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Samuel Fuller

Samuel Fuller

Known For Directing
Birthday Aug 12, 1912
Died Oct 30, 1997 (85)
Birthplace Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Popularity 0.4 (history)
Updated Aug 28, 2025
Entry Date Apr 13, 2024
Links TMDb IMDb
Biography

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 R ... ussia, 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.

Known For

Headshots

Profile
Profile
Filmography

The Big Red One : The Reconstruction

The Big Red One : The Reconstruction

2005

as War Correspondent (uncredited)

The End of Violence

The End of Violence

1997

as Louis

Somebody to Love

Somebody to Love

1994

as Sam Silverman

Sons

Sons

1990

as Father

The Madonna and the Dragon

The Madonna and the Dragon

1990

as Chef de bureau Newsweek

Street of No Return

Street of No Return

1989

as Police Commissioner

A Return to Salem's Lot

A Return to Salem's Lot

1987

as Van Meer

Slapstick (Of Another Kind)

Slapstick (Of Another Kind)

1982

as Colonel Sharp

White Dog

White Dog

1982

as Charlie Felton

Hammett

Hammett

1982

as Old Man in Pool Hall

The Big Red One

The Big Red One

1980

as War Correspondent (uncredited)

1941

1941

1979

as Interceptor Commander

The American Friend

The American Friend

1977

as The American

Scott Joplin

Scott Joplin

1977

as Impresario

The Young Nurses

The Young Nurses

1973

as Doc Haskell

The Last Movie

The Last Movie

1971

as Sam

Pierrot le Fou

Pierrot le Fou

1965

as Samuel Fuller (uncredited)

House of Bamboo

House of Bamboo

1955

as Japanese policeman (uncredited)

A Fuller Life

A Fuller Life

2013

Book

Girls in Prison

Girls in Prison

1994

Writer

The Madonna and the Dragon

The Madonna and the Dragon

1990

Screenplay

Street of No Return

Street of No Return

1989

Screenplay, Dialogue

Let's Get Harry

Let's Get Harry

1986

Story

White Dog

White Dog

1982

Screenplay

The Big Red One

The Big Red One

1980

Writer

The Meanest Men in the West

The Meanest Men in the West

1978

Screenplay

The Klansman

The Klansman

1974

Screenplay

The Deadly Trackers

The Deadly Trackers

1973

Story

Shark

Shark

1969

Screenplay

Targets

Targets

1968

Screenplay

The Cape Town Affair

The Cape Town Affair

1967

Writer

The Naked Kiss

The Naked Kiss

1964

Writer

Shock Corridor

Shock Corridor

1963

Screenplay

Merrill's Marauders

Merrill's Marauders

1962

Screenplay

Underworld U.S.A.

Underworld U.S.A.

1961

Writer

The Crimson Kimono

The Crimson Kimono

1959

Writer

Verboten!

Verboten!

1959

Writer

Dogface

Dogface

1959

Writer

China Gate

China Gate

1957

Screenplay

Run of the Arrow

Run of the Arrow

1957

Writer

Forty Guns

Forty Guns

1957

Screenplay

House of Bamboo

House of Bamboo

1955

Additional Dialogue

The Command

The Command

1954

Writer

Hell and High Water

Hell and High Water

1954

Screenplay

Pickup on South Street

Pickup on South Street

1953

Screenplay

Scandal Sheet

Scandal Sheet

1952

Novel

Park Row

Park Row

1952

Writer

The Steel Helmet

The Steel Helmet

1951

Writer

Fixed Bayonets!

Fixed Bayonets!

1951

Screenplay

The Baron of Arizona

The Baron of Arizona

1950

Writer

Shockproof

Shockproof

1949

Writer

I Shot Jesse James

I Shot Jesse James

1949

Writer

Margin for Error

Margin for Error

1943

Screenplay

Power of the Press

Power of the Press

1943

Story

Confirm or Deny

Confirm or Deny

1941

Story

Bowery Boy

Bowery Boy

1940

Original Story

Gangs of Chicago

Gangs of Chicago

1940

Screenplay

She Married a Cop

She Married a Cop

1939

Writer

Gangs of New York

Gangs of New York

1938

Story, Screenplay

Federal Man-Hunt

Federal Man-Hunt

1938

Story

Adventure in Sahara

Adventure in Sahara

1938

Story

It Happened in Hollywood

It Happened in Hollywood

1937

Screenplay

Hats Off

Hats Off

1936

Story, Screenplay

Street of No Return

Street of No Return

1989

Director

White Dog

White Dog

1982

Director

The Big Red One

The Big Red One

1980

Director

Shark

Shark

1969

Director

The Naked Kiss

The Naked Kiss

1964

Director

Shock Corridor

Shock Corridor

1963

Director

Merrill's Marauders

Merrill's Marauders

1962

Director

Underworld U.S.A.

Underworld U.S.A.

1961

Director

The Crimson Kimono

The Crimson Kimono

1959

Director

Verboten!

Verboten!

1959

Director

Dogface

Dogface

1959

Director

China Gate

China Gate

1957

Director

Run of the Arrow

Run of the Arrow

1957

Director

Forty Guns

Forty Guns

1957

Director

House of Bamboo

House of Bamboo

1955

Director

Hell and High Water

Hell and High Water

1954

Director

Pickup on South Street

Pickup on South Street

1953

Director

Park Row

Park Row

1952

Director

The Steel Helmet

The Steel Helmet

1951

Director

Fixed Bayonets!

Fixed Bayonets!

1951

Director

The Baron of Arizona

The Baron of Arizona

1950

Director

I Shot Jesse James

I Shot Jesse James

1949

Director

V-E +1

V-E +1

1945

Director

The Naked Kiss

The Naked Kiss

1964

Producer

Shock Corridor

Shock Corridor

1963

Producer

Underworld U.S.A.

Underworld U.S.A.

1961

Producer

The Crimson Kimono

The Crimson Kimono

1959

Producer

Dogface

Dogface

1959

Producer

China Gate

China Gate

1957

Producer

Run of the Arrow

Run of the Arrow

1957

Producer

Forty Guns

Forty Guns

1957

Producer

Park Row

Park Row

1952

Producer

The Steel Helmet

The Steel Helmet

1951

Producer

Organization Category Movie
Television Credits

No data available

Les Rendez-vous du dimanche

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 12, 1975

David Lansky

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Apr 30, 1989

Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 5 8 8 8
2024 6 6 8 4
2024 7 14 20 5
2024 8 9 20 5
2024 9 10 28 3
2024 10 5 10 2
2024 11 4 9 2
2024 12 5 16 3
2025 1 9 27 3
2025 2 3 6 1
2025 3 2 5 1
2025 4 0 0 0
2025 5 2 2 1
2025 6 1 1 1
2025 7 1 2 0
2025 8 0 1 0
2025 9 0 0 0
2025 10 0 0 0

Trending Rank


Year Month Avg Rank Max Rank
2024 5 244 244
2024 12 856 734
2025 7 385 46
2025 8 320 91
2025 9 938 864

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