- Named Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon (1950) as his all-time favorite film in an AFI poll.
- Explored difficult filmmaking subjects ahead of his time, including A Raisin in the Sun (1961), which dealt with racism, and The Dollmaker (1984), which dealt with women as breadwinners. Petrie also served in a number of leadership positions with the Directors Guild of America.
- Saved a local doctor from two attacking Rottweilers, beating them with a rake and a broom.
- Directed two Oscar-nominated performances: Ellen Burstyn and Eva Le Gallienne, both for Resurrection (1980).
- Brother of Peggy Petrie.
- Father-in-law of Bradley Battersby.
- He has directed one film that has been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: A Raisin in the Sun (1961).
- Was profiled in Dec 1995/Jan 1996 issue of Saturday Night magazine.
- Has directed six Emmy Award-winning performances: Rosemary Murphy in Eleanor and Franklin (1976), Ed Flanders in Harry S. Truman: Plain Speaking (1976), Sally Field in Sybil (1976), Jane Fonda in The Dollmaker (1984), James Woods in My Name Is Bill W. (1989) and Laura Linney in Wild Iris (2001).
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content