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John Schlesinger Biography

Birth Name:John Richard Schlesinger

Birth Place:London, England, United Kingdom

Profession Director, Actor, Writer, Assistant director, Producer, Camera department

Fast Facts

  • Awarded a Venice Film Festival Golden Lion for one of his earliest directorial efforts, 1961's "Terminus"
  • Passed away in 2003 following complications related to a stroke suffered three years prior
  • Born into a middle class Jewish family, he would eventually study drama at Oxford
  • Quote: "What I tend to go for, and what interests me, is not the hero but the coward, not the success, but the failure․"
  • Originally working as a character actor, he would make his film and BBC debuts in the 1950s before taking on the role of director
  • Would drop his acting efforts to focus on directing by the 1960s, where he would specialize in period dramas
  • Awarded C․B․E․ qualifications in 1970 for his contributions to the film industry

Awards

  • 1962BAFTA Film Award-Best Short Film: winner
  • 1962Golden Berlin Bear-: winner
  • 1963Golden Lion-: nominated
  • 1965Grand Prix-: nominated
  • 1965NBR Award-Best Director: winner
  • 1965NYFCC Award-Best Director: winner
  • 1966Oscar-Best Director: nominated
  • 1966BAFTA Film Award-Best British Film: nominated
  • 1966DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: nominated
  • 1966Golden Globe-Best Director: nominated
  • 1969OCIC Award-: winner
  • 1969Golden Berlin Bear-: nominated
  • 1969KCFCC Award-Best Director: winner
  • 1970Oscar-Best Director: winner
  • 1970BAFTA Film Award-Best Direction: winner
  • 1970Bodil-Best Non-European Film (Bedste ikke-europæiske film): winner
  • 1970David-Best Foreign Director (Migliore Regista Straniero): winner
  • 1970DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: winner
  • 1970Golden Globe-Best Director: nominated
  • 1970Silver Ribbon-Best Foreign Director (Regista del Miglior Film Straniero): winner
  • 1972Oscar-Best Director: nominated
  • 1972BAFTA Film Award-Best Direction: winner
  • 1972David-Best Foreign Director (Migliore Regista Straniero): winner
  • 1972DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: nominated
  • 1977Golden Globe-Best Director - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1979NBR Award-Best Director: winner
  • 1980BAFTA Film Award-Best Direction: nominated
  • 1980European David-: winner
  • 1981Evening Standard British Film Award-Best Film: winner
  • 1984BAFTA TV Award-Best Single Drama: winner
  • 1985ACE-Directing a Theatrical or Dramatic Special: nominated
  • 1988Golden Lion-: nominated
  • 1990USC Scripter Award-: nominated
  • 1992BAFTA TV Award-Best Single Drama: winner
  • 2001Razzie Award-Worst Director: nominated