Billy Wilder (I) (1906–2002)

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Originally planning to become a lawyer, Billy Wilder abandoned that career in favor of working as a reporter for a Viennese newspaper, using this experience to move to Berlin, where he worked for the city's largest tabloid. He broke into films as a screenwriter in 1929 and wrote scripts for many German films until Adolf Hitler came to power in ... See full bio »

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Won 6 Oscars. Another 49 wins & 61 nominations. See more awards »

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126 photos | 3 videos »

Known For

The Apartment
The Apartment Writer
(1960)
Some Like It Hot
Some Like It Hot Writer
(1959)
Sabrina
Sabrina Writer
(1954)
Sunset Blvd.
Sunset Blvd. Writer
(1950)
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Filmography

Hide Hide Show Show Writer (83 credits)
 2018 La Garçonnière (TV Movie) (original scenario)
 2012 Love, Marilyn (Documentary) (excerpts from letters)
 2008 Eine kleine Anekdote (Short) (idea)
 1995 Sabrina (earlier screenplay)
 1982 Witness for the Prosecution (TV Movie) (1957 screenplay)
 1981 Buddy Buddy
 1978 Fedora (screenplay)
 1974 The Front Page (screenplay)
 1973 Double Indemnity (TV Movie) (1944 screenplay)
 1972 Avanti! (screenplay)
 1967 Casino Royale (uncredited)
 1966 The Fortune Cookie (written by)
 1965 Ates gibi kadin (story "Ball of Fire" - uncredited)
 1964 Kiss Me, Stupid (screenplay)
 1963 Irma la Douce (writer)
 1962 Mutiny on the Bounty (storyline consultant - uncredited)
 1961 One, Two, Three (screenplay)
 1960 Ocean's Eleven (uncredited)
 1960 The Apartment (written by)
 1960 Ninotchka (TV Movie) (1939 screenplay)
 1959 Some Like It Hot (screenplay)
 1957 Witness for the Prosecution (screen play)
 1957 Love in the Afternoon (screenplay)
 1957 The Spirit of St. Louis (screen play by)
 1956 Robert Montgomery Presents (TV Series) (story - 1 episode)
- Sunset Boulevard (1956) ... (story)
 1955 The Seven Year Itch (screenplay)
  Lux Video Theatre (TV Series) (previous screenplay - 3 episodes, 1954 - 1955) (film story - 1 episode, 1955)
- Sunset Boulevard (1955) ... (film story) / (previous screenplay)
- Double Indemnity (1954) ... (previous screenplay)
- Hold Back the Dawn (1954) ... (previous screenplay)
 1954 Emil und die Detektive (earlier screenplay - as Billie Wilder)
 1954 Sabrina (written for the screen by)
 1953 Stalag 17 (written for the screen by)
 1951 Ace in the Hole (written by)
 1950 Sunset Blvd. (written by)
 1950 La voyageuse inattendue (screenplay: "Mauvaise graine")
 1948 A Song Is Born (based on the story "From A to Z" by)
 1948 A Foreign Affair (screenplay)
 1948 The Emperor Waltz (written by)
 1947 The Bishop's Wife (uncredited)
 1945 The Lost Weekend (screen play)
 1944 Double Indemnity (screenplay)
 1943 Five Graves to Cairo (screenplay)
 1942 The Major and the Minor (written by)
 1942 Tales of Manhattan (uncredited)
 1941 Ball of Fire (from an original story by) / (screen play)
 1941 Hold Back the Dawn (written by)
 1940 Arise, My Love (screen play)
 1940 Rhythm on the River (story)
 1940 French Without Tears (treatment - uncredited)
 1939 Ninotchka (screen play)
 1939 What a Life (screenplay)
 1939 Midnight (screenplay)
 1938 That Certain Age (uncredited)
 1938 Bluebeard's Eighth Wife (screenplay)
 1937 Champagne Waltz (story)
 1935 Emil and the Detectives (uncredited)
 1935 Lottery Lover (screenplay)
 1935 Under Pressure (additional dialogue - uncredited)
 1934 Music in the Air (screenplay)
 1934 One Exciting Adventure (story)
 1934 Mauvaise graine (scenario - as Wilder)
 1933 Adorable (story "Ihre Hoheit Befiehlt" - as Billie Wilder)
 1933 Was Frauen träumen (writer)
 1933 Madame ne veut pas d'enfants (screenplay - as Billie Wilder)
 1933 Madame wünscht keine Kinder (adaptation)
 1932 Un peu d'amour (screenplay)
 1932 Where Is This Lady? (story "Es War Einmal Ein Walzer")
 1932 Un rêve blond (screenplay - as Billie Wilder)
 1932 Der Sieger
 1931 Emil und die Detektive (screenplay - as Billie Wilder)
 1931 Seitensprünge (idea)
 1930 Menschen am Sonntag (screenplay - as Billie Wilder)
 1929 Der Teufelsreporter (as Billie Wilder)
Show Show Director (27 credits)
Show Show Producer (14 credits)
Show Show Actor (2 credits)
Show Show Soundtrack (1 credit)
Show Show Additional Crew (2 credits)
Show Show Editorial department (1 credit)
Show Show Thanks (16 credits)
Show Show Self (45 credits)
Show Show Archive footage (33 credits)

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Personal Details

Other Works:

The following works were adapted to the Broadway stage: See more »

Publicity Listings:

6 Biographical Movies | 14 Print Biographies | 5 Portrayals | 2 Interviews | 22 Articles | See more »

Alternate Names:

Billie Wilder | Wilder

Height:

5' 11" (1.8 m)

Spouse:

Audrey Young  (his death) | See more »

Children:

Victoria Wilder

Parents:

Max Wilder | Eugenia Wilder

Relatives:

W. Lee Wilder (sibling) | See more »
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Did You Know?

Personal Quote:

An audience is never wrong. An individual member of it may be an imbecile, but 1000 imbeciles together in the dark--that is critical genius. See more »

Trivia:

In the early 1950s, Wilder had planned on doing a film with Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. The film was to open with Stan and Ollie each sleeping in one of the "o"s of the Hollywood sign. The plot centered on a woman coming between them. The film was never made due to Hardy's failing health. See more »

Trademark:

His movies frequently started with narration See more »

Nickname:

The Viennese Pixie
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