July 7 - Jonathan Dayton

Happy 63rd Birthday, Jonathan Dayton! Born today in 1957, this American music video and film director is half of the filmmaking team along with his wife Valerie Faris. 

Both of them have built an impressive body of work by perpetually seeking innovative projects in a variety of mediums. 

 
After graduating from Ygnacio Valley High School in Concord, California, Dayton later attended the UCLA Film School in studying film and television in the late-1970s.  

 
While there, he met Faris, a dance student and native of Los Angeles County. She eventually became his wife and his partner. 

 

As a pair, Dayton and Faris have produced and directed music videos, documentaries, commercials and films.  

 
Among their music video credits, they have directed music videos for bands such as the English rock band Oasis, American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, American hip hop group Beastie Boys, and American rock band R.E.M.  

 
Of the 1990s, Dayton and Faris' 1990 American rock band Extreme song "More Than Words" received significant success. 

Another video of theirs that received the same accolade was for the 1996 video for "Tonight Tonight" by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, winning six MTV Video Music Awards. 

 
In-between working on music videos, Dayton and Fairs directed a number of sketches for the HBO American sketch comedy series Mr. Show (1995-1998). 

 
In 1998, Dayton and Faris established a production company, "Bob Industries". Through this company, the pair directed commercials for companies such as HP, Volkswagen, Sony, GAP, Target, IKEA, Apple Computer, and ESPN.  

 
Most famously, the two directed a 1999 commercial for the Volkswagen Cabrio, titled "Milky Way". 

The soundtrack consisted entirely of the English singer-songwriter and musician Nick Drake's 1972 song "Pink Moon", which is credited with single-handedly initiating a massive revival of interest in his music. 

 
The couple began to be offered feature films to direct at around this time; among projects that they turned down were the 1999 American mystery thriller/action film 'The Mod Squad' and the 2003 American action comedy crime/thriller film 'Bad Boys II'. 

 
Between these times, in 2001, Dayton and Faris began to work on the film of which, five years later, would be released as the feature film directorial debut which they are best known. This was the 2006 American comedy-drama road film 'Little Miss Sunshine'. 

 
The film went on to get an ovation at the 28th Sundance Film in January of that same year. In June, the film went on to win the Audience Award at the 52nd Sydney Film Festival. 

 
Later that same year, the husband-wife team were announced as the directors of a planned screen adaptation of American novelist and screenwriter Tom Perrotta's 2007 domestic fiction novel The Abstinence Teacher for Warner Independent Pictures.  

 
In February the following year, the film won two BAFTA awards for Best Original Screenplay (Michael Arndt) and Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Alan Arkin) at the 60th British Academy Film Awards.  

 
Later that same month, the film won a César award for Best Foreign Film (Valerie Faris, Jonathan Dayton) at the 32nd César Awards.  

 
The next day, the film received an Oscar nomination for Best Picture but captured two Oscars for Best Original Screenplay (Michael Arndt) and Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Alan Arkin). This occurred at the 79th Academy Awards in late February 2007. 

 
Later that same year, Perrotta wrote a screenplay with input from Dayton and Faris. 

However, by 2012, they pair had left the project, and it was taken over by American director and screenwriter Lisa Cholodenko. 

Their duo's next film was released later that same year, being the 2012 American comedy-drama film 'Ruby Sparks'.  

 
Five years later, Dayton and Faris directed the 2017 British/American biographical sports film 'Battle of the Sexes'. 

It tells about the famous tennis match between American former World No. 1 professional tennis player Billie Jean King and American tennis champion Bobby Riggs. 

 
The film starred Emma Stone as King and Steve Carell as Riggs. It also stared Elisabeth Shue, Alan Cumming, and Sarah Silverman. 

 
Dayton and Faris have three children together. These are Augusta Forbes Faris Dayton (b. November 16, 1992), and twins James Bailey Dayton and Everett Alfred Dayton (b. September 22, 1995). 

 
Dayton has been active from 1982–present. 

 
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July 7 - George Cukor

       

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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