Directors: William Wyler

William (Willy) Wyler (1902-1981)

'90-Take' Wyler's demand for perfection
often made him unpopular with actors.
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He was born in Mülhausen (Mulhouse), Alsace-Lorraine (then German, now part of France) on the first day of July 1902. Willy Wyler spent most of his early years in Switzerland (his father was Swiss). While studying violin in Paris, he met his uncle, “Uncle Carl” Laemmle. By 1921 Willy Wyler was in Hollywood working for Laemmle at Universal Studios, as one of the many family members and relatives that the Swabian Laemmle eventually brought into his nepotistic film empire.

After a brief stint as assistant director, Wyler was soon directing his own films for Universal. The silent short Crook Buster was his directorial debut in 1925. From this inauspicious beginning, Wyler went on to become one of Hollywood’s most respected directors. His film career included classics such as Mrs. Miniver (1942), The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) and Ben Hur (1959). For each of those films Wyler received an Oscar for best director. In fact, his demands for perfection earned him the nickname “90-Take Wyler” and scorn from many actors.

Several other potential directors had turned down the project before Twentieth Century Fox selected Wyler to direct The Sound of Music. He spent several weeks in the Salzburg area scouting locations for the film, only a few of which were used in the actual shooting under director Robert Wise, who was chosen to replace Wyler on the film after he suddenly backed out of the project.

Wyler became a US citizen in 1928. He was twice married (to actress Margaret Sullavan and Margaret Tallichet) and had four children. He served as a major in the US Army Air Corps from 1942 to 1945. While stationed in England, he made the documentaries Memphis Belle and Thunderbolt. His many honors include several Academy Awards for best direction, the Irving G. Thalberg Award (1965) and the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award (1976). See a list of Wyler’s films on the next page.

N E X T > Wyler Filmography

M O R E > Universal Studios

More “Sound of Music”

Introduction
SOM 1: The Directors
SOM 2: Maria von Trapp
SOM 3: Rodgers and Hammerstein
SOM 4: Shooting Locations
SOM 5: Links

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