STEVEN SPIELBERG
Steven Allen Spielberg was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, December 18, 1946. Today, he is one of Hollywood’s most highly acclaimed directors, producers, and writers. He is also the founder of, Dreamworks. During the early 70’s, Spielberg directed the thriller “Duel” starring Dennis Weaver. He would soon mount his ‘white horse’ and ride into the hearts and homes of millions with blockbuster hits such as, JAWS, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, POLTERGEIST, and the mother pearl of them all E.T. THE EXTRA TERRESTRIAL.
Spielberg was now reigning as producer, director, and writer in the eyes of millions of fans. He would continue to reign with blockbuster hits such as, BACK TO THE FUTURE, THE COLOR PURPLE, WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT, ALWAYS, BACK TO THE FUTURE PART II, JURASSIC PARK, SCHINDLER’S LIST, the epic slave ship drama, AMISTAD, THE MASK OF ZORRO, MEN IN BLACK, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, MINORITY REPORT, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, and the spectacular animated movie, SHREK.
MARTIN SCORSESE
Martin Scorsese was born in Queens, New York, November 17, 1942. In 1956, he entered a seminary. Eight years later, he graduated from NYU with a major in film. He released his first feature film in 1968, “Who’s That Knocking at My Door?'' Two years later, he would work as assistant director and editor of ''Woodstock.'' His next powerful film, MEAN STREETS, would cast Harvey Keitel along side a young Robert De Niro, followed by ALICE DOESN’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE, starring Ellen Burnstyn. In 1976, he would again cast De Niro, but this time along side Jodie Foster in TAXI DRIVER. The dramatic RAGING BULL would also star De Niro as middleweight champion Jake LaMotta. However, 1988’s “The Last Temptation of Christ” outraged many religious groups, but that did not stop Scorsese, he would continue working on films with De Niro such as: GOODFELLAS, a remake of CAPE FEAR, and CASINO. He also directed Michael Jackson’s “BAD” video.
SYDNEY POLLACK
Pollack was born July 1, 1934, in Lafayette, Indiana. He studied at New York’s Neighborhood Playhouse. He is an accomplished actor, as well as director and producer. He has acted in many of his movies such as, “Tootsie” “The Player,” “Death Becomes Her,” “Husbands and Wives,” and “Random Hearts” starring Harrison Ford and Kristen Scott Thomas.
Pollack’s contributions to filmmaking include: THE WAY WE WERE starring Barbara Striesand and Robert Redford, THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR, OUT OF AFRICA, THEY SHOOT HORSES DON’T THEY? ABSENCE OF MALICE, TOOTSIE, “Jeremiah Johnson,” “The Firm,” “Bright Lights/Big City,” “Honeysuckle Rose,” “Major League,” “The Fabulous Baker Boys,” “Presumed Innocent,” “White Palace,” and “Dead Again. “
FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA
Coppola was born April 7, 1939, in Detroit, Michigan. As a child, he was stricken with polio. He is the brother of actress Talia Shire, and uncle of actor Nicolas Cage. Coppola graduated from Hofstra University with a degree in drama, and graduate work from UCLA in filmmaking. Coppola’s contributions to the world of film include such big hits as: PATTON, AMERICAN GRAFFITI, THE GODFATHER, THE CONVERSATION, GODFATHER: PART II, APOCALYPSE NOW, and THE BLACK STALLION.
5 *OLIVER STONE
William Oliver Stone was born in New York, New York, September 15, 1946. He studied at Yale and New York University, and did a tour of duty in Vietnam, winning the Bronze Star for Valor and the Purple Heart. Stone was arrested twice, once in Mexico at the age of 21 for possession of marijuana, and in 1999 for drunk driving and possession of hashish.
Stone’s contributions to filmmaking include: “Conan the Barbarian,” “Scarface,” “Year of the Dragon,” 8 Million Ways to Die,” “Salvador” starring James Woods as journalist Richard Boyle, PLATOON starring Charlie Sheen, WALL STREET starring Michael Douglas and Charlie Sheen, and BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY starring Tom Cruise as Ron Kovie. Known as a controversial filmmaker, Stone would go on to feed the perception of critics with his release of “The Doors” profiling rock star Jim Morrison, JFK, surrounding the assassination of John F. Kennedy, NATURAL BORN KILLERS, starring Woody Harrelson, “Reversal of Fortune” “Blue Steel” and “The Joy Luck Club.”
6 *ALFRED HITCHCOCK
Alfred Joseph Hitchcock was born August 13, 1899, in Leytonstone, London England. He would expire from renal failure, April 29, 1980. He was raised a Catholic, and attended Saint Ignatius College. Hitchcock’s contribution to the film industry include: ''Suspicion,'' ''Spellbound,''“Strangers on a Train,” “Notorious,” DIAL M FOR MURDER, REAR WINDOW, TO CATCH A THIEF, VERTIGO, NORTH BY NORTHWEST starring Cary Grant, PSYCHO starring Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh (mother of actress Jaime Lee Curtis), and THE BIRDS starring Rod Taylor and Tippi Hedren (mother of actress Melanie Griffith).
7 *GEORGE LUCAS
George Walton Lucas, Jr. was born in Modesto, California, May 14, 1944. He attended Downey High School, Modesto Junior College, and the University of Southern California film school. Lucas contributions to the film industry include such hits as: AMERICAN GRAFFITI, “Body Heat,” “The Labyrinth,” “The Land Before Time,” “Willow,” followed by the epic box office hit STAR WARS, and the “Indiana Jones” series.
8 *STANLEY KUBRICK
Stanley Kubrick was born in Manhattan, New York, July 26, 1928, and expired March 7, 1999, of natural causes in Harpenden, England. Kubrick’s contributions to the film industry include such hits as: SPARTACUS starring Kirk Douglas, LOLITA, DR. STRANGELOVE, 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, A CLOCKWORK ORANGE, THE SHINING starring Jack Nicholson, FULL METAL JACKET, and EYES WIDE SHUT starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. Before he could complete “Artificial Intelligence: AI” Kubrick suffered a fatal heart attack. Spielberg later claimed rights to the movie and became its film director.
- BRIAN DE PALMA
Brian Russell De Palma was born in Newark, New Jersey, September 11, 1940. He attended Sarah Lawrence College. De Palma’s contributions to the film industry include: CARRIE, “The Fury,” “Dressed to Kill,” “Blow Out,” “Body Double,” “Scarface” starring Al Pacino, THE UNTOUCHABLES starring Kevin Costner and Sean Connery, CASUALTIES OF WAR starring Sean Penn and Michael J. Fox, “Raising Cain,” and CARLITO’S WAY starring Al Pacino.
- TIM BURTON
Timothy William Burton was born in Burbank, California, August 25, 1958. He attended the California Institute of Arts, studying animation. Burton’s contributions to the film industry include such hits as: BEETLEJUICE starring Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, and Catherine O’Hara, BATMAN, THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, EDWARD SCISSORHANDS and SLEEPY HOLLOW, both starring Johnny Depp.
