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David O. Selznick

David O. Selznick

Known For Production
Birthday May 10, 1902
Died Jun 22, 1965 (63)
Birthplace Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Popularity 0.1 (history)
Updated Apr 09, 2025 (Update)
Entry Date Apr 26, 2024
Links TMDb IMDb
Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia David O. Selznick (May 10, 1902 – June 22, 1965) was an American film producer, screenwriter and film studio executive. He is best known for producing Gone with the Wind (1939) and Rebecca (1940), both earning him an Academy Award for Best Picture. In 1926, Se ... lznick moved to Hollywood, and with the help of his father's connections, he got a job as an assistant story editor at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. He left MGM for Paramount Pictures in 1928, where he worked until 1931, when he joined RKO as Head of Production. His years at RKO were fruitful, and he worked on many films, including A Bill of Divorcement (1932), What Price Hollywood? (1932), Rockabye (1932), Bird of Paradise (1932), Our Betters (1933), and King Kong (1933). While at RKO, he also gave George Cukor his directing break. In 1933 he returned to MGM where his father-in-law, Louis B. Mayer, was studio CEO. Mayer established a second prestige production unit for David, parallel to that of powerful Irving Thalberg, who was in poor health. Selznick's unit output included the all star cast movie Dinner at Eight (1933), David Copperfield (1935), Anna Karenina (1935), and A Tale of Two Cities (1935). Selznick went on to make more films at MGM, Paramount and RKO, but he wanted more independence and formed Selznick International Pictures in 1935. Here he produced classics such as Gone with the Wind. Gone with the Wind overshadowed the rest of Selznick's career. Later, he was convinced that he had wasted his life trying to outdo it. The closest he came to matching the film was with Duel in the Sun (1946) featuring future wife Jennifer Jones in the role of the primary character Pearl. With a huge budget, the film is known for causing moral upheaval because of the then risqué script written by Selznick. And though it was a troublesome shoot with a number of directors, the film would be a major success. The film was the second highest-grossing film of 1947 and was the first movie that Martin Scorsese saw, inspiring Scorsese's own directorial career.

Known For

Filmography

No data available

The Paradine Case

The Paradine Case

1947

Screenplay

Duel in the Sun

Duel in the Sun

1946

Screenplay

Gaslight

Gaslight

1944

Thanks

Since You Went Away

Since You Went Away

1944

Screenplay

A Star Is Born

A Star Is Born

1937

Writer

Reckless

Reckless

1935

Story

Forgotten Faces

Forgotten Faces

1928

Editor

A Farewell to Arms

A Farewell to Arms

1957

Producer

Gone to Earth

Gone to Earth

1950

Producer

The Third Man

The Third Man

1949

Executive Producer

Portrait of Jennie

Portrait of Jennie

1948

Producer

The Paradine Case

The Paradine Case

1947

Producer

Duel in the Sun

Duel in the Sun

1946

Producer

Spellbound

Spellbound

1945

Producer

The Fighting Generation

The Fighting Generation

1944

Producer

Since You Went Away

Since You Went Away

1944

Producer

Rebecca

Rebecca

1940

Producer

Gone with the Wind

Gone with the Wind

1939

Producer

Made for Each Other

Made for Each Other

1939

Producer

Intermezzo: A Love Story

Intermezzo: A Love Story

1939

Producer

The Young in Heart

The Young in Heart

1938

Producer

A Star Is Born

A Star Is Born

1937

Producer

The Prisoner of Zenda

The Prisoner of Zenda

1937

Producer

Nothing Sacred

Nothing Sacred

1937

Producer

The Garden of Allah

The Garden of Allah

1936

Producer

Little Lord Fauntleroy

Little Lord Fauntleroy

1936

Producer

A Tale of Two Cities

A Tale of Two Cities

1935

Producer

Reckless

Reckless

1935

Producer

David Copperfield

David Copperfield

1935

Producer

Anna Karenina

Anna Karenina

1935

Producer

Manhattan Melodrama

Manhattan Melodrama

1934

Producer

Viva Villa!

Viva Villa!

1934

Producer

Dinner at Eight

Dinner at Eight

1933

Producer

Dancing Lady

Dancing Lady

1933

Executive Producer

Night Flight

Night Flight

1933

Executive Producer

Topaze

Topaze

1933

Producer

Sweepings

Sweepings

1933

Producer

Christopher Strong

Christopher Strong

1933

Producer

Lucky Devils

Lucky Devils

1933

Executive Producer

Scarlet River

Scarlet River

1933

Executive Producer

Cross Fire

Cross Fire

1933

Producer

Our Betters

Our Betters

1933

Producer

Meet the Baron

Meet the Baron

1933

Producer

The Great Jasper

The Great Jasper

1933

Producer

The Cheyenne Kid

The Cheyenne Kid

1933

Executive Producer

The Past of Mary Holmes

The Past of Mary Holmes

1933

Executive Producer

King Kong

King Kong

1933

Executive Producer

Thirteen Women

Thirteen Women

1932

Executive Producer

Rockabye

Rockabye

1932

Executive Producer

Bird of Paradise

Bird of Paradise

1932

Executive Producer

The Animal Kingdom

The Animal Kingdom

1932

Producer

What Price Hollywood?

What Price Hollywood?

1932

Executive Producer

A Bill of Divorcement

A Bill of Divorcement

1932

Executive Producer

Westward Passage

Westward Passage

1932

Executive Producer

The Conquerors

The Conquerors

1932

Executive Producer

Young Bride

Young Bride

1932

Executive Producer

Penguin Pool Murder

Penguin Pool Murder

1932

Executive Producer

The Phantom of Crestwood

The Phantom of Crestwood

1932

Executive Producer

Symphony of Six Million

Symphony of Six Million

1932

Executive Producer

Hell's Highway

Hell's Highway

1932

Executive Producer

The Lost Squadron

The Lost Squadron

1932

Executive Producer

Roar of the Dragon

Roar of the Dragon

1932

Executive Producer

The Age of Consent

The Age of Consent

1932

Executive Producer

The Half-Naked Truth

The Half-Naked Truth

1932

Executive Producer

State's Attorney

State's Attorney

1932

Executive Producer

The Sport Parade

The Sport Parade

1932

Executive Producer

Is My Face Red?

Is My Face Red?

1932

Executive Producer

Hold 'Em Jail

Hold 'Em Jail

1932

Executive Producer

The Roadhouse Murder

The Roadhouse Murder

1932

Executive Producer

Renegades of the West

Renegades of the West

1932

Executive Producer

The Most Dangerous Game

The Most Dangerous Game

1932

Executive Producer

Street of Chance

Street of Chance

1930

Producer

Chinatown Nights

Chinatown Nights

1929

Associate Producer

The Man I Love

The Man I Love

1929

Producer

The Four Feathers

The Four Feathers

1929

Associate Producer

The Dance of Life

The Dance of Life

1929

Associate Producer

The Glorious Lady

The Glorious Lady

1919

Producer

Organization Category Movie
Television Credits

No data available

The Ed Sullivan Show

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jun 20, 1948

The Oscars

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Mar 19, 1953

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