born July 1, 1902, Mulhouse, France
died July 27, 1981, Beverly Hills, Calif., U.S.
French-born U.S. film director.
After studies in France and Switzerland, he immigrated to New York in 1920. Working for Universal Pictures, he became a director of low-budget westerns, but he established a serious reputation with Counsellor-at-Law (1933) and went on to direct successes such as Dodsworth (1936), Wuthering Heights (1939), and The Little Foxes (1941). His films are noted for their clear narrative style and sensitive handling of human relationships. He won Academy Awards for Mrs. Miniver (1942) and The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), and he later directed popular movies such as Roman Holiday (1953), Ben-Hur (1959, Academy Award), and Funny Girl (1968).