Elia Kazan

Born: 7 September 1909
Where: Constantinople, Ottoman Empire (Istanbul, Turkey)
Died: 28 September 2003

A director whose films of great worth are in danger of being overshadowed by the controversy surrounding Kazan receiving an honorary award at the 1999 Oscars.

At the time there was still lingering resentment over his naming of many of his professional colleagues and thus damaging their careers, who he claimed had once belonged to the Communist Party.

As a result of his appearances before the House of Un-American Activities Committee during the McCarthy era, many of them were subsequently blacklisted from working in film and television.

As a result of all this, as well as the protestors gathered outside, when he actually received the award many of the attendees refused to stand in recognition of his work or in many cases refused to applaud the director.

But politics aside, Kazan's career included five best director Oscar nominations, of which he went on to win two.

The films which helped cement his name in movie history include Gentleman's Agreement (1947), A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), On The Waterfront (1954), East Of Eden (1955) and America, America (1963).

A Gentleman's Agreement, starring Gregory Peck and On The Waterfront won him his Oscars.

Kazan worked with a wealth of Hollywood stars, including Vivien Leigh, Tony Curtis, Robert De Niro, Robert Mitchum and Jack Nicholson.

He also launched the careers of two of cinema's biggest idols, Marlon Brando and James Dean.