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Samuel Fuller

Directing 85 (deceased) years old Worcester, Massachusetts, USA ★ 1.7
Born: August 12, 1912
Died: October 30, 1997

Biography

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.

Filmography

Acting Credits (57)

Films to Die For
Films to Die For (archive footage) (uncredited) 2025
A Fuller Life
A Fuller Life Self 2013
Scene Missing
Scene Missing Self 2012
Nuits transparentes
Nuits transparentes 2011
Sodankylä Forever
Sodankylä Forever Self 2010
Sodankylä Forever
Sodankylä Forever Self 2010
Carmel
Carmel 2009
Filmmakers in Action
Filmmakers in Action Self (archive footage) 2006
The Big Red One: The Reconstruction
The Big Red One: The Reconstruction War Correspondent (uncredited) 2005
The Real Glory: Reconstructing 'The Big Red One'
The Real Glory: Reconstructing 'The Big Red One' Himself (archive footage) 2005
Necro not(to b)e
Necro not(to b)e Sé stesso 2003
The Men Who Made the Movies: Samuel Fuller
The Men Who Made the Movies: Samuel Fuller Self 2002
The End of Violence
The End of Violence Louis 1997
The Typewriter, the Rifle & the Movie Camera
The Typewriter, the Rifle & the Movie Camera Self 1996
Somebody to Love
Somebody to Love Sam Silverman 1994
Tigrero: A Film That Was Never Made
Tigrero: A Film That Was Never Made Self 1994
Un Américain en Normandie
Un Américain en Normandie Himself 1994
Anything for John
Anything for John Self 1993
Golem: The Petrified Garden
Golem: The Petrified Garden Sam 1993
Golem, the Spirit of Exile
Golem, the Spirit of Exile Elimelek 1992
La Vie de Bohème
La Vie de Bohème Gassot 1992
Where Is Musette?
Where Is Musette? Self 1992
Shock Corridor
Shock Corridor himself 1992
The Madonna and the Dragon
The Madonna and the Dragon Chef de bureau Newsweek 1990
Motion and Emotion: The Films of Wim Wenders
Motion and Emotion: The Films of Wim Wenders Self 1990
Sons
Sons Father 1990
Street of No Return
Street of No Return Police Commissioner 1989
David Lansky
David Lansky 1989
Tell me Sam - Encounters with Sam Fuller
Tell me Sam - Encounters with Sam Fuller Himself 1989
Falkenau, the Impossible
Falkenau, the Impossible Samuel Fuller 1988
Mer de Chine: Le pays pour mémoire
Mer de Chine: Le pays pour mémoire Le capitaine américain 1988
Helsinki Napoli All Night Long
Helsinki Napoli All Night Long Boss 1987
A Return to Salem's Lot
A Return to Salem's Lot Van Meer 1987
Midnight Sun Film Festival
Midnight Sun Film Festival 1987
The Bleeding Star
The Bleeding Star The Man in the Bar 1987
Hooray For Holyrood
Hooray For Holyrood Self 1986
A Travelling is a Moral Affair
A Travelling is a Moral Affair Himself 1986
Report from Hollywood
Report from Hollywood 1985
Thieves After Dark
Thieves After Dark Zoltan 1984
Sam Fuller & the Big Red One
Sam Fuller & the Big Red One Self 1984
Slapstick of Another Kind
Slapstick of Another Kind Colonel Sharp 1982
White Dog
White Dog Charlie Felton 1982
Hammett
Hammett Old Man in Pool Hall 1982
The State of Things
The State of Things Joe 1982
Sam Fuller: Writings with a Camera
Sam Fuller: Writings with a Camera Himself 1981
The Big Red One
The Big Red One War Correspondent (uncredited) 1980
1941
1941 Interceptor Commander 1979
Cinématon
Cinématon N°602 1978
The American Friend
The American Friend The American 1977
Scott Joplin
Scott Joplin Impresario 1977
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche Self 1975
The Young Nurses
The Young Nurses Doc Haskell 1973
The Last Movie
The Last Movie Sam 1971
Cinéastes de notre temps : Samuel Fuller
Cinéastes de notre temps : Samuel Fuller Interviewee 1967
Brigitte and Brigitte
Brigitte and Brigitte Self 1966
Pierrot le Fou
Pierrot le Fou Samuel Fuller (uncredited) 1965
House of Bamboo
House of Bamboo Japanese policeman (uncredited) 1955

Writing Credits (57)

A Fuller Life
A Fuller Life Book 2013
The Big Red One: The Reconstruction
The Big Red One: The Reconstruction Writer 2005
Girls in Prison
Girls in Prison Writer 1994
Rebel Highway
Rebel Highway Writer 1994
The Madonna and the Dragon
The Madonna and the Dragon Screenplay 1990
The Day of Reckoning
The Day of Reckoning Screenplay 1990
Chillers
Chillers Writer 1990
Street of No Return
Street of No Return Dialogue 1989
Street of No Return
Street of No Return Screenplay 1989
Let's Get Harry
Let's Get Harry Story 1986
Thieves After Dark
Thieves After Dark Writer 1984
White Dog
White Dog Screenplay 1982
The Big Red One
The Big Red One Writer 1980
The Meanest Men in the West
The Meanest Men in the West Screenplay 1978
The Klansman
The Klansman Screenplay 1974
The Deadly Trackers
The Deadly Trackers Story 1973
Dead Pigeon on Beethoven Street
Dead Pigeon on Beethoven Street Writer 1972
Scene of the Crime
Scene of the Crime Writer 1970
Shark
Shark Screenplay 1969
Targets
Targets Screenplay 1968
The Cape Town Affair
The Cape Town Affair Writer 1967
The Naked Kiss
The Naked Kiss Writer 1964
Shock Corridor
Shock Corridor Screenplay 1963
The Virginian
The Virginian Writer 1962
Merrill's Marauders
Merrill's Marauders Screenplay 1962
Underworld U.S.A.
Underworld U.S.A. Writer 1961
The Crimson Kimono
The Crimson Kimono Writer 1959
Verboten!
Verboten! Writer 1959
Dogface
Dogface Writer 1959
Forty Guns
Forty Guns Screenplay 1957
Run of the Arrow
Run of the Arrow Writer 1957
China Gate
China Gate Screenplay 1957
The Command
The Command Writer 1954
Hell and High Water
Hell and High Water Screenplay 1954
Pickup on South Street
Pickup on South Street Screenplay 1953
Park Row
Park Row Writer 1952
Scandal Sheet
Scandal Sheet Novel 1952
Fixed Bayonets!
Fixed Bayonets! Screenplay 1951
The Tanks Are Coming
The Tanks Are Coming Story 1951
The Steel Helmet
The Steel Helmet Writer 1951
The Baron of Arizona
The Baron of Arizona Writer 1950
I Shot Jesse James
I Shot Jesse James Writer 1949
Shockproof
Shockproof Writer 1949
Gangs of the Waterfront
Gangs of the Waterfront Story 1945
Margin for Error
Margin for Error Screenplay 1943
Power of the Press
Power of the Press Story 1943
Confirm or Deny
Confirm or Deny Story 1941
Bowery Boy
Bowery Boy Original Story 1940
Gangs of Chicago
Gangs of Chicago Screenplay 1940
She Married a Cop
She Married a Cop Writer 1939
Federal Man-Hunt
Federal Man-Hunt Story 1938
Adventure in Sahara
Adventure in Sahara Story 1938
Gangs of New York
Gangs of New York Screenplay 1938
Gangs of New York
Gangs of New York Story 1938
It Happened in Hollywood
It Happened in Hollywood Screenplay 1937
Hats Off
Hats Off Story 1936
Hats Off
Hats Off Screenplay 1936

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