Early Life
Steven Allan Spielberg, born December 18, 1946, is an American producer, screenwriter, and film director. Spielberg was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. While living in Haddon Township, New Jersey, he saw one of his first films in a theater. Through his early teenage years, Spielberg made amateur 8mm films. He charged 25 cents for people to see his home films. In 1958, he became a Boy scout and Earned the photography merit badge by making a film entitled The Last Gunfight. At the young age of 13, he won a prize for his film entitled Escape to Nowhere. He wrote his first independent film at the age of 16 entitled Firelight. Spielberg also enjoyed making WWII films inspired by his father’s war stories.
After his parents got a divorce, Spielberg moved to Saratoga, California with his father ( Arnold Spielberg. ) He graduated from Saratoga High School in 1965. After graduating, he applied for the University of Southern California two times. When he failed to get in both times, he attended Long Beach State. Spielberg’s actual career began as an unpaid intern and guest of the editing department at Universal Studios. While working there, he made his first short film for theater release in 1968. It was a 26 minute film entitled Amblin’. After releasing the film, he became the youngest director to be signed for a long-term deal with a major Hollywood Studio. He dropped out of Long Beach State to work as a director for Universal in 1969. He then went on to direct a segment for Night Gallery ( 1969 ) which marks his first professional television job. After that, he produced many well known films. Some of them include: Jaws ( 1975 ) , E.T. ( 1982 ) , Raiders of the Lost Ark ( 1981 ) , and Jurassic Park ( 1993. ) Awards, Nominations, and Honors Spielberg received multiple honors, including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and hand/footprints in front of the Grauman's Chinese Theatre. Here is a list of Spielberg's awards, nominations, and honors: - Won 3 Academy Awards - Nominated for 7 Academy Awards ( He won 2 ) for the "Best Director" category - 9 films nominated for the "Best Picture' Oscar - Awarded the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award in 1987 - Made a Boy Scout badge for cinematography in 1989 - Awarded the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award - Awarded the AFI Life Achievement Award in 1995 - Awarded the Federal Cross of Merit in 1998 - Awarded an honorary degree from Brown University - Awarded the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service in 1999 - Awarded as an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 2001 -Awarded the Gold Hugo Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006 - Inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in 2005 - Awarded a Lifetime Award IN 2007 - Awarded the Arizona State University's Hugh Downs Award in 2008 - Awarded the Records of Achievement Award from the National Archives and Records Administration in 2013 |
Baby Steven Spielberg with his mom, Leah, and father, Arnold.
Steven Spielberg with his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2003.
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