Samuel Fuller
Born August 12, 1912 (Age: 113)
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Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Biography
Samuel Michael Fuller (August 12, 1912 – October 30, 1997) was an American screenwriter, novelist and film director known for low-budget genre movies with controversial themes. He was born Samuel Michael Fuller in Worcester, Massachusetts, the son of Benjamin Rabinovitch, a Jewish immigrant from Russia, and Rebecca Baum, a Jewish immigrant from Poland. After immigrating to America, the family's surname was changed from Rabinovitch to "Fuller" possibly by inspiration of a Doctor who arrived in America on the Mayflower. At the age of 12, he began working in journalism as a newspaper copyboy. He became a crime reporter in New York City at age 17, working for the New York Evening Graphic. He broke the story of Jeanne Eagels' death. He wrote pulp novels and screenplays from the mid-1930s onwards. Fuller also became a screenplay ghostwriter but would never tell interviewers which screenplays that he ghost-wrote explaining "that's what a ghost writer is for". During World War II, Fuller joined the United States Army infantry. He was assigned to the 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, and saw heavy fighting. He was involved in landings in Africa, Sicily, and Normandy and also saw action in Belgium and Czechoslovakia. In 1945 he was present at the liberation of the German concentration camp at Falkenau and shot 16 mm footage which was used later in the documentary Falkenau: The Impossible. For his service, he was awarded the Bronze Star, the Silver Star, and the Purple Heart. Fuller used his wartime experiences as material in his films, especially in The Big Red One (1980), a nickname of the 1st Infantry Division. After his controversial film "White Dog" was shelved by Paramount pictures, Fuller moved to France, and never directed another American film. Fuller eventually returned to America. He died of natural causes in his California home. In November 1997, the Directors Guild held a three hour memorial in his honor, hosted by Curtis Hanson, his long time friend and co-writer on White Dog. He was survived by his wife Christa and daughter Samantha.
Samuel Michael Fuller (August 12, 1912 – October 30, 1997) was an American screenwriter, novelist and film director known for low-budget genre movies with controversial themes.
He was born Samuel Michael Fuller in Worcester, Massachusetts, the son of Benjamin Rabinovitch, a Jewish immigrant from Russia, and Rebecca Baum, a Jewish immigrant from Poland. After immigrating to America, the family's surname was changed from Rabinovitch to "Fuller" possibly by inspiration of a Doctor who arrived in America on the Mayflower. At the age of 12, he began working in journalism as a newspaper copyboy. He became a crime reporter in New York City at age 17, working for the New York Evening Graphic. He broke the story of Jeanne Eagels' death. He wrote pulp novels and screenplays from the mid-1930s onwards. Fuller also became a screenplay ghostwriter but would never tell interviewers which screenplays that he ghost-wrote explaining "that's what a ghost writer is for".
During World War II, Fuller joined the United States Army infantry. He was assigned to the 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, and saw heavy fighting. He was involved in landings in Africa, Sicily, and Normandy and also saw action in Belgium and Czechoslovakia. In 1945 he was present at the liberation of the German concentration camp at Falkenau and shot 16 mm footage which was used later in the documentary Falkenau: The Impossible. For his service, he was awarded the Bronze Star, the Silver Star, and the Purple Heart. Fuller used his wartime experiences as material in his films, especially in The Big Red One (1980), a nickname of the 1st Infantry Division.
After his controversial film "White Dog" was shelved by Paramount pictures, Fuller moved to France, and never directed another American film. Fuller eventually returned to America. He died of natural causes in his California home. In November 1997, the Directors Guild held a three hour memorial in his honor, hosted by Curtis Hanson, his long time friend and co-writer on White Dog. He was survived by his wife Christa and daughter Samantha.
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Filmography
Nuits transparentes
2011
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as
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Age: 98
The Real Glory: Reconstructing 'The Big Red One'
2005
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as Himself (archive footage)
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Age: 92
The Men Who Made the Movies: Samuel Fuller
2002
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as Self
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Age: 89
The End of Violence
1997
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as Louis
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Age: 85
The Typewriter, the Rifle & the Movie Camera
1996
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as Self
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Age: 83
No Image
Un Américain en Normandie
1994
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as Himself
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Age: 81
Anything for John
1993
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as Self
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Age: 81
Golem: The Petrified Garden
1993
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as Sam
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Age: 80
Golem, the Spirit of Exile
1992
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as Elimelek
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Age: 80
La Vie de Bohème
1992
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as Gassot
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Age: 79
Shock Corridor
1992
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as himself
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Age: 79
Where Is Musette?
1992
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as Self
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Age: 79
The Madonna and the Dragon
1990
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as Chef de bureau Newsweek
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Age: 78
Motion and Emotion: The Films of Wim Wenders
1990
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as Self
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Age: 77
Sons
1990
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as Father
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Age: 77
Street of No Return
1989
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as Police Commissioner
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Age: 76
No Image
Tell me Sam - Encounters with Sam Fuller
1989
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as Himself
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Age: 76
Falkenau, the Impossible
1988
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as Samuel Fuller
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Age: 76
Mer de Chine: Le pays pour mémoire
1988
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as Le capitaine américain
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Age: 76
Helsinki Napoli All Night Long
1987
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as Boss
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Age: 75
A Return to Salem's Lot
1987
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as Van Meer
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Age: 75
No Image
Midnight Sun Film Festival
1987
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as
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Age: 74
The Bleeding Star
1987
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as The Man in the Bar
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Age: 74
No Image
Report from Hollywood
1985
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as
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Age: 72
White Dog
1982
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as Charlie Felton
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Age: 69
Sam Fuller: Writings with a Camera
1981
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as Himself
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Age: 68
The Big Red One
1980
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as War Correspondent (uncredited)
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Age: 67
1941
1979
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as Interceptor Commander
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Age: 67
Cinématon
1978
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as N°602
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Age: 66
The Young Nurses
1973
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as Doc Haskell
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Age: 60
Pierrot le Fou
1965
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as Samuel Fuller (uncredited)
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Age: 53
House of Bamboo
1955
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as Japanese policeman (uncredited)
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Age: 42