Sidney Lumet

Born: 1924-06-25

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.​


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The Manchurian Candidate

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Released: 2004-07-30

Years after his squad was ambushed during the Gulf War, Major Ben Marco finds himself having...

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And the Oscar Goes To...

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Released: 2014-02-01

The story of the gold-plated statuette that became the film industry's most coveted prize, AND...

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I Knew It Was You: Rediscovering John Cazale

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Released: 2009-01-16

John Cazale was in only five films – The Godfather, The Conversation, The Godfather: Part II,...

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A Decade Under the Influence

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Released: 2003-04-25

A documentary examining the decade of the 1970s as a turning point in American cinema. Some of...

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The Enigmatic Charlotte Rampling

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Released: 2023-06-18

Screen icon Charlotte Rampling has fascinated the world of cinema, fashion and photography with...

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Night of 100 Stars III

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Released: 1990-05-21

A celebrity benefit for The Actors' Fund of America, featuring music, songs, dance and comedy.

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Paul Newman: The Restless

as Self - Interviewee (archive footage)
Released: 2023-06-11

Multi-talented, Paul Newman is one of the greatest American actors of all time. With his...

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You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story

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Released: 2008-05-15

Jack L. Warner, Harry Warner, Albert Warner and Sam Warner were siblings who were born in Poland...

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Imaginary Witness: Hollywood and the Holocaust

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Released: 2004-01-01

Daniel Anker’s 90-minute documentary takes on over 60 years of a very complex subject:...

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William Holden: The Golden Boy

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Released: 1989-12-13

It was said of him that in more than 70 films, he never once gave a bad performance.

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Inside: 'Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb'

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Released: 2000-05-05

A documentary on the making of Stanley Kubrick's classic 1964 film.

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Revisiting 'Fail-Safe'

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Released: 2000-10-31

Documentary featuring interviews with director Sidney Lumet, "Fail-Safe" (2000) producer George...

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The Evolution of an American Filmmaker

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Released: 2003-05-20

Spike Lee's filmmaking career is examined in this partial making-of for the film 25th Hour...

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The Tramp and the Dictator

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Released: 2002-02-14

A look at the parallel lives of Charlie Chaplin and Adolf Hitler and how they crossed with the...

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Eugene O’Neill: A Documentary Film

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Released: 2006-03-27

Eugene O'Neill tells the haunting story of the life and work of America's greatest and only...

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One Third of a Nation

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Released: 1939-02-10

The negligent owner of a tenement slum becomes romantically involved with one of the building's...

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Serpico: From Real to Reel

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Released: 2002-12-03

In separate interviews about the classic film "Serpico," director Sidney Lumet and producer...

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Inside 'Serpico'

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Released: 2002-12-03

In this documentary about the classic film "Serpico," Sidney Lumet and Martin Bregman discuss...

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Anthony Perkins: A Life in the Shadows

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Released: 1999-01-11

The life of legendary actor Anthony Perkins is recounted by friends and family, colleagues and...

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The Making of 'Dog Day Afternoon'

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Released: 2006-02-28

A documentary chronicling the making of the 1975 film "Dog Day Afternoon."

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Wiz on Down the Road

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Released: 1978-01-01

A short promotional film on the making of “The Wiz” (1978). Includes a brief history of Oz...

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Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: Making '12 Angry Men'

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Released: 2008-03-04

A making of featurette of 12 Angry Men made exclusively for the Collector's Edition DVD.

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The 400 Million

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Released: 1939-03-07

The 400 million people of China are heirs to a great civilization, as their pagodas and stone...

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By Sidney Lumet

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Released: 2015-07-13

An analysis of director Sidney Lumet's work (12 Angry Men, Dog Day Afternoon, Before The Devil...

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The Education of Gore Vidal

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Released: 2003-06-30

A contrarian and wickedly funny man, this PBS American Masters special explores Gore Vidal's...

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Directed by Sidney Lumet: How the Devil Was Made

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Released: 2008-04-15

An involved behind-the-scenes documentary that focuses on the High Definition cameras used for...

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The Making of 'Network'

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Released: 2006-02-28

An engrossing feature-length documentary about the making of Sidney Lumet's classic film "Network."

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Prince of the City: The Real Story

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Released: 2007-01-01

The true story behind the Prince of the City.

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The Dick Cavett Show

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First aired: 1968-06-06

The Dick Cavett Show has been the title of several talk shows hosted by Dick Cavett on various...

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Spécial cinéma

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First aired: 1974-09-25

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AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies

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First aired: 1998-06-23

To commemorate the first century of American filmmaking, the American Film Institute embarked on...

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American Masters

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First aired: 1986-06-23

American Masters is a PBS television series which produces biographies on enduring writers,...

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Moguls & Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood

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First aired: 2010-11-01

Each installment focuses on a different era of American movie history, from the invention of the...

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Inside the Actors Studio

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First aired: 1994-08-14

James Lipton sits down with some of the world's most accomplished actors and directors for...

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