Otto Preminger- Biography

Also Credited As:

Otto Ludwig Preminger

About Otto Preminger

Preminger then directed a couple of B films at 20th Century-Fox before a dispute with Darryl F. Zanuck temporarily halted his behind-the-camera career. When he found himself in demand as an actor--Preminger's stern features and Viennese accent made him the perfect screen Nazi--he used this new popularity to maneuver his way back into the director's chair. Preminger made his breakthrough with the critical and commercial smash, "Laura" (1944), on which he took over the direction from Rouben Mamoulian. His subsequent work at Fox was disappointing and he began independently producing his own films, through his Carlyle Productions company, in the early 1950s. Preminger soon earned a reputation for turning out controversial works which broached previously taboo subjects such as drug addiction ("The Man With the Golden Arm" 1955).

A skilled technician who lacked any consistently discernable style, Preminger's career encompassed polished successes including "Anatomy of a Murder" (1959), "Exodus" (1960), "Advise and Consent" (1961) and "Bunny Lake is Missing" (1965), alongside notable flops such as "Saint Joan" (1957) and "Rosebud" (1975). Father, by stripper Gypsy Rose Lee, of producer-screenwriter Eric Lee Preminger and brother of agent-turned-producer Ingo Preminger.

Partners

Companion

Gypsy Rose Lee. mother of Erik Lee Preminger

Wife

Marion Mill. married in 1932; divorced in the late 1940s; hired Preminger to represent her in the only legal case he ever handled; Preminger then cast her in the stage production of "The Front Page" which he directed (1931); became a well-known New York and Hollywood hostess

Companion

Dorothy Dandridge.

Wife

Mary Gardner. married in 1951; divorced in 1958

Wife

Patricia Hope Bryce. married in 1958; was fashion coordinator on Preminger's film "Bonjour Tristesse" (1957); mother of Preminger's twin son and daughter

Family

Brother

Ingo Preminger. born c. 1910

Daughter

Victoria Preminger. born 1960; twin of Mark; mother, Patricia Hope Bryce

Father

Markus Preminger. chief prosecutor for the Austro-Hungarian Empire and then for the imperial army

Mother

Josepha Preminger. daughter of a lumberyard owner

Son

Erik Lee Preminger. born c. 1945; mother, Gypsy Rose Lee; Preminger learned that Erik Kirkland was his son in 1971 and officially adopted him; worked for Preminger as a writer and associate producer

Son

Mark Preminger. born in 1960; twin of Victoria; mother, Patricia Hope Bryce

Education

University of Vienna

Career Milestones

Acting debut at age 12, the only child among adults at a poetry reading

After falling out with Darryl F Zanuck, returned to New York and directed seven plays

Apprenticed at Max Reinhardt's Theater, Josefstadt in Vienna

Returned to Vienna to launch theater of his own, the Komedia and two years later, the Schauspielhaus while simultaneously studying law at the University of Vienna

Stage debut as Lysander in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at Josefstadt Theater (not directed by Reinhardt) at age 17

1925

Joined German theater in Aussig (now in Czechoslavakia) where he also made his directorial debut with a production of Klabund's "Kreiderkreis/The Chalk Circle"

1931

Directed first film, "Die Grosse Liebe/The Great Love"

1931

Handled only law case, a breach-of-contract suit brought by a nightclub owner against actress Marion Mill (whom he represented); Preminger then cast Mill in "The Front Page" which he was directing and married her the following year

1931

Returned to the Josefstadt as an assistant director

1932

Took over as director of the Josefstadt when Reinhardt went into semi-retirement

1935

Directed first Broadway play, "Libel"

1935

Invited by Joseph M Schenck to work for his newly merged 20th Century-Fox in Hollywood

1936

Directed first Hollywood film, "Under Your Spell"

1941

Made Broadway acting debut (replacing another actor) in Clare Boothe Luce's play, "Margin for Error" (also directed)

1942

Returned to Hollywood as an actor, playing a Nazi officer in "The Pied Piper"

1943

Hired to recreate his role in "Margin for Error" in film version, Preminger offered to direct and star for only an actor's fee; resulted in a contract with 20th Century-Fox to act, direct and produce

1944

Hired as producer, he also replaced Rouben Mamoulian as director on film noir classic "Laura"

1951

Returned to the Broadway stage to direct "Four Twelves Are Forty-Eight" and "The Moon Is Blue"

1953

Became an independent producer; first film project, "The Moon Is Blue" became first film refused Production Code seal of approval when Preminger refused to delete the words "virgin" "pregnant", "mistress" and "seduction" from the script of the film

1979

Directed last film, "The Human Factor"