Age, Biography and Wiki

Michael Curtiz was an Academy Award-winning Hungarian-American film director, best known for directing classic films such as Casablanca (1942), The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), and Mildred Pierce (1945). He was one of the most prolific directors of the Golden Age of Hollywood, directing over 150 films in a career that spanned over four decades. Curtiz was born Manó Kaminer in Budapest, Austria-Hungary (now Hungary) on December 24, 1886. He began his career as an actor in the Hungarian theater before moving to Vienna in 1912 to pursue a career in film. He directed his first film in 1914 and went on to direct over 50 films in Austria and Germany before moving to Hollywood in 1926. In Hollywood, Curtiz quickly established himself as a reliable director, helming films such as The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), and Casablanca (1942). He won an Academy Award for Best Director for his work on Casablanca. He also directed a number of musicals, including Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) and White Christmas (1954). Curtiz continued to direct films until his death in 1962. He was posthumously awarded the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award in 1965. Michael Curtiz had an estimated net worth of $10 million at the time of his death. He earned his wealth through his successful career as a film director.

Popular As Manó Kaminer
Occupation director,actor,writer
Age 76 years old
Zodiac Sign Capricorn
Born 24 December 1886
Birthday 24 December
Birthplace Budapest, Austria-Hungary [now Hungary]
Date of death 10 April, 1962
Died Place Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
Nationality Austria

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 24 December. He is a member of famous Director with the age 76 years old group.

Michael Curtiz Height, Weight & Measurements

At 76 years old, Michael Curtiz height is 5' 9" (1.75 m) .

Physical Status
Height 5' 9" (1.75 m)
Weight Not Available
Body Measurements Not Available
Eye Color Not Available
Hair Color Not Available

Who Is Michael Curtiz's Wife?

His wife is Bess Meredyth (7 December 1929 - 10 April 1962) ( his death), Lili Damita (1925 - 1926) ( divorced), Lucy Doraine (1915 - 1923) ( divorced) ( 1 child)

Family
Parents Not Available
Wife Bess Meredyth (7 December 1929 - 10 April 1962) ( his death), Lili Damita (1925 - 1926) ( divorced), Lucy Doraine (1915 - 1923) ( divorced) ( 1 child)
Sibling Not Available
Children Not Available

Michael Curtiz Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2022-2023. So, how much is Michael Curtiz worth at the age of 76 years old? Michael Curtiz’s income source is mostly from being a successful Director. He is from Austria. We have estimated Michael Curtiz's net worth , money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2023 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2023 Under Review
Net Worth in 2022 Pending
Salary in 2022 Under Review
House Not Available
Cars Not Available
Source of Income Director

Michael Curtiz Social Network

Instagram
Linkedin
Twitter
Facebook
Wikipedia
Imdb

Timeline

1960

After Nunnally Johnson bowed out, 20th Century-Fox started negotiations with Curtiz to direct the Elvis Presley film Flaming Star (1960), but the job was later given to Don Siegel. Curtiz had previously directed Presley in King Creole (1958) and was originally set to direct him again in G.I. Blues (1960).

1958

After directing Elvis Presley in King Creole (1958) Curtiz was set to direct Presley's first post-Army film, G.I. Blues (1960) but for unknown reasons the film was eventually directed by Norman Taurog. Hal B. Wallis produced both.

1956

At one point he was attached to direct Serenade (1956), which wound up being directed by Anthony Mann.

1950

His brilliance waned in the 1950s when he made a number of mediocre films for studios other than Warner.

1948

Was assigned to direct Adventures of Don Juan (1948) in 1947, but he and star Errol Flynn had a falling-out and Vincent Sherman wound up directing the picture.

1946

In 1946 Curtiz was invited by Frank Capra, George Stevens and William Wyler to join them in Liberty Pictures, which would have given him autonomy. Jack L. Warner granted him semi-independence with his own unit within Warners. After making lukewarm features--Flamingo Road (1949), two mediocre Doris Day musicals and The Unsuspected (1947)--he gave it up and rejoined Warners full time.

1942

His adopted son, John Meredyth Lucas, said he spoke five languages, all of them badly. His thick Hungarian accent often made it difficult for cast and crew to understand him when he spoke English. During the filming of Casablanca (1942), for instance, he asked a set dresser for a "poodle", and when the dresser brought him a small poodle dog, Curtiz exploded at the man--he had meant that he wanted a "poodle" of water. On the set of The Cabin in the Cotton (1932), Curtiz made a speech to the actors on how he wanted them to act like "woodpeckers" when the script described them as "peckerwoods". NOTE: A number of Curtiz' other misstatements were mistakenly attributed to producer Samuel Goldwyn, who was also famous for verbal slips.

1938

Along with Ernst Lubitsch, Jack Conway, Victor Fleming, John Ford, Alfred Hitchcock, Sam Wood, Francis Ford Coppola, Herbert Ross and Steven Soderbergh, he is one of ten directors to have more than one film nominated for Best Picture in the same year. The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) (which he co-directed William Keighley) and Four Daughters (1938) were both so nominated at the 11th Academy Awards in 1939.

1936

While filming The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), Curtiz used a stunt device on horses called the Running W that, despite being infamous for the number of horses it had killed, was used regularly in the 1930's to trip horses galloping at high speeds, Curtiz presided over the killing of approximately 25 horses while shooting just a single shot during the massacre scenes. His seeming indifference to the killings created a riff between him and Errol Flynn, a horseman, who physically attacked Curtiz and went public with the news of the killings. This helped lead to a reform in animal cruelty on Hollywood sets and although Curtiz and Flynn would make more movies together, they never spoke to each other again except when necessary on set.

1935

Directed seven films nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards: Captain Blood (1935), Anthony Adverse (1936) (uncredited), The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), Four Daughters (1938), Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), Casablanca (1942) and Mildred Pierce (1945), with Casablanca the only Best Picture winner.

1934

Jodie Foster used to own a home that Curtiz built in 1934. The house was originally a guest house on the large estate that he owned. It is copied from small quaint Cotswold cottages found in the midlands in England. In 1995 she put the home up for sale for $1.1 million.

1930

His films during the 1930s and '40s encompassed nearly every genre imaginable and some, including Casablanca (1942) and Mildred Pierce (1945), are considered to be film classics.

1929

He had one son, John Meredyth Lucas, whom he adopted in 1929 when the boy was ten years old.

1926

Moving to the US in 1926, he started making films in Hollywood for Warner Bros. and became thoroughly entrenched in the studio system.

1920

After WWI, he continued his filmmaking career in Austria and Germany and into the early 1920s when he directed films in other countries in Europe.

1912

Curtiz began acting in and then directing films in his native Hungary in 1912.

1890

Biography in: John Wakeman, editor. "World Film Directors, Volume One, 1890-1945". Pages 172-181. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1987.