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S15 Ep3

George Cuckor: On Cukor

Premiere: 11/22/2000

Cukor was an American film director. He mainly concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations. His career flourished at RKO when David O. Selznick, the studio's Head of Production, assigned Cukor to direct several of RKO's major films, including What Price Hollywood? (1932), A Bill of Divorcement (1932), Our Betters (1933), and Little Women (1933)

Career Timeline

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1899

George Dewey Cukor is born on July 7th in New York City.

1899
1926

Directs the first stage production of "The Great Gatsby" on Broadway.

1926
1928

Ends a three year stint running his own theatre company in Rochester, New York.

1928
1929

Moves to Hollywood and starts his film career as a dialogue director.

1929
1932

"A Bill of Divorcement" puts both Cukor and his new star Katharine Hepburn on the map.

1932
1933

Both "Dinner at Eight" and "Little Women" put Cukor at the top of his craft.

1933
1935

Directs "David Copperfield," which includes W.C. Fields' only dramatic role.

1935
1936

Directs "Camille," starring Greta Garbo. Directs "Sylvia Scarlett," featuring the first pairing of Hepburn and Cary Grant.

1936
1938

Directs "Holiday."

1938
1939

Begins directing "Gone with the Wind," but is fired by producer and old friend David O. Selznick.

1939
1940

Films "The Philadelphia Story," which earns him his second Oscar nomination for Best Director.

1940
1944

Directs "Gaslight," starring Ingrid Bergman, who wins an Oscar for the performance.

1944
1947

Films "A Double Life," which earns him his third Oscar nomination for Best Director.

1947
1949

Directs "Adam's Rib," starring Hepburn and Spencer Tracy.

1949
1950

Films "Born Yesterday," which earns Cukor his fourth Oscar nomination for Best Director and Judy Holliday an Oscar for Best Actress.

1950
1952

Directs "Pat and Mike" and "The Marrying Kind."

1952
1954

Directs "A Star is Born."

1954
1964

Films "My Fair Lady," which goes on to win Oscars for Best Picture and Director.

1964
1975

Directs his first film for television, "Love Among the Ruins" starring Hepburn and Laurence Olivier—all three win the Emmy that year.

1975
1976

At age 77, films "The Blue Bird" on location in Russia.

1976
1979

Directs the TV movie "The Corn is Green," his final collaboration with Katharine Hepburn.

1979
1981

Directs his final film, "Rich and Famous."

1981
1983

Dies on January 24th in Los Angeles.

1983
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