Franklin J. Schaffner

Schaffner served in the U.S. Navy during World War II before beginning a career directing live television drama in the 1950s, an unusually high-pressure training ground that sharpened his instincts for actor-focused, disciplined filmmaking.

He won the Best Director Oscar for Patton the same era he was staging one of cinema's great twist endings on a beach with a half-buried statue. He began his career directing live television drama before moving into features, bringing a theatrical, actor-focused sensibility to his film work.

His two most famous films, made within a few years of each other, represent an unusually strong run for any director of his era, and both remain frequently cited as among the finest films of their respective genres.