Samuel Fuller
Directing
Samuel Michael Fuller (August 12, 1912 – October 30, 1997) was an American screenwriter, novelist and film director known for low-budget genre movies with controversial themes. He was born Samuel Michael Fuller in Worcester, Massachusetts, the son of Benjamin Rabinovitch, a Jewish immigrant from Russia, and Rebecca Baum, a Jewish immigrant from Poland. After immigrating to America, the family's surname was changed from Rabinovitch to "Fuller" possibly by inspiration of a Doctor who arrived in America on the Mayflower. At the age of 12, he began working in journalism as a newspaper copyboy. He became a crime reporter in New York City at age 17, working for the New York Evening Graphic. He broke the story of Jeanne Eagels' death. He wrote pulp novels and screenplays from the mid-1930s onwards. Fuller also became a screenplay ghostwriter but would never tell interviewers which screenplays that he ghost-wrote explaining "that's what a ghost writer is for". During World War II, Fuller joined the United States Army infantry. He was assigned to the 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, and saw heavy fighting. He was involved in landings in Africa, Sicily, and Normandy and also saw action in Belgium and Czechoslovakia. In 1945 he was present at the liberation of the German concentration camp at Falkenau and shot 16 mm footage which was used later in the documentary Falkenau: The Impossible. For his service, he was awarded the Bronze Star, the Silver Star, and the Purple Heart. Fuller used his wartime experiences as material in his films, especially in The Big Red One (1980), a nickname of the 1st Infantry Division. After his controversial film "White Dog" was shelved by Paramount pictures, Fuller moved to France, and never directed another American film. Fuller eventually returned to America. He died of natural causes in his California home. In November 1997, the Directors Guild held a three hour memorial in his honor, hosted by Curtis Hanson, his long time friend and co-writer on White Dog. He was survived by his wife Christa and daughter Samantha.
Known for
Directing33
movieThe Day of Reckoning
1990
Director
tvChillers
1990
Director
movieStreet of No Return
1989
Director
movieThieves After Dark
1984
Director
movieWhite Dog
1982
Director
movieThe Big Red One
1980
Director
tvScene of the Crime
1970
Director
movieShark
1969
Director
movieThe Naked Kiss
1964
Director
movieShock Corridor
1963
Director
tvThe Virginian
1962
Director
movieMerrill's Marauders
1962
Director
tvThe Dick Powell Show
1961
Director
movieUnderworld U.S.A.
1961
Director
movieThe Crimson Kimono
1959
Director
movieVerboten!
1959
Director
movieDogface
1959
Director
movieForty Guns
1957
Director
movieRun of the Arrow
1957
Director
movieChina Gate
1957
Director
movieHouse of Bamboo
1955
Director
movieHell and High Water
1954
Director
moviePickup on South Street
1953
Director
moviePark Row
1952
Director
movieFixed Bayonets!
1951
Director
movieThe Steel Helmet
1951
Director
movieThe Baron of Arizona
1950
Director
movieI Shot Jesse James
1949
Director
movieV-E +1
1945
Director
Acting56
movieFilms to Die For
2025
(archive footage) (uncredited)
movieFilmmakers in Action
2006
Self (archive footage)
movieThe Big Red One: The Reconstruction
2005
War Correspondent (uncredited)
movieThe Real Glory: Reconstructing 'The Big Red One'
2005
Himself (archive footage)
movieNecro not(to b)e
2003
Sé stesso
movieSomebody to Love
1994
Sam Silverman
movieShock Corridor
1992
himself
movieThe Madonna and the Dragon
1990
Chef de bureau Newsweek
movieSons
1990
Father
movieStreet of No Return
1989
Police Commissioner
movieFalkenau, the Impossible
1988
Samuel Fuller
movieMer de Chine: Le pays pour mémoire
1988
Le capitaine américain
movieA Return to Salem's Lot
1987
Van Meer
movieThe Bleeding Star
1987
The Man in the Bar
movieSlapstick of Another Kind
1982
Colonel Sharp
movieWhite Dog
1982
Charlie Felton
movieHammett
1982
Old Man in Pool Hall
movieThe Big Red One
1980
War Correspondent (uncredited)
movie1941
1979
Interceptor Commander
movieCinématon
1978
N°602
movieThe American Friend
1977
The American
movieScott Joplin
1977
Impresario
movieThe Young Nurses
1973
Doc Haskell
Cinéastes de notre temps : Samuel Fuller
1967
Interviewee
moviePierrot le Fou
1965
Samuel Fuller (uncredited)
movieHouse of Bamboo
1955
Japanese policeman (uncredited)
Writing54
movieGirls in Prison
1994
Writer
tvRebel Highway
1994
Writer
movieThe Madonna and the Dragon
1990
Screenplay
movieThe Day of Reckoning
1990
Screenplay
tvChillers
1990
Writer
movieStreet of No Return
1989
Screenplay, Dialogue
movieWhite Dog
1982
Screenplay
movieThe Big Red One
1980
Writer
movieThe Meanest Men in the West
1978
Screenplay
movieThe Klansman
1974
Screenplay
tvScene of the Crime
1970
Writer
movieShark
1969
Screenplay
movieTargets
1968
Screenplay
movieThe Naked Kiss
1964
Writer
movieShock Corridor
1963
Screenplay
tvThe Virginian
1962
Writer
movieMerrill's Marauders
1962
Screenplay
movieVerboten!
1959
Writer
movieDogface
1959
Writer
movieForty Guns
1957
Screenplay
movieChina Gate
1957
Screenplay
movieThe Command
1954
Writer
movieHell and High Water
1954
Screenplay
moviePickup on South Street
1953
Screenplay
moviePark Row
1952
Writer
movieFixed Bayonets!
1951
Screenplay
movieShockproof
1949
Writer
movieMargin for Error
1943
Screenplay
movieBowery Boy
1940
Original Story
movieGangs of Chicago
1940
Screenplay
movieGangs of New York
1938
Screenplay, Story
movieIt Happened in Hollywood
1937
Screenplay
movieHats Off
1936
Story, Screenplay
Production10
movieThe Naked Kiss
1964
Producer
movieShock Corridor
1963
Producer
movieUnderworld U.S.A.
1961
Producer
movieThe Crimson Kimono
1959
Producer
movieDogface
1959
Producer
movieForty Guns
1957
Producer
movieRun of the Arrow
1957
Producer
movieChina Gate
1957
Producer
moviePark Row
1952
Producer
movieThe Steel Helmet
1951
Producer
Crew2
movieMade in U.S.A
1967
Thanks
movieHouse of Bamboo
1955
Additional Dialogue