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Sidney Lumet

Directing 86 (deceased) years old Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ★ 1.0
Born: June 25, 1924
Died: April 9, 2011

Biography

Sidney Lumet (June 25, 1924 – April 9, 2011) was an American director, producer and screenwriter with over 50 films to his name. He was nominated for the Academy Award as Best Director for 12 Angry Men (1957), Dog Day Afternoon (1975), Network (1976) and The Verdict (1982). He did not win an individual Academy Award, although he did receive an Academy Honorary Award and 14 of his films were nominated for various Oscars, such as Network, which was nominated for 10, winning 4.

The Encyclopedia of Hollywood states that Lumet was one of the most prolific directors of the modern era, making more than one movie per year on average since his directorial debut in 1957. He was noted by Turner Classic Movies for his "strong direction of actors", "vigorous storytelling" and the "social realism" in his best work. Film critic Roger Ebert described him as having been "one of the finest craftsmen and warmest humanitarians among all film directors." Lumet was also known as an "actor's director," having worked with the best of them during his career, probably more than "any other director."

Lumet began his career as an Off-Broadway director, then became a highly efficient TV director. His first movie was typical of his best work: a well-acted, tightly written, deeply considered "problem picture," 12 Angry Men (1957). From that point on Lumet divided his energies among other idealistic problem pictures along with literate adaptations of plays and novels, big stylish pictures, New York-based black comedies, and realistic crime dramas, including Serpico and Prince of the City. As a result of directing 12 Angry Men, he was also responsible for leading the first wave of directors who made a successful transition from TV to movies. In 2005, Lumet received an Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement for his "brilliant services to screenwriters, performers, and the art of the motion picture." Two years later, he concluded his career with the acclaimed drama Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007).

Description above from the Wikipedia article Sidney Lumet, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.​

External Links

🎬 IMDb

Known For

Studio One
Studio One Director 1948
12 Angry Men
12 Angry Men Director 1957
Kraft Television Theatre
Kraft Television Theatre Director 1947
Omnibus
Omnibus Director 1952
The United States Steel Hour
The United States Steel Hour Director 1953

Jimmy's Seen (1)

Dog Day Afternoon
Dog Day Afternoon Director 1975

Filmography

Acting Credits (41)

Breakdown: 1975
Breakdown: 1975 Self - Director of Dog day afternoon (archive footage) 2025
One Step Further: Becoming Lumet
One Step Further: Becoming Lumet Self 2023
By Sidney Lumet
By Sidney Lumet Self 2015
Moguls & Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood
Moguls & Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood Self 2010
I Knew It Was You: Rediscovering John Cazale
I Knew It Was You: Rediscovering John Cazale Self 2009
You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story
You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story Self 2008
Directed by Sidney Lumet: How the Devil Was Made
Directed by Sidney Lumet: How the Devil Was Made Self 2008
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: Making '12 Angry Men'
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: Making '12 Angry Men' Self 2008
Prince of the City: The Real Story
Prince of the City: The Real Story Self 2007
Eugene O’Neill: A Documentary Film
Eugene O’Neill: A Documentary Film Self 2006
The Making of 'Dog Day Afternoon'
The Making of 'Dog Day Afternoon' Self 2006
The Making of 'Network'
The Making of 'Network' Self 2006
Making 'Murder on the Orient-Express'
Making 'Murder on the Orient-Express' Self 2004
The Manchurian Candidate
The Manchurian Candidate Political Pundit 2004
Imaginary Witness: Hollywood and the Holocaust
Imaginary Witness: Hollywood and the Holocaust Self 2004
The Education of Gore Vidal
The Education of Gore Vidal Self 2003
The Evolution of an American Filmmaker
The Evolution of an American Filmmaker Self 2003
A Decade Under the Influence
A Decade Under the Influence Self 2003
Inside 'Serpico'
Inside 'Serpico' Self 2002
Serpico: From Real to Reel
Serpico: From Real to Reel Self 2002
New York at the Movies
New York at the Movies Self 2002
The Tramp and the Dictator
The Tramp and the Dictator Self (uncredited) 2002
Dziga and His Brothers
Dziga and His Brothers Self 2002
Revisiting 'Fail-Safe'
Revisiting 'Fail-Safe' Self 2000
Inside: 'Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb'
Inside: 'Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb' Self - Director, 'Fail Safe' 2000
Anthony Perkins: A Life in the Shadows
Anthony Perkins: A Life in the Shadows Self 1999
Intimate Portrait: Sean Connery
Intimate Portrait: Sean Connery Self 1998
Inside the Actors Studio
Inside the Actors Studio Self 1994
Fonda on Fonda
Fonda on Fonda Self 1992
Night of 100 Stars III
Night of 100 Stars III Self 1990
William Holden: The Golden Boy
William Holden: The Golden Boy Self 1989
Funny
Funny Self 1988
American Masters
American Masters Self 1986
The Making of 'Tootsie'
The Making of 'Tootsie' Self 1982
Wiz on Down the Road
Wiz on Down the Road Self - Director 1978
Spécial cinéma
Spécial cinéma Self 1974
Film '72
Film '72 Self 1971
The Dick Cavett Show
The Dick Cavett Show Self - Guest 1968
The Sun... the Sand... the Hill
The Sun... the Sand... the Hill Self 1965
The 400 Million
The 400 Million Additional Voice (voice) 1939
One Third of a Nation
One Third of a Nation Joey Rogers 1939

Directing Credits (81)

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead Director 2007
Find Me Guilty
Find Me Guilty Director 2006
Rachel, When the Lord
Rachel, When the Lord Director 2004
Strip Search
Strip Search Director 2004
100 Centre Street
100 Centre Street Director 2001
Gloria
Gloria Director 1999
Critical Care
Critical Care Director 1997
Night Falls on Manhattan
Night Falls on Manhattan Director 1997
Guilty as Sin
Guilty as Sin Director 1993
A Stranger Among Us
A Stranger Among Us Director 1992
Q & A
Q & A Director 1990
Family Business
Family Business Director 1989
Running on Empty
Running on Empty Director 1988
The Morning After
The Morning After Director 1986
Power
Power Director 1986
Garbo Talks
Garbo Talks Director 1984
Daniel
Daniel Director 1983
The Verdict
The Verdict Director 1982
Deathtrap
Deathtrap Director 1982
Prince of the City
Prince of the City Director 1981
Just Tell Me What You Want
Just Tell Me What You Want Director 1980
The Wiz
The Wiz Director 1978
Equus
Equus Director 1977
Network
Network Director 1976
Dog Day Afternoon
Dog Day Afternoon Director 1975
Murder on the Orient Express
Murder on the Orient Express Director 1974
Lovin' Molly
Lovin' Molly Director 1974
Serpico
Serpico Director 1973
The Offence
The Offence Director 1973
Child's Play
Child's Play Director 1972
The Anderson Tapes
The Anderson Tapes Director 1971
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis Director 1970
Last of the Mobile Hot Shots
Last of the Mobile Hot Shots Director 1970
The Appointment
The Appointment Director 1969
The Sea Gull
The Sea Gull Director 1968
Bye Bye Braverman
Bye Bye Braverman Director 1968
The Deadly Affair
The Deadly Affair Director 1967
The Group
The Group Director 1966
The Hill
The Hill Director 1965
The Pawnbroker
The Pawnbroker Director 1965
Fail Safe
Fail Safe Director 1964
Long Day's Journey Into Night
Long Day's Journey Into Night Director 1962
A View from the Bridge
A View from the Bridge Director 1962
Play of the Week: Rashomon
Play of the Week: Rashomon Director 1960
The Iceman Cometh
The Iceman Cometh Director 1960
The Iceman Cometh
The Iceman Cometh Director 1960
John Brown's Raid
John Brown's Raid Director 1960
The Dybbuk
The Dybbuk Director 1960
The Fugitive Kind
The Fugitive Kind Director 1960
The Hiding Place
The Hiding Place Director 1960
Play of the Week
Play of the Week Director 1959
NBC Sunday Showcase
NBC Sunday Showcase Director 1959
That Kind of Woman
That Kind of Woman Director 1959
All the King's Men
All the King's Men Director 1958
Stage Struck
Stage Struck Director 1958
Three Plays by Tennessee Williams
Three Plays by Tennessee Williams Director 1958
Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates
Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates Director 1958
The Seven Lively Arts
The Seven Lively Arts Director 1957
DuPont Show of the Month
DuPont Show of the Month Director 1957
Mr. Broadway
Mr. Broadway Director 1957
12 Angry Men
12 Angry Men Director 1957
Playhouse 90
Playhouse 90 Director 1956
Tragedy in a Temporary Town
Tragedy in a Temporary Town Director 1956
The Alcoa Hour
The Alcoa Hour Director 1955
Frontier
Frontier Director 1955
Star Stage
Star Stage Director 1955
The Challenge
The Challenge Director 1955
Producers' Showcase
Producers' Showcase Director 1954
The Elgin Hour
The Elgin Hour Director 1954
The Best of Broadway
The Best of Broadway Director 1954
The United States Steel Hour
The United States Steel Hour Director 1953
You Are There
You Are There Director 1953
Omnibus
Omnibus Director 1952
CBS Television Workshop
CBS Television Workshop Director 1952
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Hallmark Hall of Fame Director 1951
Goodyear Television Playhouse
Goodyear Television Playhouse Director 1951
Casey, Crime Photographer
Casey, Crime Photographer Director 1951
Danger
Danger Director 1950
Mama
Mama Director 1949
Studio One
Studio One Director 1948
Kraft Television Theatre
Kraft Television Theatre Director 1947

Writing Credits (5)

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