Austrian-
American filmmaker (1906-2002). Fled
Germany after Hitler came to power in
1933. Knew no
English when he arrived in
Hollywood, but he learned the
language fast (he once described his English as a
combination of
Arnold Schwarzenegger and
Archbishop Desmond Tutu) and broke into American films with the assistance of former
roommate Peter Lorre and others.
His films include many
timeless classics, including "
Double Indemnity," "
The Lost Weekend," "
Sunset Boulevard," "
The Big Carnival," "
Stalag 17," "
Sabrina," "
The Seven Year Itch," "
Witness for the Prosecution," "
The Spirit of St. Louis," "
Some Like It Hot," and "
The Apartment." He won numerous
Academy Awards as a
writer,
director, and
producer. The last movie he directed was 1981's "
Buddy Buddy," though he considered directing "
Schindler's List" and turned down a role in "
Jerry MacGuire."
He died of
pneumonia on March 27, 2002, at his home in
Beverly Hills, California.