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Billy Wilder Biography

Birth Name:Samuel Wilder

Birth Place:Sucha Beskidzka, Malopolskie, Poland

Profession Writer, Director, Producer, Actor, Soundtrack, Editorial department

Fast Facts

In 1991, he was awarded the Golden Order, First Class for Meritorious Services from the Republic of Austria for his contributions to film
In 1993, he was awarded the American National Medal for the Arts
While writing for a tabloid magazine in Berlin, he became interested in film and started working as a screenwriter
Quote: "Trust your own instinct․ Your mistakes might as well be your own, instead of someone else's․"
Frequently has scenes in his films that portray characters playing card games
Often features characters in his films that attempt to change their identities
Almost directed "Schindler's List," but felt that the subject was too personal to him due to the fact that his mother, step-father and grandmother were killed at concentration camps in the Holocaust
Maintained a valuable modern art collection that included works of various famed artists, including Pablo Picasso
Used the song "Isn't it Romantic" in many of his film not because it was a tune he likes, but because it was cheap to license
Was continually denied entry into the U․S․ via Mexico until his papers were stamped after he told a new immigration officer that he was a filmmaker

Awards

1940Oscar-Best Writing, Screenplay: nominated
1942Oscar-Best Writing, Screenplay: nominated
1942Oscar-Best Writing, Original Story: nominated
1944NYFCC Award-Best Director: nominated
1945Oscar-Best Director: nominated
1945Oscar-Best Writing, Screenplay: nominated
1945NYFCC Award-Best Director: winner
1946Oscar-Best Writing, Screenplay: winner
1946Oscar-Best Director: winner
1946Grand Prize of the Festival-Feature Film: winner
1946Golden Globe-Best Director: winner
1949Oscar-Best Writing, Screenplay: nominated
1949WGA Award (Screen)-Best Written American Musical: nominated
1949WGA Award (Screen)-Best Written American Comedy: nominated
1950NYFCC Award-Best Director: nominated
1951Oscar-Best Director: nominated
1951Oscar-Best Writing, Story and Screenplay: winner
1951Bodil-Best American Film (Bedste amerikanske film): winner
1951Top 10 Film Award-Best Film: nominated
1951DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: nominated
1951Golden Globe-Best Director: winner
1951Golden Globe-Best Screenplay: nominated
1951Silver Ribbon-Best Foreign Director (Regista del Miglior Film Straniero): winner
1951Golden Lion-: nominated
1951International Award-: winner
1951WGA Award (Screen)-Best Written American Drama: winner
1952Oscar-Best Writing, Story and Screenplay: nominated
1952Blue Ribbon Award-Best Foreign Language Film: winner
1954Oscar-Best Director: nominated
1954DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: nominated
1954WGA Award (Screen)-Best Written American Comedy: nominated
1955Oscar-Best Writing, Screenplay: nominated
1955Oscar-Best Director: nominated
1955DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: nominated
1955Golden Globe-Best Screenplay: winner
1955WGA Award (Screen)-Best Written American Comedy: winner
1956DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: nominated
1956WGA Award (Screen)-Best Written American Comedy: nominated
1957Boxoffice Blue Ribbon Award-Best Picture of the Month for the Whole Family (April): winner
1958Oscar-Best Director: nominated
1958DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: nominated
1958DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: nominated
1958Edgar-Best Motion Picture: nominated
1958Golden Globe-Best Director: nominated
1958WGA Award (Screen)-Best Written American Comedy: winner
1959Golden Lion-: nominated
1960Oscar-Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium: nominated
1960Oscar-Best Director: nominated
1960BAFTA Film Award-Best Film from any Source: nominated
1960DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: nominated
1960NYFCC Award-Best Director: winner
1960NYFCC Award-Best Screenplay: winner
1960Golden Lion-: nominated
1960WGA Award (Screen)-Best Written American Comedy: winner
1961Oscar-Best Writing, Story and Screenplay - Written Directly for the Screen: winner
1961Oscar-Best Director: winner
1961Oscar-Best Picture: winner
1961BAFTA Film Award-Best Film from any Source: winner
1961DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: winner
1961Golden Globe-Best Director: nominated
1961NYFCC Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
1961WGA Award (Screen)-Best Written American Comedy: winner
1962WGA Award (Screen)-Best Written American Comedy: nominated
1964WGA Award (Screen)-Best Written American Comedy: nominated
1967Oscar-Best Writing, Story and Screenplay - Written Directly for the Screen: nominated
1967WGA Award (Screen)-Best Written American Comedy: nominated
1971WGA Award (Screen)-Best Comedy Written Directly for the Screen: nominated
1973Golden Globe-Best Screenplay - Motion Picture: nominated
1973Golden Globe-Best Director - Motion Picture: nominated
1973WGA Award (Screen)-Best Comedy Adapted from Another Medium: nominated
1975David-Best Foreign Director (Migliore Regista Straniero): winner
1975Jury Special Prize-Best Film: winner
1975Golden Spike-Best Film: nominated
1975Golden Spike-Best Film: nominated
1975WGA Award (Screen)-Best Comedy Adapted from Another Medium: nominated
1978Gold Hugo-Best Feature: nominated
1982Fotogramas de Plata-Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera): winner
2000PGA Hall of Fame - Motion Pictures-: winner
2009Jules Verne Légendaire Award-: winner