy Lightning | Directing | Director | N/A N/A |
1926 | Martin of the Mounted | Directing | Director | N/A N/A |
1926 | Don't Shoot | Directing | Director | N/A N/A |
1926 | The Fire Barrier | Directing | Director | N/A N/A |
1926 | Ridin' for Love | Directing | Director | N/A N/A |
1926 | The Gunless Bad Man | Directing | Director | N/A N/A |
1925 | The Crook Buster | Directing | Director | N/A N/A |
1923 | The Hunchback of Notre Dame | Directing | Assistant Director | 60 Fair |
The Ore Raiders | Directing | Director | N/A N/A |
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Writing |
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2016 | Roman Holiday | Writing | Writer | N/A N/A |
1944 | The Memphis Belle | Writing | Writer | 59 Average |
1926 | Ridin' for Love | Writing | Story | N/A N/A |
Production |
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1970 | The Liberation of L.B. Jones | Production | Producer | 58 Average |
1961 | The Children's Hour | Production | Producer | 66 Fair |
1958 | The Big Country | Production | Producer | 65 Fair |
1956 | Friendly Persuasion | Production | Producer | 60 Fair |
1955 | The Desperate Hours | Production | Producer | 61 Fair |
1953 | Roman Holiday | Production | Producer | 75 Good |
1952 | Carrie | Production | Producer | 59 Average |
1951 | Detective Story | Production | Producer | 61 Fair |
1949 | The Heiress | Production | Producer | 64 Fair |
1942 | Mrs. Miniver | Production | Producer | 62 Fair |
1940 | The Letter | Production | Producer | 63 Fair |
1938 | Jezebel | Production | Producer | 61 Fair |
1929 | The Love Trap | Production | Producer | 58 Average |
Camera |
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1944 | The Memphis Belle | Camera | Director of Photography | 59 Average |