Lewis Milestone

Lewis Milestone (born Leib Milstein) was an American film director famed for his films such as 'Two Arabian Knights' and 'All Quiet on the Western Front', both of which garnered him the Academy Award for Best Director. Milestone, born on September 30, 1895, in Kishinev, Bessarabia Governorate, Russian Empire (now Chișinău, Moldova), came to prominence for his adeptness in various film genres including comedy, drama, and war. Originally named Lev or Leib Milstein, he was sent to Mittweida, Saxony, for engineering studies but found his passion in theater. Moving to the United States, he initially worked as a portrait-and-theater photographer before joining the Army Signal Corps during World War I. With his discharge in 1919, Milstein took on the name Lewis Milestone and started his career path in Hollywood first in entry-level positions and gradually moving up to director.

His distinguished career included films such as 'The Front Page', 'The General Died at Dawn', 'Of Mice and Men', 'Ocean's 11', and 'Mutiny on the Bounty' in addition to his Academy Award-winning works. Milestone was noted for his meticulous attention to detail and his innovative use of camera movements and sound. However, his career was not without controversy, his pro-Soviet Union film 'The North Star' invited scrutiny and allegations of being pro-communist during the Red Scare. Later in his career, he found work in television, directing episodes for various series. He died on September 25, 1980, in Los Angeles, California, U.S.