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Elia Kazan

Birth Name:
Elias Kazanjoglou
Birth Place:
Istanbul, Turkey
Profession
Director, Producer, Writer, Actor, Soundtrack
Elia Kazan

Fast Facts

  • President Ronald Reagan presented him with the Kennedy Center honors award in 1982 for his life of achievement in the arts
  • When he won his Honorary Oscar for lifetime achievement, some attendees at the ceremony refused to applaud due to his cooperation with the House Un-American Activities Committee while others stood and clapped for his creative work
  • Paid his way through Williams College by waiting tables, washing dishes and bartending at various fraternities
  • Quote: "In my own view, the solution is to talk about human beings and not about abstracts, to reveal the culture and the social moment as it is reflected in the behavior and the lives of individual people․ Not to be 'correct․' To be total․"
  • Not willing to give up his career to defend a cause he no longer believed in, he agreed to testify before the House Committee on Un-American Activities, listing eight actors who had been members of the Communist Party during the Depression
  • His films addressed social and political issues that he felt strongly about, such as anti-Semitism, racism and corruption
  • Was one of the first to introduce Method acting to the American stage and cinema
  • At one time, regularly played handball with actor Harry Morgan
  • Introduced actors Warren Beatty, Carroll Baker, Julie Harris, Andy Griffith, Rip Torn, Eli Wallach, Eva Marie Saint, Martin Balsam, Fred Gwynn, Pat Hingle and others to audiences
  • Wrote four best-selling novels, two of which were based on the lives of his Greek immigrant ancestors

Awards

  • 1940Photoplay Award - Best Performances of the Month (December):Winner
  • 1947Award - Feature films:Nominated
  • 1947NBR Award - Best Director:Winner
  • 1947NYFCC Award - Best Director:Winner
  • 1948Oscar - Best Director:Winner
  • 1948Golden Globe - Best Director:Winner
  • 1948Grand International AwardNominated
  • 1950Golden LionNominated
  • 1950International AwardWinner
  • 1951NYFCC Award - Best Director:Winner
  • 1951Golden LionNominated
  • 1951Special Jury PrizeWinner
  • 1952Oscar - Best Director:Nominated
  • 1952Grand Prize of the FestivalNominated
  • 1952DGA Award - Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures:Nominated
  • 1953Special Prize of the Senate of BerlinWinner
  • 1953DGA Award - Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures:Nominated
  • 1954NYFCC Award - Best Director:Winner
  • 1954Silver LionWinner
  • 1954Pasinetti AwardWinner
  • 1954Golden LionNominated
  • 1954OCIC AwardWinner
  • 1955Oscar - Best Director:Winner
  • 1955Bodil - Best American Film (Bedste amerikanske film):Winner
  • 1955Award - Best Dramatic Film:Winner
  • 1955Palme d'OrNominated
  • 1955DGA Award - Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures:Winner
  • 1955Golden Globe - Best Director:Winner
  • 1955Silver Ribbon - Best Foreign Film (Miglior Film Straniero):Winner
  • 1955Kinema Junpo Award - Best Foreign Language Film:Nominated
  • 1956Oscar - Best Director:Nominated
  • 1956Blue Ribbon Award - Best Foreign Language Film:Winner
  • 1956DGA Award - Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures:Nominated
  • 1956Kinema Junpo Award - Best Foreign Language Film:Winner
  • 1956NYFCC Award - Best Director:Nominated
  • 1957Golden Globe - Best Director:Winner
  • 1958Bodil - Best American Film (Bedste amerikanske film):Winner
  • 1958DGA Award - Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures:Nominated
  • 1959CEC Award - Best Foreign Director (Mejor Director Extranjero):Winner
  • 1960Golden Berlin BearNominated
  • 1962Top 10 Film Award - Best Film:Nominated
  • 1962DGA Award - Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures:Nominated
  • 1964Oscar - Best Picture:Nominated
  • 1964Oscar - Best Director:Nominated
  • 1964Oscar - Best Writing, Story and Screenplay - Written Directly for the Screen:Nominated
  • 1964Boxoffice Blue Ribbon Award - Best Picture of the Month for the Whole Family (February):Winner
  • 1964Top 10 Film Award - Best Film:Nominated
  • 1964DGA Award - Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures:Nominated
  • 1964Golden Globe - Best Director:Winner
  • 1964Golden SeashellWinner
  • 1964WGA Award (Screen) - Best Written American Drama:Nominated
  • 1965Sant Jordi - Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera):Winner
  • 1972Palme d'OrNominated
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