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William Friedkin

Birth Name:
William David Friedkin
Birth Place:
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Profession
Director, Writer, Producer, Actor
William Friedkin

Fast Facts

  • Won the President's Award from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films in 1999
  • Over the course of two years, he worked his way up from being a mailroom clerk at WGN-TV in Chicago to directing live television
  • During action sequences, he often uses a hand-held camera
  • Many of his films, including "The French Connection," "To Live and Die in L․A․" and "Jade," contain an important car chase
  • Alfred Hitchcock berated him for not wearing a tie to his first directing assignment for "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour․"
  • Hitched a ride from a driver at a gas station to arrive in time to accept his Academy Award for directing "The French Connection" after his car broke down several miles away from the ceremony
  • In high school, he was so good at basketball that he considered making it his career

Awards

  • 1972Oscar - Best Director:Winner
  • 1972DGA Award - Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures:Winner
  • 1972Golden Globe - Best Director - Motion Picture:Winner
  • 1973BAFTA Film Award - Best Direction:Nominated
  • 1973Kinema Junpo Award - Best Foreign Language Film:Nominated
  • 1973Kinema Junpo Award - Best Foreign Language Film:Nominated
  • 1974Oscar - Best Director:Nominated
  • 1974DGA Award - Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures:Nominated
  • 1974Golden Globe - Best Director - Motion Picture:Winner
  • 1981Razzie Award - Worst Screenplay:Nominated
  • 1981Razzie Award - Worst Director:Nominated
  • 1986Audience AwardWinner
  • 1988Critics AwardNominated
  • 1993Saturn Award - Best Director:Nominated
  • 1998DGA Award - Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Specials:Nominated
  • 1998OFTA Television Award - Best Direction of a Motion Picture or Miniseries:Nominated
  • 1998Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries or a Movie:Nominated
  • 1999Movie Masterpiece AwardWinner
  • 2006C.I.C.A.E. AwardNominated
  • 2006FIPRESCI Prize - Quinzaine des réalisateurs:Winner
  • 2006SACD Prize - Directors' Fortnight:Nominated
  • 2010The Greatest Films of All Time - Horror:Winner
  • 2011Golden MouseWinner
  • 2011Golden LionNominated
  • 2012DFCC - Best Director:Nominated
  • 2012ARRI Award - Best International Film:Nominated
  • 2013Saturn Award - Best Director:Nominated
  • 2014People's Choice Award - Best Narrative Feature:Nominated
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