Otto Preminger

Biography in: John Wakeman, editor. "World Film Directors, Volume One, 1890-1945." Pages 888-898. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1987.

His father was a distinguished lawyer, Otto had intended go into law as well but was lured by the theatre and by the 1920's was the most imaginative producer/director.

Otto Ludwig Preminger was born in Wiznitz, Bukovina, Austria-Hungary. His father was a prosecutor, and Otto originally intended to follow his father into a law career; however, he fell in love with the theater in his 20's and became one of the most imaginative stage producers and directors. He was only 24 when engaged by Max Reinhardt to take over his theatre where he produced all kids of plays. He directed his first film in 1931, and came to the US in 1936 to direct 'Libel' on the Broadway stage. He then moved to Hollywood where he signed with Fox becoming the first independent producer / director.

Chief executive at the Theater in Josefstadt in Vienna from 1933 to 1935.

He went to America in 1935 with a contract to direct films for 20th Century Fox and became one of the first producer/ directors.

He alternated between stage and film until the great success of Laura (1944) made him an A-list director in Hollyood.

For two decades after "Laura was released in 1944, Preminger ranked as one of the top directors in the world.

Was voted the 47th Greatest Director of all time by Entertainment Weekly.

Insisted that Robert Mitchum actually slap Jean Simmons for their scenes in Angel Face (1953)

While filming Carmen Jones (1954), he began an affair with the film's star Dorothy Dandridge, which lasted four years.

Was a member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1956.

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 actually caught fire. Despite cries and screams of horror, Preminger would not allow the flames extinguished until he had filmed the scene (from "Played Out: The Jean Seberg Story" by David Richards).

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.

His powers began to wane after Advise & Consent (1962), and by the end of the decade, he was considered washed-up.

For his appearance on Batman (1966), Preminger was paid $2,500, the standard fee for actors who appeared on the series after asking for a role. The Screen Actors Guild got wind of this, and ordered that none of their members were to work for Preminger unless he paid the SAG dues for his appearance on Batman, and various other monies he owed them dating back to his acting career. As a result, Preminger ended up $7,600 out of pocket from his turn as Mr. Freeze.

However, such was the potency of his craftsmanship that he continued to direct major motion pictures into the 1970s, with Rosebud (1975) getting scathing reviews.

His 1977 autobiography "Preminger: An Autobiography" was ghost-written by June Callwood who also ghost-wrote Barbara Walters 1970 book "How to Talk With Practically Anybody About Practically Anything".

His last directorial effort was The Human Factor (1979), which won him respectful notices.

He appeared on the famous British radio program "Desert Island Discs" in the spring of 1980, at the time of the British opening of his final film, The Human Factor (1979). This program asks well-known people what eight records they would bring with them to a desert island, together with one book and one luxury. His eight records consisted of music from his own films; his book selection was his own autobiography; and his luxury was a mirror. He got a great deal of publicity for this, but "The Human Factor" was a major box-office flop.

Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume Two, 1986-1990, pages 705-707. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1999.

Interviewed in Peter Bogdanovich's "Who the Devil Made It: Conversations With Robert Aldrich, George Cukor, Allan Dwan, Howard Hawks, Alfred Hitchcock, Chuck Jones, Fritz Lang, Joseph H. Lewis, Sidney Lumet, Leo McCarey, Otto Preminger, Don Siegel, Josef von Sternberg, Frank Tashlin, Edgar G. Ulmer, Raoul Walsh." NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 1997.

His affair with Dorothy Dandridge was portrayed in Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (1999).

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.