The Resume

(May 21, 1902-December 15, 1974)
Born in Kiev, Ukraine
Birth name was Mikhail Anatol Litvak
Directed the films 'Dolly Gets Ahead' (1930), 'The Song of Night' (1932), 'Mayerling' (1936), 'The Woman I Love' (1937), 'Confessions of a Nazi Spy' (1939), 'All This and Heaven Too' (1940), 'Blues in the Night' (1941), 'The Snake Pit' (1948), 'Sorry Wrong Number' (1948), 'Decision Before Dawn' (1951), 'Anastasia' (1956), 'The Night of the Generals' (1967), and 'The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun' (1970)
Co-directed several films in the 'Why We Fight' series with Frank Capra
Naturalized US citizen (1940)

Why he might be annoying:

His affair with Bette Davis while married to Miriam Hopkins triggered a lifelong feud between the actresses.
After being directed by him in 'All This And Heaven Too,' Bette Davis called him 'a slave to his preconceptions,' complaining that he lacked flexibility, imagination, and a willingness to improvise.
He smoked cigars.
'All This And Heaven Too' and 'Decision Before Dawn' were both nominated for Best Picture Oscars without him being nominated for Best Director.

Why he might not be annoying:

'Confessions of a Nazi Spy' was the first Hollywood film to warn of the dangers posed by Nazi Germany.
During World War II, he joined the Army Special Services Division, filming documentaries for the armed forces.
While in the Soviet Union to arrange a screening of 'Why We Fight: The Battle of Russia' (1943) for the Soviet general staff, he reunited with his mother, whom he had not seen since leaving Russia nearly two decades earlier.
He was chosen to supervise the filming of the D-Day landings because he was fluent in multiple languages, including French, German, and Russian.
For his work during World War II, he won the French Legion of Honor and Croix de Guerre and the American Legion of Merit and Bronze Star.

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Artsy/Fartsy Directors
• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 83]
• Cannes Film Festival Jury Members (Ranked: 1955)
• Celebrities Born on the Same Date [May] (Ranked: 5211902)
• I am a Colonel
• I am an Adulterer
• I Attended the Los Angeles Premiere of ‘Gone With the Wind’ [December 28, 1939]
• I Died in 1974 (Ranked: 72)
• I Have a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame[J-L]
• I'm Buried in the Pere Lachaise in Paris
• Known By a Middle Name
• Look at Me I’m with Sophia Loren
• Profiles 51751-51986 (Ranked: 51921)
• Served in World War II

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 6 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying