Happy Birthday, George Cukor! Born today in 1899 as George Dewey Cukor, this American film director mainly concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations.
His career flourished at RKO when American film producer, screenwriter and film studio executive David O. Selznick, the studio's Head of Production, assigned Cukor to direct several of RKO's major films.
These included the 1932 American pre-Code black and white drama film 'What Price Hollywood?', the 1933 American pre-Code black and white satirical comedy film 'Our Betters' and the 1933 American pre-Code black and white drama/family film 'Little Women'.
When Selznick moved to MGM in 1933, Cukor followed. There, he directed the 1933 American pre-Code black and white comedy-drama film 'Dinner at Eight' and the 1935 American black and white drama/romance film 'David Copperfield' for Selznick.
For American film producer Irving Thalberg, Cukor directed the 1936 American black and white romance/drama film 'Romeo and Juliet' and the 1936 American black and white romance/drama film 'Camille'.
The latter was co-produced by Thalberg, and is the first film of which Cukor is best known for directing. It was this film that inspired Milton Benjamin to write and publish a song titled "I'll Love Like Robert Taylor, Be My Greta Garbo".
Also in the late 1930s, Cukor was replaced as the original director of the 1939 American epic Technicolor historical romance/war film 'Gone with the Wind'.
He was fired shortly after filming began and was replaced by American film director, cinematographer, and producer Victor Fleming.
He, in turn, was briefly replaced by American film director and producer Sam Wood ('A Night at the Opera') while Fleming took some time off due to exhaustion.
Between his chores on 'Gone with the Wind', Cukor assisted with other projects. He spent a week on the set of Fleming's 1939 American black and white/Technicolor musical/fantasy film 'The Wizard of Oz'.
Given Cukor's reputation as a "woman's director," it is unsurprising that that impact centered on Garland and her role as Dorothy Gale.
Although he filmed no footage, Cukor made crucial changes to the look of Dorothy by eliminating Garland's blonde wig and adjusting her makeup and costume, encouraging her to act in a more natural manner.
Additionally, Cukor softened the Scarecrow's makeup and gave Margaret Hamilton a different hairstyle for the Wicked Witch of the West, as well as altering her makeup and other facial features.
Cukor also suggested that the studio cast American vaudevillian, actor, comedian, radio host, singer and dancer Jack Haley, on loan from 20th Century Fox, as the Tin Man.
After being replaced as the director for 'Gone with the Wind', Cukor went on to direct into the 1940s-1960s of which are now considered to be cinema classics.
Of the 1940s, Cukor is best known for directing the American black and white romance/comedy film 'The Philadelphia Story', the 1944 American black and white psychological noir/thriller film 'Gaslight' and the 1949 American black and white romance/comedy film 'Adam's Rib'.
A memorable scene in 'The Philadelphia Story' is set on the night before Tracy Samantha Lord's (Katherine Hepburn) wedding. She gets drunk for only the second time in her life and takes an innocent midnight swim with Macaulay "Mike" Connor (Jimmy Stewart).
As he carries her, he sings Somewhere Over the Rainbow; an obvious nod to Cukor's time spent on the set of 'The Wizard of Oz' a year prior.
When C. K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant) and George Kittredge (John Howard) see Mike carrying an intoxicated Tracy into the house afterward, Kittredge assumes the worst.
One year after the release of 'The Philadelphia Story', the film won two Oscars for Best Writing Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor (Jimmy Stewart). This occurred at the 13th Academy Awards in late February 1941. This was Stewart's first and only Oscar win.
The film was produced by American film director, screenwriter, and producer Joseph L. Mankiewicz and had been based on the titular 1939 American comic play by American dramatist Philip Barry.
One year after the release of 'Gaslight', the film won two Oscars for Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Black-and-White and Best Actress (Ingrid Bergman). This occurred at the 17th Academy Awards in mid-March 1945.
Upon its release, 'Adam's Rib' was well received and is considered a classic romantic comedy, being nominated for both AFI's 100 Movies and Passions lists, and coming in at #22 on the AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs.
The screenplay had been co-written by American film, stage, and television actress, as well as a screenwriter and playwright Ruth Gordon. It had also been co-written by Gordon's second husband, American writer and director of plays and films Garson Kanin.
Of the 1950s, Cukor is known for directing the 1950 American black and white comedy/drama film 'Born Yesterday' and the 1954 American Technicolor musical/romance film 'A Star Is Born'.
The latter is the second of four official adaptations of A Star Is Born. It is also the fourth film of which Cukor is best known.
Of the 1960s, Cukor is best known for directing the 1964 American Technicolor musical/romance drama film 'My Fair Lady'. This is the fifth and final film of which Cukor is best known.
The film had been adapted from the 1956 Lerner and Lowe stage musical based on Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist George Bernard Shaw's 1913 stage play Pygmalion.
The following year after its release, 'My Fair Lady' won eight Oscars. These included Best Sound Mixing, Best Costume Design, Best Original Musical Score, Best Cinematography, Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Actor (Rex Harrison), Best Director and Best Picture. This occurred at the 37th Academy Awards in early April 1965.
In 1995, 'The Philadelphia Story' was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.
In 2000, Cukor's 'A Star Is Born' was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
In 2005, 'Camille' was included in Time Magazine's All-Time 100 Movies. It was also included at #33 in AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions.
In 2002, 'A Star Is Born' ranked #43 on AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions list. In 2006, it ranked #7 on its list of greatest musicals. The song "The Man That Got Away" was ranked #11 on AFI's list of 100 top songs in films.
In 2018, 'My Fair Lady' was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
In 2019, 'Gaslight' was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
Cukor had been active from 1930–1981.
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