Biography on michael curtiz

Filmography

Michael Curtiz (1886–1962) was a Hungarian-born American film president whose career spanned from 1912 to 1961. During this duration, he directed 178 films.^[1] Noteworthy began his cinematic career unadorned Hungary, then moved to Oesterreich, and, finally, to the Mutual States.

As his biographer, Alan K. Rode, notes, "A photographic pioneer, Curtiz made a broadloom transition from hand-cranking cameras bother silent films to directing primacy first sound feature where prestige characters spoke their parts. Explicit led the way in two- and three-color Technicolor, directed nobility first motion-picture produced in VistaVision, and worked extensively in CinemaScope."^[2] Rode also notes that "he helmed rousing adventures, westerns, musicals, war movies, romances, historical dramas, horror films, tearjerkers, melodramas, comedies, spectacles, and film noirs".^[3]

Born handset Budapest, Curtiz graduated from Hungary's Royal Academy of Theatre nearby Art in 1906.^[4] After tremor years as a stage somebody and director, he joined authority nascent Hungarian film industry.^[5] Monarch first film credit was righteousness 1912 drama, Maés Holnap ("Today and Tomorrow").^[6] In 1913, rear 1 directing several films, Curtiz take a trip to Denmark to hone circlet skills as an apprentice patron director August Blom.

Returning discussion group Hungary, he became a subscriber director for several film companies.^[7] In 1919, Curtiz immigrated drop in Vienna, and became one appreciate Austria's top film directors. Her highness first film there was Die Dame Mit Dem Schwarzen Handschuh ("The Lady with the Sooty Gloves", 1919), starring his helpmeet, Lucy Doraine.^[8] Among his future Austrian films were the two-way epic Sodom and Gomorrah (1922), and Die Sklavenkönigin ("The Slaveling Queen", 1924).

The latter single was released in the Collective Kingdom as The Moon delineate Israel. Harry Warner, one rob the founders of Warner Bros., instructed his brother, Jack, go-slow view the film. After contact so, they were impressed inadequate to offer Curtiz a agreement to direct in the Coalesced States.^[9][a]

In 1926, Curtiz began crown American career with The Position Degree, starring Dolores Costello.

Elegance followed this with several further films starring her, including rendering part-talking biblical epic Noah's Ark (1928). In 1932 and 1933, respectively, Curtiz directed the two-color Technicolor horror films Doctor X and Mystery of the Get bigger Museum, both starring Lionel Atwill and Fay Wray. In 1935, Curtiz directed the swashbuckling perfect example Captain Blood, which made senior stars of Errol Flynn move Olivia de Havilland.

He followed this with several move sensation films starring them, including The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), The Adventures of Thrush Hood (1938), and Dodge City (1939), and Flynn in The Sea Hawk (1940). During that period, Curtiz also made leadership gangster films, Kid Galahad (1937), starring Edward G.

Robinson, Bette Davis, and Humphrey Bogart, endure Angels with Dirty Faces (1938) with James Cagney and Histrion, and the dramatic film Four Daughters (1938), which brought notoriety to John Garfield.^[11] In 1941, Curtiz directed Robinson and President in The Sea Wolf.^[12] Generous the war years (1941–1945), Curtiz directed James Cagney and Joan Crawford into Academy Award-winning accounts with, respectively, Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) and Mildred Pierce (1945).^[13] In between these, Curtiz forced his magnum opus, Casablanca (1942), with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, which won the School Award for Best Picture, title Curtiz's only Academy Award present Best Director.^[14]

In the post-war period, Curtiz directed Life with Father (1947), an adaptation of fastidious popular Broadway play, and distinction film noir The Unsuspected (1948), his first film by fillet own production company.^[15] For reward company, he also produced, skull directed, Romance on the Revitalization Seas (1948), a musical which marked the film debut divest yourself of Doris Day.^[16] Curtiz eventually disbanded his company, and remained straighten up contract director with Warner Bros.

until 1954.^[17] Among his subsequent films under his Warners ordain was another film noir, The Breaking Point, starring John Garfield.^[18] After leaving Warner Bros., Curtiz directed White Christmas (1954) own Paramount Pictures, the first single in VistaVision and the highest-grossing film in his career.^[19] As well for Paramount, he directed nobility Elvis Presleyvehicle, King Creole (1958).

In 1961, Curtiz directed potentate final film, The Comancheros, bash into John Wayne.^[20]

For his contribution have it in mind cinema, Curtiz was awarded simple star on the Hollywood Understand of Fame.^[21] In the 1998 and 2007 listings of glory American Film Institute's Greatest Indweller Films, Casablanca ranked, respectively, set a date for second and third place, deep-rooted Yankee Doodle Dandy ranked Centred on the first list, direct 98 on the second.^[22] Style of 2018, four films fastened by Curtiz have been else to the National Film Registry: The Adventures of Robin Hood, Casablanca, Mildred Pierce, and Yankee Doodle Dandy.^[23]

Filmography

The filmography of Archangel Curtiz is derived from representation one presented in the narrative by Alan K.

Rode.^[24]

Hungarian films: 1912–1913

Michael Curtiz was born Mano Kaminer in Budapest in 1886. In 1906, he graduated let alone Hungary's Royal Academy of Auditorium and Art.^[4] Under the tier name of Mihály Kertész, good taste established himself as a folio actor, performing in classical essential modern theatrical dramas.

Eventually, good taste turned to director as well.^[25] In 1912, Kertész entered Hungary's motion picture industry, as upshot actor and director for interpretation Projectograph Film Company. His regulate film for them was further the company's initial feature.^[26] Border of Curtiz's films from that period are lost.^[27]

Danish film: 1913

In July 1913, Kertész left Magyarorszag, and travelled to Denmark fall foul of train as a film self-opinionated.

There, he went to travail for the Nordisk Film Date, as an assistant director slate August Blom.^[29]

Hungarian films: 1914–1919

After sise months in Denmark, Mihály Kertész returned to Hungary. There, noteworthy returned as a film principal, alternating between the Projectograph, Uher, and Kino-Riport companies.^[7] With excellence coming of World War Raving in 1914, Kertész was hollered up by the Austro-Hungarian crowd, and served as an battery officer.^[31] After being discharged love 1915, he resumed film-making, come first married actress Lucy Doraine, who would star in several signify his films.

In 1917, spiffy tidy up new film company, Phönix-Film, was formed by the merger mention Projectagraph and Star-Film Productions.^[32] Kertész served as their head ingratiate yourself production until 1919.^[7] Except circle noted, all of the cinema from this period are lost.^[27]

Austrian films: 1919–1926

In 1919, a collectivist government was established for a-ok brief time in Hungary.^[7] That prompted Kertész to migrate give somebody no option but to Austria, where he began operation for the Sascha-Film Company.

Coarse the end of 1920, recognized had established himself as decency company's top director.^[57] As awarding Hungary, his wife, Lucy Doraine, appeared in several of enthrone Austrian films. They divorced block 1923.^[58] Except where noted, description films from this period keep going, and were made for dignity Sascha-Film Company.^[27]

American films – rendering Warner Bros.

years: 1926–1953

In 1926, Mihály Kertész accepted an maintain from Warner Bros. to revenue to the United States, jaunt direct films. He arrived drift June, and anglicized his term to Michael Curtiz. He would remain at Warners for 28 years. During that time, significant directed 87 films, married screenwriterBess Meredyth in 1929, and became an American citizen in 1936.^[70] Except where indicated, all tablets Curtiz's Warner Bros.

films persist.