Otto Ludwig Preminger
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Otto Preminger established himself as one of Hollywood’s top directors with Laura 1944, which made him an A-list director. He broke new ground as an independent producer-director at 20th Century Fox, tackling controversial subjects in films like The Man with the Golden Arm 1955 and Anatomy of a Murder 1959. Preminger also acted, famously playing Mr. Freeze on the 1960s Batman series. He died in 1986 at age 80 from lung cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.
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Otto Preminger — early life, career, personal life, and legacy.
Otto Ludwig Preminger was born on December 5, 1905 in Wiznitz, Bukovina, then part of Austria-Hungary. His father was a distinguished prosecutor, and Otto initially planned to study law at the University of Vienna. In his 20s he fell in love with theater and became a stage producer and director. By age 24, he was hired by Max Reinhardt to take over his theater, producing a wide range of plays.
Preminger directed his first film in 1931 in Europe before moving to the United States in 1936 to direct the Broadway play Libel. He signed with 20th Century Fox and became one of the first independent producer-directors in Hollywood. His breakthrough came with Laura 1944, which elevated him to an A-list director. Over the next two decades, he directed major films including Carmen Jones 1954, The Man with the Golden Arm 1955, Anatomy of a Murder 1959, and Exodus 1960. His power waned after Advise & Consent 1962, but he continued directing into the 1970s, ending with The Human Factor 1979.
Preminger was married three times: to Marion Mill from 1932 to 1949, to Mary Gardner from 1951 to 1959, and to Hope Bryce from 1971 until his death. He had a son, Erik Lee Preminger, with actress Gypsy Rose Lee. While filming Carmen Jones 1954, Preminger began a four-year affair with star Dorothy Dandridge, later portrayed in Introducing Dorothy Dandridge 1999. His demanding on-set manner earned him the nickname Otto the Ogre.
Preminger’s films Laura 1944, Carmen Jones 1954, The Man with the Golden Arm 1955, Porgy and Bess 1959, and Anatomy of a Murder 1959 have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. He directed nine actors to Oscar-nominated performances. In 2010, the Austrian Post issued a stamp in his honor as part of the Austrians in Hollywood series. He challenged Hollywood censorship and brought sophisticated adult themes to mainstream cinema.
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Every award, honor, and recognition received by Otto Preminger — Grammys, hall-of-fame inductions, civic honors, lifetime achievements.
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A wall of memorable lines from Otto Preminger — lyrics, interviews, and off-the-cuff remarks captured over a lifetime.
I Do Not Welcome Advice from Actors, They Are Here to Act.
There Were Giants in the Industry. Now It Is an Era of Midgets and Conglomerates.
Directing Marilyn Monroe Was Like Directing Lassie. You Needed 14 Takes to Get Each One of Them Right.
Marilyn Monroe? a Vacuum with Nipples.
Little-known facts about Otto Preminger — origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.
Appeared on the famous British radio program Desert Island Discs in spring 1980, at the time of the British opening of his final film, The Human Factor 1979. His eight records consisted of music from his own films; his book selection was his own autobiography; and his luxury was a mirror.
For his appearance on Batman 1966, Preminger was paid $2,500, the standard fee for actors who asked for a role. The Screen Actors Guild ordered that none of their members work for Preminger until he paid SAG dues for that appearance and other monies owed, resulting in Preminger ending up $7,600 out of pocket.
Directed nine different actors in Oscar-nominated performances: Clifton Webb, Maggie McNamara, Dorothy Dandridge, Frank Sinatra, James Stewart, Arthur O'Connell, George C. Scott, Sal Mineo, and John Huston.
Earned a degree in law while he lived in Vienna.
While filming Carmen Jones 1954, he began an affair with the film's star Dorothy Dandridge, which lasted four years. This relationship is portrayed in Introducing Dorothy Dandridge 1999.
Insisted that Robert Mitchum slap Jean Simmons for their scenes in Angel Face 1952. After a few takes which Preminger declined to print, Mitchum instead punched him and knocked him down.
During the filming of Saint Joan 1957, Jean Seberg playing Joan of Arc was about to be burned at the stake. To the horror of the cast and crew, the pile of wood below her caught fire. Despite cries and screams, Preminger would not allow the flames extinguished until he had filmed the scene.
Father, with ecdysiast Gypsy Rose Lee, of producer-screenwriter Erik Lee Preminger.
Following his death, he was interred at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York.
Chief executive at the Theater in Josefstadt in Vienna from 1933 to 1935.
At the premiere of Exodus 1960, Jewish comedian Mort Sahl is reported to have exclaimed, ''Otto, let my people go!'', which was ironic given that Preminger himself was Jewish.
The Austrian Post AG issued a special stamp in Preminger's honor on February 5, 2010 in the Series Austrians in Hollywood. Face value of the stamp 0.55 Euro.
Portrayed by Klaus Maria Brandauer in Introducing Dorothy Dandridge 1999 and by Christian Berkel in Trumbo 2015.
Quick answers to the questions readers ask most about Otto Preminger.
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