Denis Sanders (January 21, 1929 – December 10, 1987) was an American film director, screenwriter and producer who directed the debut performances of

Robert Redford Charles Robert Redford Jr. (born August 18, 1936) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the List of awards and nominations received by Robert Redford, recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Awards, Academy Award from four nomi ...

and

Tom Skerritt Thomas Roy Skerritt (born August 25, 1933) is an American actor who has appeared in over 40 films and more than 200 television episodes since 1962. He is known for his film roles in ''M*A*S*H'', ''Alien'', '' The Dead Zone'', ''Top Gun'', '' A R ...

in the 1962 film ''

War Hunt ''War Hunt'' is a 1962 war film directed by Denis Sanders and starring John Saxon, Robert Redford and Charles Aidman. Produced by Terry Sanders for T-D Enterprises, and released by United Artists, the film features the film debuts of Sydney Polla ...

''. He won two

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

, the first for Best Short Subject in 1955 for '' A Time Out of War'' that had served as his master's degree thesis at

UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California St ...

and which he co-scripted with his brother

Terry Sanders Terry Sanders (born December 20, 1931) is an American filmmaker having film producer, produced and/or film director, directed more than 70 dramatic features, televisions specials, Documentary film, documentaries and portrait films. He co-heads t ...

; and the second for Best Documentary in 1970 for '' Czechoslovakia 1968''. In 1958, he teamed up again with Terry Sanders to adapt

Norman Mailer Nachem Malech Mailer (January 31, 1923 – November 10, 2007), known by his pen name Norman Kingsley Mailer, was an American novelist, journalist, essayist, playwright, activist, filmmaker and actor. In a career spanning over six decades, Mailer ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

novel ''

The Naked and the Dead ''The Naked and the Dead'' is a novel written by Norman Mailer. Published by Rinehart & Company in 1948, when he was 25, it was his debut novel. It depicts the experiences of a platoon during World War II, based partially on Mailer's experiences ...

''. He was born in New York City and died from a heart attack in

San Diego, California San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United States ...

, where he was professor and film maker in residence at

San Diego State University San Diego State University (SDSU) is a public research university in San Diego, California. Founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, it is the third-oldest university and southernmost in the 23-member California State University (CSU) system ...

. His daughter, Victoria Sanders, is a literary agent and film producer.

Selected filmography

* '' A Time Out of War'' (1954) (with

) * ''

'' (1958, screen adaptation) * ''

Crime and Punishment U.S.A. ''Crime and Punishment U.S.A.'' (1959) is an American feature film directed by Denis Sanders, written by Walter Newman and starring George Hamilton in his first screen role. The film was released on November 1, 1959. ''The New York Times'' cal ...

'' (1959) * ''

'' (1962) * ''

Shock Treatment ''Shock Treatment'' is a 1981 American musical comedy film directed by Jim Sharman, and co-written by Sharman and Richard O'Brien. It is a follow-up to the 1975 film ''The Rocky Horror Picture Show''. While not an outright sequel, the film doe ...

'' (1964) * ''

One Man's Way ''One Man's Way'' is a 1963 American drama film directed by Denis Sanders and written by John W. Bloch and Eleanore Griffin. The film stars Don Murray as the preacher and author Norman Vincent Peale. The cast also includes Diana Hyland, William ...

'' (1964) * '' Czechoslovakia 1968'' (1969) (with Robert M. Fresco) * '' Elvis: That's the Way It Is'' (1970) * ''Trial – The City and County of Denver vs. Lauren S. Watson'' (1971) * '' Soul to Soul'' (1971) * ''

Invasion of the Bee Girls ''Invasion of the Bee Girls'' (UK video title: ''Graveyard Tramps'') is a 1973 American science fiction film. The first film venture for writer Nicholas Meyer, it was directed by Denis Sanders and stars William Smith, Anitra Ford and Victori ...

'' (1973)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sanders, Denis 1929 births 1987 deaths American male screenwriters Film producers from California Film directors from New York City Film producers from New York (state) San Diego State University faculty 20th-century American businesspeople Screenwriters from California Screenwriters from New York (state) 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American screenwriters UCLA Film School alumni