László Benedek (; March 5, 1905 – March 11, 1992; sometimes ''Laslo Benedek'') was a Hungarian-born

film director A film director or filmmaker is a person who controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfillment of that Goal, vision. The director has a key role ...

and cinematographer, most notable for directing ''

The Wild One ''The Wild One'' is a 1953 American crime film directed by László Benedek and produced by Stanley Kramer. The picture is most noted for the character of Johnny Strabler, portrayed by Marlon Brando, whose persona became a cultural icon of the ...

'' (1953). He gained recognition for his direction of the film version of ''

Death of a Salesman ''Death of a Salesman'' is a 1949 stage play written by the American playwright Arthur Miller. The play premiered on Broadway in February 1949, running for 742 performances. It is a two-act tragedy set in late 1940s Brooklyn told through a ...

'' (1951), for which he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Director and a Best Director nomination from the

Directors Guild of America The Directors Guild of America (DGA) is an entertainment guild that represents the interests of Film director, film and Television director, television directors in the United States motion picture industry and abroad. Founded as the Screen Dir ...

. However, it was for his directorial efforts on his next project that Benedek is best remembered. His motorcycle gang film ''

'' (1953) caused a storm of controversy and was banned in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

until 1968.

Biography

Early life and European career

He was born in

Budapest Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...

; his half-brother was

George Gerbner George Gerbner (August 8, 1919 – December 24, 2005) was a professor of communication and the founder of cultivation theory. He taught at Temple University, Villanova University, and the University of Pennsylvania.Lent, John A. 1995.Interview wit ...

. Benedek intended to be a psychiatrist and studied at Vienna and Berlin. He worked in the film industry to pay his bills and ended up deciding to focus on that instead.Rejecting Hollywood Formula: Hollywood Letter By Richard Dyer MacCann. The Christian Science Monitor 5 Sep 1951: 4 In Germany, Benedek was cinematographer on '' The Mistress'' (1927). He was assistant director on ''

The Great Longing ''The Great Longing'' () is a 1930 Cinema of Germany, German comedy film directed by Steve Sekely in his directorial debut and starring Camilla Horn, Theodor Loos, and Harry Frank. It was shot at the EFA Studios in Berlin. The film's sets were de ...

'' (1929), directed by

Steve Sekely Steve Sekely (February 25, 1899 – March 9, 1979) was a Hungarian Jewish film director. Born István Székely, he was known by several names, based on his changing professional and immigration status, including Stefan Szekely. He directed films ...

, and edited and assisted directed ''

The Man Who Murdered ''The Man Who Murdered'' () is a 1931 German crime drama film directed by Curtis Bernhardt and starring Conrad Veidt, Trude von Molo and Heinrich George. It is adapted from the 1906 novel ''L'homme qui assassina'' by Claude Farrère. The film's ...

'' (1931) for director

Curtis Bernhardt Curtis Bernhardt (15 April 1899 – 22 February 1981) was a German film director born in Worms, Germany, under the name Kurt Bernhardt. Career He trained as an actor in Germany, and performed on the stage, before starting as a film director in ...

. He worked at UFA for

Joe Pasternak Joseph Herman Pasternak (born József Paszternák; September 19, 1901 – September 13, 1991) was a Hungarian-American film producer in Cinema of the United States, Hollywood. Pasternak spent the Hollywood Musical film, "Golden Age" of musicals ...

until 1933. He assisted on '' Hyppolit, the Butler'' (1931) and edited '' Die Wasserteufel von Hieflau'' (1932), and '' Miss Iza'' (1933). When the Nazis came to power, Benedek followed Pasternak to Vienna then Hungary where he edited '' A Precocious Girl'' (1934) starring Franciska Gaal and ''

Temptation Temptation is a desire to engage in short-term urges for enjoyment that threatens long-term goals.Webb, J.R. (Sep 2014). Incorporating Spirituality into Psychology of temptation: Conceptualization, measurement, and clinical implications. Sp ...

'' (1934), both directed by

Max Neufeld Max Neufeld (13 February 1887 – 2 December 1967) was an Austrian film director, actor and screenwriter. He directed 70 films between 1919 and 1957. He directed the 1934 film ''The Song of the Sun'', which starred Vittorio De Sica. Selecte ...

; he was assistant director on the latter.New Directors – Where From? Leonard, Harold. Sight and Sound; London. Vol. 17, Iss. 66, (Summer 1948): 103. He went to England where he worked as a writer on '' The Secret of Stamboul'' (1936), directed by fellow Hungarian expatriate

Andrew Marton Andrew Marton (born Endre Marton; 26 January 1904 – 7 January 1992) was a Hungarian-American film director. In his career, he directed 39 films and television programs, and worked on 16 as a second unit director, including the chariot race in ...

. In 1937 he moved to the US.

Early US career

In the US, Benedek worked on the montage scenes of ''

Test Pilot A test pilot is an aircraft pilot with additional training to fly and evaluate experimental, newly produced and modified aircraft with specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques.Stinton, Darrol. ''Flying Qualities and Flight Testin ...

'' (1938) at MGM. He edited '' A Little Bit of Heaven'' (1940) for Pasternak at Universal. At MGM he was assistant director on '' Song of Russia'' (1944) and worked as an associate producer under

. Among his jobs included doing screen tests, second unit directing, and supervising the animated dance sequence in '' Anchors Aweigh'' (1945). In 1946 he was linked with communist front organisations.

Director

Benedek made his feature film directing debut with '' The Kissing Bandit'' (1948) at MGM, produced by Pasternak; it was a notorious flop.. He went to Eagle Lion where he directed a noir, '' Port of New York'' (1949) starring

Yul Brynner Yuliy Borisovich Briner (; July 11, 1920 – October 10, 1985), known professionally as Yul Brynner (), was a Russian-born actor. He was known for his portrayal of King Mongkut in the Rodgers and Hammerstein stage musical ''The King and I'' (19 ...

. For

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 films" (he called his movies ''heavy dramas'') and a liberal movie icon.

he then made ''

'' (1951) which was a financial disappointment. He produced but did not direct '' Storm Over Tibet'' (1952) (Marton directed), started to direct television, notably episodes of '' Footlights Theater'', and '' The Ford Television Theatre''. Kramer gave him the job of ''

'' (1953) with Marlon Brando, originally called ''The Cyclist's Raid''. He went over to Universal to do '' Bengal Rifles'' (1954) with Rock Hudson.

Return to Europe

Benedek returned to Germany to write and direct '' Sons, Mothers and a General'' (1955). Back in the US he made a short with

Richard Widmark Richard Weedt Widmark (December 26, 1914March 24, 2008) was an American film, stage, and television actor and producer. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as the villainous Tommy Udo in his debut film, ''Kiss of Death (1947 film ...

, '' Boy with a Knife'' (1956), then focused on television: ''

The Loretta Young Show ''The Loretta Young Show'' (originally known as ''Letter to Loretta'') is an American anthology drama television series broadcast on Sunday nights from September 2, 1953, to June 4, 1961, on NBC for a total of 165 episodes. The series was hoste ...

'', '' Telephone Time'', '' Four Star Theatre'', ''

Cavalcade of America ''Cavalcade of America'' is an anthology drama series that was sponsored by the DuPont Company, although it occasionally presented musicals, such as an adaptation of ''Show Boat'', and condensed biographies of popular Composer, composers. It was ...

'', Benedek returned to features with '' Affair in Havana'' (1957) starring

John Cassavetes John Nicholas Cassavetes (December 9, 1929 – February 3, 1989) was an American filmmaker and actor. He began as an actor in film and television before helping to pioneer modern American independent cinema as a writer and director, often self- ...

. He wanted to make ''Anna'' for Rank in Britain with Leslie Caron and Louis Jourdan but requested the script be rewritten and then Caron fell pregnant, causing the film to be abandoned. He also directed '' Malaga'' aka ''Moment of Danger'' (1960) starring Dorothy Dandridge and

Trevor Howard Trevor Wallace Howard-Smith (29 September 1913 – 7 January 1988) was an English stage and screen actor. After varied work in the theatre, he achieved leading man star status in the film '' Brief Encounter'' (1945), followed by '' The Third M ...

. This low budget crime drama was the last film made by Dandridge. In France, he wrote and directed '' Recourse in Grace'' (1960) with Raf Vallone.

Television

In the 1960s Benedek mostly concentrated on TV, doing episodes of '' Perry Mason'', '' The Naked City'', '' Thriller'', ''

Zane Grey Theater ''Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre'' is an American Westerns on television, Western anthology television series broadcast on CBS from October 5, 1956 until May 18, 1961. Synopsis Many episodes were based on novels by Zane Grey, to all of which ...

'', '' The Fugitive'', '' The Doctors and the Nurses'', '' The Outer Limits'', ''

Mannix ''Mannix'' is an American detective television series that originally aired for eight seasons on CBS from September 16, 1967, to March 13, 1975. The show was created by Richard Levinson and William Link, and developed by executive producer ...

'', '' Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea'', '' The Untouchables'', ''

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, airing on CBS and NBC, alternately, between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. Between 1962 a ...

'', '' The Felony Squad'', '' 12 O'Clock High'', '' Iron Horse'', and '' Custer''. In 1965 he directed a play ''Belial''.

Final features

He returned to features when he produced and directed '' Namu, the Killer Whale'' (1967), for fellow Hungarian

Ivan Tors Ivan Tors (born Iván Törzs; June 12, 1916 – June 4, 1983) was a Hungary, Hungarian playwright, film director, screenwriter, and Film producer, film and television producer with an emphasis on non-violent but exciting science fiction, underwat ...

. He directed '' Daring Game'' (1968) for Tors, then '' The Night Visitor'' (1971) and '' Assault on Agathon'' (1977).

Later career and death

From 1976 to 1980, he was chairman of the graduate film program at New York University's School of the Arts. In 1983, he became a visiting professor of film at the Annenberg School of Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. He went on to teach at the Film Academy in Munich, Germany, at Rice University in Houston, and at Columbia University in New York City. Benedek died in 1992 in

The Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

, New York. He had two daughters, Melinda Norton and Barbara Rhodes, and at the time of his death was partner to painter and printmaker Danielle DeMers.

Filmography

Director

*'' Song of Russia'' (1944) *'' The Kissing Bandit'' (1948) *'' Port of New York'' (1949) *''

'' (1951) *''

'' (1953) *'' Bengal Brigade'' (1954) *'' Children, Mother, and the General'' (West Germany, 1955) *'' Affair in Havana'' (1957) *''Recours en grâce'' (France, 1960) *'' Malaga'' (1960) *'' Namu, the Killer Whale'' (1966) *'' Daring Game'' (1968) *'' The Night Visitor'' (1971) *'' Assault on Agathon'' (1975)

Cinematographer

* '' The Mistress'' (1927) * ''

'' (1931) * '' Miss Iza'' (1933) * '' A Precocious Girl'' (1934)

Editor

* ''

'' (1934) * '' Antonia'' (1935)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Benedek, Laszlo 1905 births 1992 deaths Hungarian film directors Film directors from New York City English-language film directors German-language film directors Best Director Golden Globe winners Hungarian emigrants to the United States Hungarian expatriates in Austria Hungarian expatriates in Germany Hungarian expatriates in England