Edward Dmytryk (September 4, 1908 – July 1, 1999) was an American film director. He was known for his 1940s noir films and received an Oscar nomination for Best Director for ''

Crossfire A crossfire (also known as interlocking fire) is a military term for the siting of weapons (often automatic weapons such as assault rifles or sub-machine guns) so that their arcs of fire overlap. This tactic came to prominence in World War I. ...

'' (1947). In 1947, he was named as one of the

Hollywood Ten The Hollywood blacklist was an entertainment industry blacklist, broader than just Hollywood, put in effect in the mid-20th century in the United States during the early years of the Cold War. The blacklist involved the practice of denying empl ...

, a group of

blacklist Blacklisting is the action of a group or authority compiling a blacklist (or black list) of people, countries or other entities to be avoided or distrusted as being deemed unacceptable to those making the list. If someone is on a blacklist, t ...

ed film industry professionals who refused to testify to the

House Un-American Activities Committee The House Committee on Un-American Activities (HCUA), popularly dubbed the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives, created in 1938 to investigate alleged disloy ...

(HUAC) in their investigations during the

McCarthy-era McCarthyism is the practice of making false or unfounded accusations of subversion and treason, especially when related to anarchism, communism and socialism, and especially when done in a public and attention-grabbing manner. The term origi ...

Red Scare A Red Scare is the promotion of a widespread fear of a potential rise of communism, anarchism or other leftist ideologies by a society or state. The term is most often used to refer to two periods in the history of the United States which ar ...

. They all served time in prison for

contempt of Congress Contempt of Congress is the act of obstructing the work of the United States Congress or one of its committees. Historically, the bribery of a U.S. senator or U.S. representative was considered contempt of Congress. In modern times, contempt of Co ...

. In 1951, however, Dmytryk testified to the HUAC and named individuals, including

Arnold Manoff Arnold Manoff (April 25, 1914 – February 10, 1965) was an American screenwriter who was blacklisted by the Hollywood movie studio bosses in the 1950s. As a result of the blacklist he wrote under a pseudonym through the 1960s. Manoff's ...

, whose careers were then destroyed for many years, to rehabilitate his own career. First hired again by independent producer

Stanley Kramer Stanley Earl Kramer (September 29, 1913February 19, 2001) was an American film director and producer, responsible for making many of Hollywood's most famous "message picture, message films" (he would call his movies ''heavy dramas'') and a libera ...

in 1952, Dmytryk is likely best known for directing ''

The Caine Mutiny ''The Caine Mutiny'' is a 1951 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Herman Wouk. The novel grew out of Wouk's personal experiences aboard two destroyer-minesweepers in the Pacific Theater in World War II. Among its themes, it deals with the moral a ...

'' (1954), a critical and commercial success. The second-highest-grossing film of the year, it was nominated for Best Picture and several other awards at the 1955 Oscars. Dmytryk was nominated for a Directors Guild Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures.

Background

Dmytryk was born on September 4, 1908, in

Grand Forks, British Columbia Grand Forks, population 4,112, is a city in the Boundary Country of the West Kootenay region of British Columbia, Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Granby and Kettle Rivers, a tributary of the Columbia River. The city is just nor ...

, Canada. His

Ukrainian Ukrainian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Ukraine * Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe * Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine * So ...

immigrant parents were Frances (Berezowski) and Michael Dmytryk, a severe disciplinarian who bounced among jobs as truck driver, smelter worker, and motorman. The family moved to San Francisco, California, and then to Los Angeles. After his mother died, his father remarried.

Career

Dmytryk worked as a messenger at Famous Players-Lasky (forerunner of Paramount Pictures) for $6 per week while attending Hollywood High School. He progressed to projectionist, film editor, and by age 31, a director and a naturalized citizen of the United States.

1930–1940s

Dmytryk worked in the editing department on films such as ''

The Dance of Life ''The Dance of Life'' is a 1929 American pre-Code musical film. It is the first of three film adaptations of the popular 1927 Broadway play ''Burlesque'', with the others being '' Swing High, Swing Low'' (1937) and '' When My Baby Smiles at Me ...

'' (1929), ''

Only Saps Work ''Only Saps Work'' is a 1930 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Cyril Gardner and Edwin H. Knopf and written by Owen Davis, Percy Heath, Joseph L. Mankiewicz and Sam Mintz. The film stars Leon Errol, Richard Arlen, Mary Brian, Stuart Erw ...

'' (1930), ''

The Royal Family of Broadway ''The Royal Family of Broadway'' is a 1930 American pre-Code comedy film directed by George Cukor and Cyril Gardner and released by Paramount Pictures. The screenplay was adapted by Herman J. Mankiewicz and Gertrude Purcell from the play ''The ...

'' (1930), '' Make Me a Star'' (1932), ''

The Phantom President ''The Phantom President'' is a 1932 American pre-Code musical comedy and political satire film. It was directed by Norman Taurog, starred George M. Cohan, Claudette Colbert, and Jimmy Durante, with songs by Richard Rodgers (music) and Lorenz Har ...

'' (1932), and ''

If I Had a Million ''If I Had a Million'' is a 1932 American pre-Code Paramount Studios anthology film starring Gary Cooper, George Raft, Charles Laughton, W.C. Fields, Jack Oakie, Frances Dee and Charlie Ruggles, among others. There were seven directors: Ernst L ...

'' (1932). He helped edit two

Leo McCarey Thomas Leo McCarey (October 3, 1898 – July 5, 1969) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was involved in nearly 200 films, the most well known today being ''Duck Soup (1933 film), Duck Soup'', ''Make Way for Tomo ...

movies: '' Duck Soup'' (1933) and ''

Six of a Kind ''Six of a Kind'' is an American 1934 pre-Code comedy film directed by Leo McCarey and starring Charles Ruggles, Mary Boland, W.C. Fields, George Burns, and Gracie Allen. It is a whimsical and often absurd road movie about two couples who decid ...

'' (1934). He edited ''

College Rhythm ''College Rhythm'' is a 1934 American musical comedy film directed by Norman Taurog and starring Jack Oakie, Mary Brian, and Joe Penner. The budget was $537,000. Filming started August 16, 1934.Michael A. Hoey, ''Elvis' Favorite Director: The Ama ...

'' (1934), and then did

's ''

Ruggles of Red Gap ''Ruggles of Red Gap'' is a 1935 American comedy western film directed by Leo McCarey and starring Charles Laughton, Mary Boland, Charlie Ruggles, and ZaSu Pitts and featuring Roland Young and Leila Hyams. It was based on the best-selling 1915 ...

'' (1935). Dmytryk made his directorial debut with '' The Hawk'' (1935), a low-budget, independent Western. He returned to editing duties at Paramount, but was assigned to B films:''

Too Many Parents ''Too Many Parents'' is a 1936 American comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan, written by Virginia Van Upp and Doris Malloy, and starring Frances Farmer, Lester Matthews, Porter Hall, Henry Travers, Billy Lee, George Ernest and Sherwood Bai ...

'' (1936), ''

Three Cheers for Love ''Three Cheers for Love'' is a 1936 American musical film directed by Ray McCarey, written by George Marion, Jr., and starring Eleanore Whitney, Robert Cummings, William Frawley, Elizabeth Patterson, Roscoe Karns and John Halliday. It was rele ...

'' (1936), ''

Three Married Men ''Three Married Men'' is a 1936 American comedy film directed by Edward Buzzell, written by Alan Campbell and Dorothy Parker, and starring Lynne Overman, William Frawley, Roscoe Karns, Mary Brian, George Barbier and Marjorie Gateson. It was rel ...

'' (1936), ''

Easy to Take ''Easy to Take'' is a 1936 American comedy film directed by Glenn Tryon and written by Virginia Van Upp. The film stars Marsha Hunt, John Howard, Eugene Pallette, Richard Carle, Douglas Scott and Robert Greig. The film was released on November 6 ...

'' (1936), ''

Murder Goes to College ''Murder Goes to College'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by Charles Reisner and written by Brian Marlow, Eddie Welch and Robert Wyler. The film stars Roscoe Karns, Marsha Hunt, Lynne Overman, Buster Crabbe, Astrid Allwyn and Harvey St ...

'' (1937), ''

Turn Off the Moon ''Turn Off the Moon'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by Lewis Seiler, written by Mildred Harrington, Marguerite Roberts, Paul Gerard Smith and Harlan Ware, and starring Charlie Ruggles, Eleanore Whitney, Johnny Downs, Kenny Baker, Phi ...

'' (1937), ''

Double or Nothing Double or nothing (UK often double or quits) is a gamble to decide whether a loss or debt should be doubled. The result of a "double or nothing" bet is either the subject doubled to twice the amount as the original ''or'' the doubling of a debt. It ...

'' (1937) with

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, musician and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a ...

, and ''

That Navy Spirit ''That Navy Spirit'' is a 1937 American sports film directed by Kurt Neumann and starring Lew Ayres, Mary Carlisle and John Howard.Quinlan p.274 It is also known by the alternative title ''Hold 'Em Navy''. It follows two members of the American ...

'' (1937). Dmytryk also edited ''

Bulldog Drummond's Peril ''Bulldog Drummond's Peril'' is a 1938 American adventure crime mystery film directed by James P. Hogan and starring John Barrymore and John Howard. The film is based on Herman C. McNeile's novel '' The Third Round''. Plot The intended wedding ...

'' (1938) and ''

Prison Farm A prison farm (also known as a penal farm) is a large correctional facility where penal labor convicts are forced to work on a farm legally and illegally (in the wide sense of a productive unit), usually for manual labor, largely in the open air ...

'' (1938). He moved his way to A movies with ''

Zaza Zaza may refer to: Ethnic group * Zazas, a group of people in eastern Anatolia (southeastern Turkey) * Zaza–Gorani languages, Indo-Iranian languages ** Zaza language, spoken by the Zazas People Given name * Zaza Sor. Aree (born 1993), Thai k ...

'' (1938), directed by

George Cukor George Dewey Cukor (; July 7, 1899 – January 24, 1983) was an American film director and film producer. He mainly concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations. His career flourished at RKO when David O. Selznick, the studio's Head of ...

. Leo McCarey asked him over to

RKO RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, was an American film production and distribution company, one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orpheu ...

to edit '' Love Affair'' (1939). He returned to Paramount to edit the Bob Hope comedy ''

Some Like It Hot ''Some Like It Hot'' is a 1959 American crime comedy film directed, produced and co-written by Billy Wilder. It stars Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, with George Raft, Pat O'Brien, Joe E. Brown, Joan Shawlee, Grace Lee Whitney and N ...

'' (1939). Dmytryk did some uncredited directing on '' Million Dollar Legs'' (1939) with

Betty Grable Elizabeth Ruth Grable (December 18, 1916 – July 2, 1973) was an American actress, pin-up girl, dancer, model, and singer. Her 42 films during the 1930s and 1940s grossed more than $100 million; for 10 consecutive years (1942–1951) she reign ...

. This encouraged Paramount to allow him to direct ''

Television Spy ''Television Spy'' is a 1939 American drama film directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring William Henry. Plot A scientist invents a television called the Iconoscope, which thieves try to steal. Cast * William Henry as Douglas Cameron * Judith ...

'' (1939). He followed it with '' Emergency Squad'' (1940), ''

Golden Gloves The Golden Gloves is the name given to annual competitions for amateur boxing in the United States, where they are awarded a belt and a ring. And the title of nations champion is awarded. The Golden Gloves is a term used to refer to the Nation ...

'' (1940), and ''

Mystery Sea Raider ''Mystery Sea Raider'' is a 1940 American drama war film directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Carole Landis, Henry Wilcoxon and Onslow Stevens. Plot A woman (Carole Landis) and a U.S. captain (Henry Wilcoxon) foil a German spy's (Onslow Stev ...

'' (1940) with

Carole Landis Carole Landis (born Frances Lillian Mary Ridste; January 1, 1919 – July 5, 1948) was an American actress and singer. She worked as a contract player for Twentieth Century-Fox in the 1940s. Her breakout role was as the female lead in the 1940 ...

. Dmytryk went to

Monogram Pictures Monogram Pictures Corporation was an American film studio that produced mostly low-budget films between 1931 and 1953, when the firm completed a transition to the name Allied Artists Pictures Corporation. Monogram was among the smaller studios i ...

to direct the musical '' Her First Romance'' (1940). He went over to Columbia to direct for its B picture unit: ''

The Devil Commands ''The Devil Commands'' is a 1941 American horror film directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Boris Karloff. The working title of the film was ''The Devil Said No''.Young, 2000, p. 154 In it, a man obsessed with contacting his dead wife falls i ...

'' (1941) with

Boris Karloff William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff (), was an English actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film ''Frankenstein'' (1931) (his 82nd film) established h ...

, '' Under Age'' (1941), '' Broadway Ahead'' (1941), '' Hot Pearls'' (1941), ''

Secrets of the Lone Wolf ''Secrets of the Lone Wolf'' is a 1941 American crime film directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Warren William. It is part of Columbia Pictures series of Lone Wolf films. Cast * Warren William as Michael Lanyard * Ruth Ford as Helene de L ...

'' (1941), ''

Confessions of Boston Blackie ''Confessions of Boston Blackie'' is a 1941 American crime film directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Chester Morris and Harriet Hilliard. A woman consigns a family heirloom to a pair of unscrupulous art dealers in order to raise money to hel ...

'' (1941), and ''

Counter-Espionage Counterintelligence is an activity aimed at protecting an agency's intelligence program from an opposition's intelligence service. It includes gathering information and conducting activities to prevent espionage, sabotage, assassinations or o ...

'' (1942), a "Lone Wolf" movie. Dmytryk signed a contract to RKO, where he continued to direct B movies, starting with ''

Seven Miles from Alcatraz ''Seven Miles from Alcatraz'' is a 1942 American action film directed by Edward Dmytryk. The screenplay concerns two prisoners who break out of Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary. Plot During World War II, two prisoners break out of Alcatraz Federal ...

'' (1942). However, he then made '' Hitler's Children'' (1943), which turned out to be a massive "sleeper" hit, earning over $3 million. It did not immediately change his career; he stayed doing B movies such as ''

The Falcon Strikes Back ''The Falcon Strikes Back'' ( ''The Falcon Comes Back'') is a 1943 American crime film directed by Edward Dmytryk and stars Tom Conway as the title character, the amateur sleuth, the Falcon. Supporting roles are filled by Harriet Hilliard, ...

'' (1943), and then went to Universal for ''

Captive Wild Woman ''Captive Wild Woman'' is a 1943 American horror film directed by Edward Dmytryk. The film stars Evelyn Ankers, John Carradine, Milburn Stone, and features Acquanetta as Paula, the Ape Woman. The film involves a scientist, Dr. Sigmund Walters, who ...

'' (1943). Back at RKO, he directed '' Behind the Rising Sun'' (1943), a ''Hitler's Children''-style thriller about the Japanese. It was another box-office sensation, and Dmytryk was promoted to A films.Richard Jewel, 'RKO Film Grosses: 1931–1951', ''Historical Journal of Film Radio and Television'', Vol 14 No 1, 1994 Dmytryk directed

Ginger Rogers Ginger Rogers (born Virginia Katherine McMath; July 16, 1911 – April 25, 1995) was an American actress, dancer and singer during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her starri ...

, RKO's biggest star, in the melodrama ''

Tender Comrade ''Tender Comrade'' is a 1943 black-and-white film released by RKO Radio Pictures, showing women on the home front living communally while their husbands are away at war. The film stars Ginger Rogers, Robert Ryan, Ruth Hussey, and Kim Hunter and ...

'' (1943), which was a huge hit. He followed it with ''

Murder, My Sweet ''Murder, My Sweet'' (released as ''Farewell, My Lovely'' in the United Kingdom) is a 1944 American film noir, directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Dick Powell, Claire Trevor and Anne Shirley (in her final film before retirement). The fil ...

'' (1944), adapted from

Raymond Chandler Raymond Thornton Chandler (July 23, 1888 – March 26, 1959) was an American-British novelist and screenwriter. In 1932, at the age of forty-four, Chandler became a detective fiction writer after losing his job as an oil company executive durin ...

's novel ''

Farewell, My Lovely ''Farewell, My Lovely'' is a novel by Raymond Chandler, published in 1940, the second novel he wrote featuring the Los Angeles private eye Philip Marlowe. It was adapted for the screen three times and was also adapted for the stage and rad ...

'' by John Paxton and produced by Adrian Scott; the star was

Dick Powell Richard Ewing Powell (November 14, 1904 – January 2, 1963) was an American actor, musician, producer, director, and studio head. Though he came to stardom as a musical comedy performer, he showed versatility, and successfully transformed into ...

, whose performance as Philip Marlow completely revitalized Powell's career. Dymtryk did ''

Back to Bataan ''Back to Bataan'' is a 1945 American black-and-white World War II war film drama from RKO Radio Pictures, produced by Robert Fellows, directed by Edward Dmytryk, that stars John Wayne and Anthony Quinn. The film depicts events (some fictionalize ...

'' (1945), a war film starring

John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed The Duke or Duke Wayne, was an American actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films made during Hollywood's Gol ...

, then he was reunited with Powell, Paxton, and Scott for the popular film noir '' Cornered'' (1945). He did '' Till the End of Time'' (1946), a drama about soldiers coming back from the war, which was a big hit, and went to England to make ''

So Well Remembered ''So Well Remembered'' is a 1947 British drama film starring John Mills, Martha Scott, and Trevor Howard. The film was based on James Hilton's 1945 novel of the same title and tells the story of a reformer and the woman he marries in a fictional ...

'' (1947) with Paxton and Scott. Dmytryk, Scott, and Paxton then collaborated on the hugely successful thriller ''Crossfire'' (1947), for which Dmytryk received a Best Director Oscar nomination. He was established as RKO's leading director.

Hollywood Ten

After the war, many Americans were alarmed by Soviet actions in Europe and by reports of covert communist activity in the U.S. The period has been dubbed the

Second Red Scare McCarthyism is the practice of making false or unfounded accusations of subversion and treason, especially when related to anarchism, communism and socialism, and especially when done in a public and attention-grabbing manner. The term origina ...

. The

(HUAC) investigated

Communist Party A communist party is a political party that seeks to realize the socio-economic goals of communism. The term ''communist party'' was popularized by the title of ''The Manifesto of the Communist Party'' (1848) by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. A ...

influence in the film industry, and Dmytryk was among those called to testify about it before HUAC in 1947. Dmytryk briefly had been a Communist Party member in 1944 and 1945. He was persuaded by his former party associates to join nine other Hollywood figures in a public refusal to testify. The Hollywood Ten were cited for contempt of Congress and sentenced to prison terms. Dmytryk was fired from RKO. Dmytryk fled to England and unofficially was ostracized. In England, he made two films for producer Nat Bronstein: a thriller '' Obsession'' (1949), and '' Give Us This Day'' (1949), a neo-realistic movie sympathetic to the working man, based on the novel ''Christ in Concrete''. The latter movie, which was successful in Europe, was released as ''Christ in Concrete'' in the United States and quickly suppressed. When his passport expired, Dmytryk returned to the United States, where he was arrested and imprisoned. He served four months and 17 days in Millspoint Prison, West Virginia. On April 25, 1951, Dmytryk appeared before HUAC for the second time and answered all questions. He spoke of his own brief party membership in 1945 and named party members, including seven film directors:

Frank Tuttle Frank Wright Tuttle (August 6, 1892 – January 6, 1963) was a Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film director and writer who directed films from 1922 (''The Cradle Buster'') to 1959 (''Island of Lost Women''). Biography Frank Tuttle wa ...

Herbert Biberman Herbert J. Biberman (March 4, 1900 – June 30, 1971) was an American screenwriter and film director. He was one of the Hollywood Ten and directed ''Salt of the Earth (1954 film), Salt of the Earth'' (1954), a film barely released in the United S ...

, Jack Berry, Bernard Verhous,

Jules Dassin Julius "Jules" Dassin (December 18, 1911 – March 31, 2008) was an American film and theatre director, producer, writer and actor. A subject of the Hollywood blacklist in the McCarthy era, he subsequently moved to France, and later Greece, whe ...

, and Michael Gordon, and 15 others. He said that he was prompted to change his mind by the

Alger Hiss Alger Hiss (November 11, 1904 – November 15, 1996) was an American government official accused in 1948 of having spied for the Soviet Union in the 1930s. Statutes of limitations had expired for espionage, but he was convicted of perjury in con ...

case, the discovery of spies in the U.S. and Canada, and the invasion of South Korea. He said that

John Howard Lawson John Howard Lawson (September 25, 1894 – August 11, 1977) was an American writer, specializing in plays and screenplays. After starting with plays for theaters in New York City, he worked in Hollywood on writing for films. He was the first pres ...

Adrian Scott Robert Adrian Scott (February 6, 1911 – December 25, 1972) was an American screenwriter and film producer. He was one of the Hollywood Ten and later blacklisted by the Hollywood movie studio bosses. Life and career Early life Scott was born ...

Albert Maltz Albert Maltz (; October 28, 1908 – April 26, 1985) was an American playwright, fiction writer and screenwriter. He was one of the Hollywood Ten who were jailed in 1950 for their 1947 refusal to testify before the US Congress about their invol ...

, and others had pressured him to include communist elements in his films. His testimony damaged several court cases that others of the "Ten" had filed. He recounted his experiences of the period in his 1996 book, ''Odd Man Out: A Memoir of the Hollywood Ten''.

1950s–1980s

Dmytryk's first film after his testimony was ''

Mutiny Mutiny is a revolt among a group of people (typically of a military, of a crew or of a crew of pirates) to oppose, change, or overthrow an organization to which they were previously loyal. The term is commonly used for a rebellion among member ...

'' (1952) from the King Brothers. Independent American producer

then hired Dmytryk to direct a trio of low-budget films for Kramer's company, which were released through Columbia: '' The Sniper'' (1952), ''

Eight Iron Men ''Eight Iron Men'' is a 1952 American World War II drama film directed by Edward Dmytryk and produced by Stanley Kramer. It stars Bonar Colleano, Arthur Franz, Lee Marvin and Richard Kiley. The screenplay by Harry Brown was based on his 1945 ...

'' (1952) and '' The Juggler'' (1953) with

Kirk Douglas Kirk Douglas (born Issur Danielovitch; December 9, 1916 – February 5, 2020) was an American actor and filmmaker. After an impoverished childhood, he made his film debut in ''The Strange Love of Martha Ivers'' (1946) with Barbara Stanwyck. Do ...

. In between, he directed ''Three Lives'' (1953), a short film for the United Jewish Appeal. Kramer then selected Dmytryk to direct Humphrey Bogart and

Van Johnson Charles Van Dell Johnson (August 25, 1916 – December 12, 2008) was an American film, television, theatre and radio actor. He was a major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer during and after World War II. Johnson was described as the embodiment o ...

in ''

'' (1954), a World War II naval drama adapted from

Herman Wouk Herman Wouk ( ; May 27, 1915 – May 17, 2019) was an American author best known for historical fiction such as ''The Caine Mutiny'' (1951) for which he won the Pulitzer Prize in fiction. His other major works include ''The Winds of War'' and ' ...

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...

-winning novel which proved to be a great critical and commercial success for Columbia Pictures. It ranked second among high-grossing films of the year, and in 1955, received Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Actor. Dmytryk went over to

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...

, where he directed

Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the first actor to win two cons ...

and

Robert Wagner Robert John Wagner Jr. (born February 10, 1930) is an American actor of stage, screen, and television. He is known for starring in the television shows '' It Takes a Thief'' (1968–1970), ''Switch'' (1975–1978), and ''Hart to Hart'' (1979– ...

in ''

Broken Lance ''Broken Lance'' is a 1954 American Western film directed by Edward Dmytryk and produced by Sol C. Siegel. The film stars Spencer Tracy, Robert Wagner, Jean Peters, Richard Widmark, and Katy Jurado. Shot in Technicolor and CinemaScope, the fil ...

'' (1954). He went to England to do ''

The End of the Affair ''The End of the Affair'' is a 1951 novel by British author Graham Greene, as well as the title of two feature films (released in 1955 and 1999) that were adapted from the novel. Set in London during and just after the Second World War, the n ...

'' (1955) for Columbia, then returned to Fox to make '' Soldier of Fortune'' (1955) with

Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American film actor, often referred to as "The King of Hollywood". He had roles in more than 60 motion pictures in multiple genres during a career that lasted 37 years, three decades ...

, ''

The Left Hand of God ''The Left Hand of God'' is a 1955 American Drama Western film. It was directed by Edward Dmytryk and produced by Buddy Adler, from a screenplay by Alfred Hayes, based on the novel ''The Left Hand of God'', by William Edmund Barrett. Set in a ...

'' (1955) with Bogart, and ''

The Mountain The Mountain (french: La Montagne) was a political group during the French Revolution. Its members, called the Montagnards (), sat on the highest benches in the National Convention. They were the most radical group and opposed the Girondins. Th ...

'' (1956) with Tracy and Wagner. Dmytryk produced the latter. He went to MGM, then under his old RKO boss

Dore Schary Isadore "Dore" Schary (August 31, 1905 – July 7, 1980) was an American playwright, director, and producer for the stage and a prolific screenwriter and producer of motion pictures. He directed just one feature film, '' Act One'', the film bio ...

to make '' Raintree County'' (1957) with

Montgomery Clift Edward Montgomery Clift (; October 17, 1920 – July 23, 1966) was an American actor. A four-time Academy Award nominee, he was known for his portrayal of "moody, sensitive young men", according to ''The New York Times''. He is best remembered ...

and

Elizabeth Taylor Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was a British-American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 1950s. ...

. At Fox, he did ''

The Young Lions ''The Young Lions'' (1948) is a novel by Irwin Shaw about three soldiers in World War II. Plot Christian Diestl is at first a sympathetic Austrian drawn to Nazism by despair for his future but willing to sacrifice Jews if necessary. Noah Acke ...

'' (1958), a popular war film with Clift and

Marlon Brando Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he received numerous accolades throughout his career, which spanned six decades, including two Academ ...

, then the Western ''

Warlock A warlock is a male practitioner of witchcraft. Etymology and terminology The most commonly accepted etymology derives ''warlock'' from the Old English '' wǣrloga'', which meant "breaker of oaths" or "deceiver" and was given special applicatio ...

'' (1959) (which he produced), and a flop remake of ''

The Blue Angel ''The Blue Angel'' (german: Der blaue Engel) is a 1930 German musical comedy-drama film directed by Josef von Sternberg, and starring Marlene Dietrich, Emil Jannings and Kurt Gerron. Written by Carl Zuckmayer, Karl Vollmöller and Robert Lie ...

'' (1959). Dmytryk made '' Walk on the Wild Side'' (1962) for producer

Charles Feldman Charles K. Feldman (April 26, 1905 – May 25, 1968) was a Hollywood attorney, film producer and talent agent who founded the Famous Artists talent agency. According to one obituary, Feldman disdained publicity. "Feldman was an enigma to Holly ...

. He produced and directed ''

The Reluctant Saint ''The Reluctant Saint'' is a 1962 American-Italian historical comedy drama film which tells the story of Joseph of Cupertino, a 17th-century Italian Conventual Franciscan friar and mystic honored as a saint by the Catholic Church. It stars Max ...

'' (1962). He had a huge hit with ''

The Carpetbaggers ''The Carpetbaggers'' is a 1961 bestselling novel by Harold Robbins, which was adapted into a 1964 film of the same title. The prequel ''Nevada Smith'' (1966) was also based on a character in the novel. In the United States, the term "carpe ...

'' (1964) from the novel by

Harold Robbins Harold Robbins (May 21, 1916 – October 14, 1997) was an American author of popular novels. One of the best-selling writers of all time, he wrote over 25 best-sellers, selling over 750 million copies in 32 languages. Early life Robbins was b ...

for producer

Joseph E. Levine Joseph Edward Levine (September 9, 1905 – July 31, 1987) was an American film distributor, financier and producer. At the time of his death, it was said he was involved in one or another capacity with 497 films. Levine was responsible for the ...

. He was given '' Where Love Has Gone'' (1964), another Robbins adaptation by Levine. This was followed by the

Gregory Peck Eldred Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003) was an American actor and one of the most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1970s. In 1999, the American Film Institute named Peck the 12th-greatest male star of Classic Hollywood ...

thriller ''

Mirage A mirage is a naturally-occurring optical phenomenon in which light rays bend via refraction to produce a displaced image of distant objects or the sky. The word comes to English via the French ''(se) mirer'', from the Latin ''mirari'', meanin ...

'' (1965), the

William Holden William Holden (born William Franklin Beedle Jr.; April 17, 1918 – November 12, 1981) was an American actor, and one of the biggest box-office draws of the 1950s. Holden won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the film ''Stalag 17'' (1953) ...

Western ''

Alvarez Kelly ''Alvarez Kelly'' is a 1966 American Western (genre), Western film set in the American Civil War directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring William Holden and Richard Widmark. The picture was based on the historic Beefsteak Raid of September 1864 ...

'' (1966), a war film ''

Anzio Anzio (, also , ) is a town and ''comune'' on the coast of the Lazio region of Italy, about south of Rome. Well known for its seaside harbour setting, it is a Port, fishing port and a departure point for ferries and hydroplanes to the Pontine I ...

'' (1968) and ''

Shalako Shalako is a series of dances and ceremonies conducted by the Native American Zuni people for the Zuni people at the winter solstice, typically following the harvest. The Shalako ceremony and feast has been closed to non-native peoples since 1 ...

'' (1968), a Western with

Sean Connery Sir Sean Connery (born Thomas Connery; 25 August 1930 – 31 October 2020) was a Scottish actor. He was the first actor to portray fictional British secret agent James Bond on film, starring in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983. Origina ...

and

Brigitte Bardot Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot ( ; ; born 28 September 1934), often referred to by her initials B.B., is a former French actress, singer and model. Famous for portraying sexually emancipated characters with hedonistic lifestyles, she was one of the ...

. Dmytryk wrote and directed ''

Bluebeard "Bluebeard" (french: Barbe bleue, ) is a French folktale, the most famous surviving version of which was written by Charles Perrault and first published by Barbin in Paris in 1697 in ''Histoires ou contes du temps passé''. The tale tells the st ...

'' (1972) with Richard Burton. He did the little-seen '' He Is My Brother'' (1975) and ''

The 'Human' Factor ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' (1975). His last film was ''Not Only Strangers'' (1979). In the 1980s, Dmytryk entered academic life. He taught about film and directing at the University of Texas at Austin and at the University of Southern California film school. He wrote several books on the art of film-making (such as ''On Film Editing'' and ''On Screenwriting''). He also appeared on the lecture circuit, speaking at various colleges and theaters, such as the

Orson Welles Cinema The Orson Welles Cinema was a movie theater at 1001 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge, Massachusetts that operated from 1969 to 1986. Showcasing independents, foreign films and revivals, it became a focal point of the Boston, Massachusetts, Boston ...

Personal life and death

Dmytryk married his second wife, actress

Jean Porter Bennie Jean Porter (December 8, 1922 – January 13, 2018) was an American film and television actress. She was notable for her roles in ''The Youngest Profession'' (1943), ''Bathing Beauty'' (1944), ''Abbott and Costello in Hollywood'' (1945), ...

, on May 12, 1948. He died at age 90 on July 1, 1999 in

Encino, California Encino (Spanish language, Spanish for "oak") is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. History In 1769, the Spanish Portolá expedition, first Europeans to see inland areas of California, traveled north t ...

from heart and kidney failure. He was buried at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park, in Hollywood.NNDB
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Legacy and honors

* 1948: Best Director (Oscar nomination) for ''

'' * 1955: Best Picture (Oscars nomination) for ''

'' * 1955: Directors Guild Award (nomination) for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures

Filmography

This filmography lists all the feature films Dmytryk directed and may be complete: * '' The Hawk'' (1935) * '' Million Dollar Legs'' (uncredited; 1939) * ''

'' (1939) * '' Emergency Squad'' (1940) * ''

'' (1940) * ''

'' (1940) * '' Her First Romance'' (1940) * ''

'' (1941) * '' Under Age'' (1941) * ''

Sweetheart of the Campus ''Sweetheart of the Campus'' (also released as ''Broadway Ahead'') is a 1941 American musical comedy film directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Ruby Keeler, Ozzie Nelson, and Harriet Hilliard. Plot Betty Blake (Ruby Keeler) is a lead vocali ...

'' (1941) * ''

The Blonde from Singapore ''The Blonde from Singapore'' (also released as ''Hot Pearls'') is a 1941 American adventure film directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Florence Rice. Cast * Florence Rice as Mary Brooks * Leif Erickson as Terry Prescott * Gordon Jones as ' ...

'' (1941) * ''

'' (1942) * ''

'' (1942) * '' Hitler's Children'' (1943) * ''

'' (1943) * ''

'' (1943) * '' Behind the Rising Sun'' (1943) * ''

'' (1943) * ''

'' (1944) * ''

'' (1945) * '' Cornered'' (1945) * '' Till the End of Time'' (1946) * ''

'' (1947) * ''

'' (1947) * '' Obsession'' (1949) * '' Give Us This Day'' (1949) * ''

'' (1952) * '' The Sniper'' (1952) * ''

'' (1952) * '' The Juggler'' (1953) * ''

'' (1954) * ''

'' (1954) * '' Soldier of Fortune'' (1955) * ''

'' (1955) * ''

'' (1956) * '' Raintree County'' (1957) * ''

'' (1958) * ''

'' (1959) * ''

'' (1959) * '' Walk on the Wild Side'' (1962) * ''

'' (1962) * ''

'' (1964) * '' Where Love Has Gone'' (1964) * ''

'' (1965) * ''

'' (1966) * ''

'' (1968) * ''

'' (1972) * '' He Is My Brother'' (1975) * '' The "Human" Factor'' (1975)

References

Bibliography

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Dmytryk, Edward 1908 births 1999 deaths American film directors American film editors American film producers Western (genre) film directors American male screenwriters Film directors from British Columbia Hollywood blacklist American communists Mountaineering film directors Writers from British Columbia 20th-century American businesspeople USC School of Cinematic Arts faculty Screenwriting instructors Screenwriters from California People from the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary Canadian emigrants to the United States Canadian people of Ukrainian descent Deaths from kidney failure Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) Directors of Palme d'Or winners 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American writers 20th-century American screenwriters

Background

Career

1930–1940s

Hollywood Ten

1950s–1980s

Personal life and death

Legacy and honors

Filmography

See also

References

Bibliography

External links