Image of Samuel Fuller

Samuel Fuller

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.


Read bio at tmdb | Read bio at Wikipedia
Born:
Aug 12, 1912 In Worcester, Massachusetts, US
Movie/TV Credits:
31
First Appeared:
In the movie House of Bamboo 1955-07-01
Latest Project:
Movie A Fuller Life 2013-08-28
Known For
Filmography
Movie A Fuller Life Self 2013-08-28
Movie Carmel 2009-07-12
Movie Edge of Outside Self (archive footage) 2006-06-11
Movie Filmmakers in Action Self (archive footage) 2006-09-15
Movie The Real Glory: Reconstructing 'The Big Red One' Himself (archive footage) 2005-05-03
Movie The Men Who Made the Movies: Samuel Fuller Self 2002-07-02
Movie The End of Violence Louis 1997-05-11
Movie The Typewriter, the Rifle & the Movie Camera Self 1996-06-28
Movie Somebody to Love Sam Silverman 1994-09-27
Movie La Vie de Bohème Gassot 1992-02-27
Movie Golem, l'esprit de l'exil Elimelek 1992-09-24
Movie Sons Father 1990-01-01
Movie The Madonna and the Dragon Chef de bureau Newsweek 1990-09-01
Movie Street of No Return Police Commissioner 1989-05-17
Movie Falkenau, the Impossible Samuel Fuller 1988-10-05
Movie A Return to Salem's Lot Van Meer 1987-09-11
Movie Helsinki Napoli All Night Long Boss 1987-11-13
Movie Thieves After Dark Zoltan 1984-02-27
Movie The State of Things Joe 1982-03-22
Movie Hammett Old Man in Pool Hall 1982-06-09
Movie White Dog Charlie Felton 1982-07-07
Movie Slapstick (Of Another Kind) Colonel Sharp 1982-12-09
Movie The Big Red One War Correspondent (uncredited) 1980-01-22
Movie 1941 Interceptor Commander 1979-12-14
Movie Cinématon N°602 1978-12-20
Movie Scott Joplin Impresario 1977-02-11
Movie The American Friend The American 1977-06-24
Movie The Young Nurses Doc Haskell 1973-03-01
Movie The Last Movie Sam 1971-09-29
Movie Pierrot le Fou Samuel Fuller (uncredited) 1965-11-05
Movie House of Bamboo Japanese policeman (uncredited) 1955-07-01
Show me another film
Random Artist
Protect yourself from online tracking

Are you sure you want to hide this?