Most notable films: In Old Chicago (1937), The Song of Bernadette (1943), Wilson (1944), Twelve O'Clock High (1949), Love is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955)
If today's film fans were asked to make a list of their favorite directors of all-time, I doubt the name Henry King would appear anywhere near the top. Yet this prolific and reliable craftsman compiled a body of work over a career lasting nearly 50 years which has elevated him into the upper tier of this cinematic listing.
With 68 nominations and 18 Oscars covering 18 films, Henry King ranks 7th on the 'Oscar Director-y'.
Born in Christiansburg, Virginia on January 24, 1886, he began his career in show business as a stage actor. Breaking into films in 1912, he appeared in almost 100 movies. In 1915, he co-directed his first feature, Who Pays? He continued acting and directing until 1920, when he decided to remain behind the camera. He directed nearly 70 silent films, including Tol'Able David (which he also co-wrote and produced) in 1921, his best known work in that era. His first sound feature came in 1928, when he directed The Woman Disputed. In 1930, he joined the Fox Film Corporation (which would become 20th Century-Fox), and worked exclusively with that studio until 1958. He would return in 1962, to direct his 46th and final film for Fox, Tender is the Night.
Prior to King's first sound feature, he received his initial Oscar nomination in the Academy's inaugural year, 1927/28, for the silent film, The Magic Flame. The nomination was for Cinematography, but Fox's Sunrise was awarded the prize. It was not until 1937 that a Henry King film received an acting nomination. It went to Alice Brady, who won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her work in In Old Chicago. Seven other actors would receive nominations in Henry King - directed films. Here is a list of his nominated films, with the number of nominations and Oscars won:
The Magic Flame (1927) 1/-
State Fair (1933) 2/-
Lloyds of London (1936) 2/-
In Old Chicago (1937) 6/2
Alexander's Ragtime Band (1938) 6/1
A Yank in the R.A.F. (1941) 1/-
The Black Swan (1942) 3/1
The Song of Bernadette (1943) 12/4
Wilson (1944) 10/5
Captain from Castile (1947) 1/-
Deep Waters (1948) 1/-
Twelve O'Clock High (1949) 4/2
Prince of Foxes (1949) 2/-
The Gunfighter (1950) 1/-
David and Bathsheba (1951) 5/-
The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952) 2/-
Love is a Many-Slendored Thing (1955) 8/3
Tender is the Night (1962) 1/-
Along with Alice Brady, two other King-directed actors won Oscars: Jennifer Jones (The Song of Bernadette) and Dean Jagger (Twelve O'Clock High). King was twice nominated for Best Director, in 1943 (The Song of Bernadette) and 1944 (Wilson).
The majority of Henry King films featured a strong leading man in the starring role. Tyrone Power was top-billed in 11 films. Gregory Peck starred in 6 films.
In 1927, King was one of the 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Some of King's other films that did not receive Academy consideration: Jesse James, Chad Hanna, A Bell for Adano, O'Henry's Full House, King of the Khyber Rifles, Carousel, The Sun Also Rises, The Bravados and Beloved Infidel.
In 1956, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Directors Guild of America. He died of a heart attack in his sleep on June 29, 1982, in California. He was 96 years old.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Saturday, March 24, 2007
#8 - Michael Curtiz - 68/12/23
Most notable films: The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), Casablanca (1943), Mildred Pierce (1946), White Christmas (1954)
One of the most prolific filmmakers ever, Michael Curtiz helmed over 170 films in a career that spanned 50 years and two continents. He directed more than 60 films while in Europe, then came to the United States in 1926, where he directed more than 100 pictures, the majority of them for Warner Brothers Studio.
With 68 nominations and 12 Oscars covering 23 films, Michael Curtiz ranks 8th on the 'Oscar Director-y'.
He was born Mano Kertesz Kaminer on December 24, 1886, in Budapest, Hungary. He received his education at Markoszy University, and The School for the Dramatic Arts, getting his diploma in 1906. He worked as a stage actor until 1912, when he directed his first feature film. He studied filmmaking in Denmark, and worked in the Swedish, French, German and Austrian film industries until 1926. He was involved in more than 60 productions during that time. In 1926, he was signed by Jack Warner, and came to the United States, where he directed his first American film, The Third Degree. From then on, he worked exclusively at Warner Brothers until 1954, helming over 90 films in 29 years. Although best known for his direction of Casablanca, he is highly regarded for his adventure/swashbuckler films, such as The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Sea Wolf, Captain Blood and The Charge of the Light Brigade. He was equally adept with musicals (Yankee Doodle Dandy, This is the Army, White Christmas, Night and Day, The Jazz Singer), family dramas (Four Daughters, Four Wives, Mildred Pierce), and dramas dealing with social issues (Angels With Dirty Faces, 20,000 Years at Sing Sing, Black Fury). In 1935, after 10 years and 40 movies in Hollywood, Captain Blood earned Curtiz his first two Oscar nominations, for Best Picture, and Sound Recording. Here is a list of his nominated films, with the number of nominations, and Oscars won:
Captain Blood (1935) 2/-
Charge of the Light Brigade (1936) 3/1
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) 4/3
Four Daughters (1938) 5/-
Angels with Dirty Faces (1938) 3/-
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939) 5/-
The Sea Hawk (1940) 4/-
The Sea Wolf (1941) 1/-
Dive Bomber (1941) 1/-
Captains of the Clouds (1942) 2/-
Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) 8/3
Casablanca (1943) 8/3
Mission to Moscow (1943) 1/-
This is the Army (1943) 3/1
Janie (1944) 1/-
Mildred Pierce (1945) 6/1
Night and Day (1946) 1/-
Life with Father (1947) 4/-
Romance on the High Seas (1948) 2/-
The Jazz Singer (1952) 1/-
The Egyptian (1954) 1/-
White Christmas (1954) 1/-
The Best Things in Life are Free (1956) 1/-
Nine different performers received acting nominations in Michael Curtiz films., with James Cagney (Yankee Doodle Dandy) and Joan Crawford (Mildred Pierce) winning the coveted Oscar.
Michael Curtiz was nominated four times in his career for Best Director. He won in 1943, for Casablanca. His other nominations: Angels with Dirty Faces (1938), Four Daughters (also 1938), and Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942). He is one of only four directors to be nominated more than once in a single year, the others being Frank Lloyd (1928/29), Clarence Brown (1929/30) and Steven Soderbergh (2000).
Some of his other films that did not receive Oscar consideration: Doctor X, Mystery of the Wax Museum, Dodge City, Virginia City, Passage to Marseille, Young Man with a Horn, The Egyptian, Jim Thorpe - All American, The Helen Morgan Story and King Creole.
Michael Curtiz died in April 1962, less than 6 months after the release of his last film, The Comancheros.
One of the most prolific filmmakers ever, Michael Curtiz helmed over 170 films in a career that spanned 50 years and two continents. He directed more than 60 films while in Europe, then came to the United States in 1926, where he directed more than 100 pictures, the majority of them for Warner Brothers Studio.
With 68 nominations and 12 Oscars covering 23 films, Michael Curtiz ranks 8th on the 'Oscar Director-y'.
He was born Mano Kertesz Kaminer on December 24, 1886, in Budapest, Hungary. He received his education at Markoszy University, and The School for the Dramatic Arts, getting his diploma in 1906. He worked as a stage actor until 1912, when he directed his first feature film. He studied filmmaking in Denmark, and worked in the Swedish, French, German and Austrian film industries until 1926. He was involved in more than 60 productions during that time. In 1926, he was signed by Jack Warner, and came to the United States, where he directed his first American film, The Third Degree. From then on, he worked exclusively at Warner Brothers until 1954, helming over 90 films in 29 years. Although best known for his direction of Casablanca, he is highly regarded for his adventure/swashbuckler films, such as The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Sea Wolf, Captain Blood and The Charge of the Light Brigade. He was equally adept with musicals (Yankee Doodle Dandy, This is the Army, White Christmas, Night and Day, The Jazz Singer), family dramas (Four Daughters, Four Wives, Mildred Pierce), and dramas dealing with social issues (Angels With Dirty Faces, 20,000 Years at Sing Sing, Black Fury). In 1935, after 10 years and 40 movies in Hollywood, Captain Blood earned Curtiz his first two Oscar nominations, for Best Picture, and Sound Recording. Here is a list of his nominated films, with the number of nominations, and Oscars won:
Captain Blood (1935) 2/-
Charge of the Light Brigade (1936) 3/1
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) 4/3
Four Daughters (1938) 5/-
Angels with Dirty Faces (1938) 3/-
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939) 5/-
The Sea Hawk (1940) 4/-
The Sea Wolf (1941) 1/-
Dive Bomber (1941) 1/-
Captains of the Clouds (1942) 2/-
Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) 8/3
Casablanca (1943) 8/3
Mission to Moscow (1943) 1/-
This is the Army (1943) 3/1
Janie (1944) 1/-
Mildred Pierce (1945) 6/1
Night and Day (1946) 1/-
Life with Father (1947) 4/-
Romance on the High Seas (1948) 2/-
The Jazz Singer (1952) 1/-
The Egyptian (1954) 1/-
White Christmas (1954) 1/-
The Best Things in Life are Free (1956) 1/-
Nine different performers received acting nominations in Michael Curtiz films., with James Cagney (Yankee Doodle Dandy) and Joan Crawford (Mildred Pierce) winning the coveted Oscar.
Michael Curtiz was nominated four times in his career for Best Director. He won in 1943, for Casablanca. His other nominations: Angels with Dirty Faces (1938), Four Daughters (also 1938), and Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942). He is one of only four directors to be nominated more than once in a single year, the others being Frank Lloyd (1928/29), Clarence Brown (1929/30) and Steven Soderbergh (2000).
Some of his other films that did not receive Oscar consideration: Doctor X, Mystery of the Wax Museum, Dodge City, Virginia City, Passage to Marseille, Young Man with a Horn, The Egyptian, Jim Thorpe - All American, The Helen Morgan Story and King Creole.
Michael Curtiz died in April 1962, less than 6 months after the release of his last film, The Comancheros.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
#9 - Fred Zinnemann - 65/24/13
Most notable films: High Noon (1952), From Here to Eternity (1953), The Nun's Story (1959), A Man for All Seasons (1966), Julia (1977)
"The three most important things about a film are the script, the script, the script". Fred Zinnemann's films, predominantly, have a recurring theme - strong-willed characters going through a conflict of conscience. His emphasis on 'the script' resulted in more than two-thirds of his nominated pictures being accorded Screenplay recognition.
With 65 nominations and 24 Oscars covering 13 films, Fred Zinnemann ranks 9th on the 'Oscar Director-y'.
Born in Vienna, Austria, on April 29, 1907, he received a law degree from the University of Vienna in 1927. His fascination with American film led to his employment as a cameraman in Paris and Berlin, working on documentaries along with future filmmakers Billy Wilder, Robert Siodmak and Edgar Ulmer. Immigrating to the U. S., he continued as a cameraman, and even had a bit part as an actor in All Quiet on the Western Front. Hired by MGM in 1937, he directed a series of short subjects, one of which, That Mothers Might Live (1938), won an Oscar for Best One-reel Short (He would win another Oscar in 1951, for directing the Documentary Short subject, Benjy). His first feature film came in 1942, The Kid Glove Killer. In 1944, his third film, The Seventh Cross, would receive a Supporting Actor nomination for Hume Cronyn's performance. Seventeen other actors would subsequently receive nominations in films by Fred Zinnemann. Here is a list of his nominated films, with the number of nominations and Oscars won:
The Seventh Cross (1944) - 1/-
The Search (1948) - 4/1
The Men (1950) - 1/-
Teresa (1951) - 1/-
High Noon (1952) - 7/4
The Member of the Wedding (1952) - 1/-
From Here to Eternity (1953) - 13/8
Oklahoma (1955) - 4/2
A Hatful of Rain (1957) 1/-
The Nun's Story (1959) - 8/-
The Sundowners (1960) - 5/-
A Man for All Seasons (1966) - 8/6
Julia (1977) - 11/3
Six of his nominated actors won Oscars for their performances in Zinnemann's films: Gary Cooper (Hign Noon). Frank Sinatra and Donna Reed (From Here to Eternity), Paul Scofield (A Man for All Seasons), and Jason Robards and Vanessa Redgrave (Julia). In addition, 12 year old Ivan Jandl was awarded a Juvenile Oscar, for his performance in The Search. Zinnemann directed the film debuts of Marlon Brando (The Men), Montgomery Clift (The Search), and Meryl Streep (Julia).
Fred Zinnemann was nominated seven times for Best Director, winning for From Here to Eternity and A Man for All Seasons. His others: The Search, High Noon, The Nun's Story, The Sundowners and Julia. He also received an Oscar as Producer of A Man for All Seasons, and a nomination as Producer of The Sundowners.
Some of his other films that did not receive Oscar consideration: Act of Violence, Behold a Pale Horse, The Day of the Jackal and Five Days One Summer.
Fred Zinnemann died on March 14, 1997, of a heart attack, in London. He was six weeks shy of his 90th birthday.
"The three most important things about a film are the script, the script, the script". Fred Zinnemann's films, predominantly, have a recurring theme - strong-willed characters going through a conflict of conscience. His emphasis on 'the script' resulted in more than two-thirds of his nominated pictures being accorded Screenplay recognition.
With 65 nominations and 24 Oscars covering 13 films, Fred Zinnemann ranks 9th on the 'Oscar Director-y'.
Born in Vienna, Austria, on April 29, 1907, he received a law degree from the University of Vienna in 1927. His fascination with American film led to his employment as a cameraman in Paris and Berlin, working on documentaries along with future filmmakers Billy Wilder, Robert Siodmak and Edgar Ulmer. Immigrating to the U. S., he continued as a cameraman, and even had a bit part as an actor in All Quiet on the Western Front. Hired by MGM in 1937, he directed a series of short subjects, one of which, That Mothers Might Live (1938), won an Oscar for Best One-reel Short (He would win another Oscar in 1951, for directing the Documentary Short subject, Benjy). His first feature film came in 1942, The Kid Glove Killer. In 1944, his third film, The Seventh Cross, would receive a Supporting Actor nomination for Hume Cronyn's performance. Seventeen other actors would subsequently receive nominations in films by Fred Zinnemann. Here is a list of his nominated films, with the number of nominations and Oscars won:
The Seventh Cross (1944) - 1/-
The Search (1948) - 4/1
The Men (1950) - 1/-
Teresa (1951) - 1/-
High Noon (1952) - 7/4
The Member of the Wedding (1952) - 1/-
From Here to Eternity (1953) - 13/8
Oklahoma (1955) - 4/2
A Hatful of Rain (1957) 1/-
The Nun's Story (1959) - 8/-
The Sundowners (1960) - 5/-
A Man for All Seasons (1966) - 8/6
Julia (1977) - 11/3
Six of his nominated actors won Oscars for their performances in Zinnemann's films: Gary Cooper (Hign Noon). Frank Sinatra and Donna Reed (From Here to Eternity), Paul Scofield (A Man for All Seasons), and Jason Robards and Vanessa Redgrave (Julia). In addition, 12 year old Ivan Jandl was awarded a Juvenile Oscar, for his performance in The Search. Zinnemann directed the film debuts of Marlon Brando (The Men), Montgomery Clift (The Search), and Meryl Streep (Julia).
Fred Zinnemann was nominated seven times for Best Director, winning for From Here to Eternity and A Man for All Seasons. His others: The Search, High Noon, The Nun's Story, The Sundowners and Julia. He also received an Oscar as Producer of A Man for All Seasons, and a nomination as Producer of The Sundowners.
Some of his other films that did not receive Oscar consideration: Act of Violence, Behold a Pale Horse, The Day of the Jackal and Five Days One Summer.
Fred Zinnemann died on March 14, 1997, of a heart attack, in London. He was six weeks shy of his 90th birthday.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
#10 - Martin Scorsese - 64/15/13
Most notable films: Taxi Driver (1976), Raging Bull (1980), Goodfellas (1990), The Aviator (2004), The Departed (2006)
I thought it fitting to start these postings with the most recent Oscar-winning director, Martin Scorsese, whose latest effort, The Departed, vaulted him into 10th place on the current list. With a total of 64 nominations and 15 Oscars over a span of 13 nominated films, Scorsese finally has captured the elusive Best Director award that had escaped him 5 times previously.
Born in Queens, New York on November 17, 1942 – the diminutive (5’4”) Scorsese graduated NYU as a film major in 1964. During the rest of the decade, he directed commercials, short films, and his first feature, Who's That Knocking at My Door. In 1969/1970, he worked as an editor and assistant director on Woodstock (along with Thelma Schoonmaker, who would later become his long-time film editor). Scorsese’s work came to the attention of producer Roger Corman, who hired him to direct Boxcar Bertha in 1972. In 1973, Mean Streets, a gritty look at small-time hoods in Little Italy, elevated Scorsese into the ranks of ‘hot young directors’, along with Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas. Nearly half of his films have crime-related themes. His next film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, earned three Oscar nominations – Original Screenplay, Diane Ladd, for Supporting Actress, and Ellen Burstyn, winner for Best Actress. These nominations were the first of 20 acting nods in which Scorsese has steered his performers. Here is a list of his nominated films, with the number of nominations and wins:
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974) – 3/1
Taxi Driver (1976) – 4/-
Raging Bull (1980) – 8/2
The Color of Money (1986) – 4/1
The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) – 1/-
Goodfellas (1990) – 6/1
Cape Fear (1991) – 2/-
The Age of Innocence (1993) – 5/1
Casino (1995) – 1/-
Kundun (1997) – 4/-
The Gangs of New York (2002) – 10/-
The Aviator (2004) – 11/5
The Departed (2006) – 5/4
Five of his nominated actors won Oscars under his guidance. Ellen Burstyn, Robert De Niro (Raging Bull), Paul Newman (The Color of Money), Joe Pesci (Goodfellas), and Cate Blanchett (The Aviator).
Some of his other films that did not receive Oscar nominations: New York, New York, The Last Waltz, The King of Comedy, After Hours, and Bringing Out the Dead.
At the age of 64, Martin Scorsese doesn’t seem to be slowing down. With three projects on tap over the next two years, it’s a safe bet that he will continue to move upwards on the Oscar Director-y’s Top 10.
I thought it fitting to start these postings with the most recent Oscar-winning director, Martin Scorsese, whose latest effort, The Departed, vaulted him into 10th place on the current list. With a total of 64 nominations and 15 Oscars over a span of 13 nominated films, Scorsese finally has captured the elusive Best Director award that had escaped him 5 times previously.
Born in Queens, New York on November 17, 1942 – the diminutive (5’4”) Scorsese graduated NYU as a film major in 1964. During the rest of the decade, he directed commercials, short films, and his first feature, Who's That Knocking at My Door. In 1969/1970, he worked as an editor and assistant director on Woodstock (along with Thelma Schoonmaker, who would later become his long-time film editor). Scorsese’s work came to the attention of producer Roger Corman, who hired him to direct Boxcar Bertha in 1972. In 1973, Mean Streets, a gritty look at small-time hoods in Little Italy, elevated Scorsese into the ranks of ‘hot young directors’, along with Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas. Nearly half of his films have crime-related themes. His next film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, earned three Oscar nominations – Original Screenplay, Diane Ladd, for Supporting Actress, and Ellen Burstyn, winner for Best Actress. These nominations were the first of 20 acting nods in which Scorsese has steered his performers. Here is a list of his nominated films, with the number of nominations and wins:
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974) – 3/1
Taxi Driver (1976) – 4/-
Raging Bull (1980) – 8/2
The Color of Money (1986) – 4/1
The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) – 1/-
Goodfellas (1990) – 6/1
Cape Fear (1991) – 2/-
The Age of Innocence (1993) – 5/1
Casino (1995) – 1/-
Kundun (1997) – 4/-
The Gangs of New York (2002) – 10/-
The Aviator (2004) – 11/5
The Departed (2006) – 5/4
Five of his nominated actors won Oscars under his guidance. Ellen Burstyn, Robert De Niro (Raging Bull), Paul Newman (The Color of Money), Joe Pesci (Goodfellas), and Cate Blanchett (The Aviator).
Some of his other films that did not receive Oscar nominations: New York, New York, The Last Waltz, The King of Comedy, After Hours, and Bringing Out the Dead.
At the age of 64, Martin Scorsese doesn’t seem to be slowing down. With three projects on tap over the next two years, it’s a safe bet that he will continue to move upwards on the Oscar Director-y’s Top 10.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Betty Hutton
Even though this site will deal, predominantly, with directors, I couldn't let the passing of one of my favorite Hollywood stars go unmentioned.
Betty Hutton died on Monday, March 12, at the age of 86. She wasn't the prettiest actress or the most talented singer of her time, but she had an amazing amount of energy and personality that jumped right off the screen. From the early '40s until the mid-'50s, she lent her talents to such films as The Perils of Pauline, The Miracle of Morgan's Creek, Incendiary Blonde, Let's Dance, The Greatest Show on Earth, and Annie Get Your Gun. I always felt she was the "female Danny Kaye," with a rubbery face and a talent for mugging. She could sing and dance, and her performance in Morgan's Creek is downright hilarious.
Fortunately, many of her films are available on DVD, so her legacy will continue. She will be missed.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Welcome to the "Oscar Director-y"
Hi everybody, and welcome to the “Oscar Director-y.” This blog is dedicated to the men and women who have directed Oscar-nominated films since the awards were first handed out, almost 80 years ago. I’ll look at the current crop of directors, like Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen, Clint Eastwood and Francis Ford Coppola, along with the ‘giants’ of the earlier days of film, such as William Wyler, Alfred Hitchcock, Billy Wilder, John Ford, George Cukor and Michael Curtiz. I’ll also look at some who are not as well-known, but who rank higher than some already mentioned, like Henry King, Sam Wood, Clarence Brown and Henry Koster.
The official ranking of the “Oscar Director-y” is reached this way:
Using the most recent Oscar Awards for the year 2006, Clint Eastwood directed two films, Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima. The first was nominated for Sound Mixing and Sound Editing. The latter was nominated for Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay and Sound Editing, for which it won the Academy Award. Eastwood’s score for 2006 would be 6 nominations and 1 win. Prior to this year, Eastwood had directed seven different films that had received a total of 26 nominations, with 11 Oscar wins. His total after this year has now reached 32 nominations and 12 wins. That currently puts him in 47th place on the all-time list. That moved him up from a previous position of 71st place, and past such stalwart talents as Frank Lloyd, Roman Polanski, Lewis Milestone, Martin Ritt, Howard Hawks and Stanley Kubrick. Does this make Eastwood a better director than these just mentioned? Of course not, but he has forged an outstanding resume of films that he’s helmed over the years. These rankings do not reflect a personal preference on my part, but a numerical listing of nominations attained by the directors on this list.
This site reflects nominations in all the performing, writing and craft categories, but does not include nominations for Documentaries (feature or short) or Short Subjects (live action or animated). It does include: Picture, the four acting categories, Director, the writing categories, the musical categories, Cinematography, Art Direction/Set Decoration, Sound, Editing, Costume Design, Makeup, Visual and Sound Effects, Animated Feature and Foreign Film. It includes many categories that have vanished since the early days of the Academy Awards, such as Title Writing, Assistant Director, and Dance Direction.
In the case of a film like 1962’s How the West Was Won, three men (John Ford, Henry Hathaway and George Marshall) shared the directing credit, so each would receive the 8 nominations and 3 wins the film totaled.
With each entry, I hope to talk about a couple of directors, their background and their accomplishments, and their current ranking in the “Oscar Director-y”. I look forward to having you join me here in the future.
The official ranking of the “Oscar Director-y” is reached this way:
Using the most recent Oscar Awards for the year 2006, Clint Eastwood directed two films, Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima. The first was nominated for Sound Mixing and Sound Editing. The latter was nominated for Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay and Sound Editing, for which it won the Academy Award. Eastwood’s score for 2006 would be 6 nominations and 1 win. Prior to this year, Eastwood had directed seven different films that had received a total of 26 nominations, with 11 Oscar wins. His total after this year has now reached 32 nominations and 12 wins. That currently puts him in 47th place on the all-time list. That moved him up from a previous position of 71st place, and past such stalwart talents as Frank Lloyd, Roman Polanski, Lewis Milestone, Martin Ritt, Howard Hawks and Stanley Kubrick. Does this make Eastwood a better director than these just mentioned? Of course not, but he has forged an outstanding resume of films that he’s helmed over the years. These rankings do not reflect a personal preference on my part, but a numerical listing of nominations attained by the directors on this list.
This site reflects nominations in all the performing, writing and craft categories, but does not include nominations for Documentaries (feature or short) or Short Subjects (live action or animated). It does include: Picture, the four acting categories, Director, the writing categories, the musical categories, Cinematography, Art Direction/Set Decoration, Sound, Editing, Costume Design, Makeup, Visual and Sound Effects, Animated Feature and Foreign Film. It includes many categories that have vanished since the early days of the Academy Awards, such as Title Writing, Assistant Director, and Dance Direction.
In the case of a film like 1962’s How the West Was Won, three men (John Ford, Henry Hathaway and George Marshall) shared the directing credit, so each would receive the 8 nominations and 3 wins the film totaled.
With each entry, I hope to talk about a couple of directors, their background and their accomplishments, and their current ranking in the “Oscar Director-y”. I look forward to having you join me here in the future.
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