John Huston is one of the most celebrated directors and screenwriters in Hollywood. Born on August 5, 1906, in Nevadaville, Colorado, he was the son of actor Walter Huston and Rhea Gore. He began his career as a journalist and later worked as an amateur boxer before entering movies.
Huston’s movies were often morally ambiguous, with elements of both comedy and tragedy. He rose to fame for movies such as “The Maltese Falcon” (1941), which starred Humphrey Bogart, “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre” (1948), starring Humphrey Bogart and Walter Huston, and “The African Queen” (1951), starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn. He also wrote many movies including “The Asphalt Jungle” (1950) and directed iconic movies such as “The Man Who Would Be King” (1975).
Huston was highly acclaimed by critics for his skillful direction in movies that explored complex themes such as greed and morality. Many of his movies featured actors who had trained under revered director Erich von Stroheim. He was also known for working with established actors like John Wayne and Marilyn Monroe in movies such as “Freud: The Secret Passion” (1962). His long-term association with screenwriter Gladys Hill was also noted by critics.
In addition to making movies, Huston worked on television projects such as directing six episodes of the series “Wagon Train”. He also wrote several books throughout his lifetime including “An Open Book”, which documented his life story up until the mid-1970s. In 1975, he won an Oscar for Best Director for his adaptation of James Agee’s novel “A Walk With Love And Death”.
John Huston received multiple awards throughout his career including two Academy Awards for Best Director – one for The African Queen (1951) and one for The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (1948)- seven nominations from Directors Guild Of America Awards, four Golden Globe Award nominations, three BAFTA Award nominations, five New York Film Critics Circle awards among others. In 1983 he was inducted into the National Film Registry by the Library Of Congress for his contribution to cinema history.
John Huston died on August 28th 1987 at 81 years old due to emphysema complications. His legacy has been honored through various exhibitions around the world that showcase memorabilia from some of his most famous works while continuing to inspire future generations filmmakers with thoughtful stories that explore complex themes found within human nature.
