List of Best Director winners by age

This is a list of winners of the Academy Award of Merit for Achievement in Directing, presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to a director who has Delivered outstanding direction while working on a particular film within the industry. More popularly known as the Academy Award (or the Oscar) for Best Director, this award was initially presented at the 1st Academy Awards ceremony for 1927 and 1928 and was most recently presented at the 82nd Academy Awards ceremony for 2009. Throughout the past 82 years, accounting for shared and repeat winners, AMPAS has presented a total of 85 Best Director awards to 63 different directors. This list is current as of the 82nd Academy Awards ceremony held on March 7, 2010.

List of winners

#

Director

Film

Date of birth

Date of award

Age upon
receiving award

Date of death

Lifespan

Notes

1

Borzage, FrankFrank Borzage

Seventh HeavenSeventh Heaven

1894-04-23

35-023

1962-06-19

days ()

Dramatic; 1st of 2

2

Milestone, LewisLewis Milestone

Two Arabian KnightsTwo Arabian Knights

1895-09-30

33-228

1980-09-25

days ()

Comedy; 1st of 2

3

Lloyd, FrankFrank Lloyd

Divine LadyThe Divine Lady

1886-02-02

44-060

1960-08-10

days ()

1st of 2

4

Milestone, LewisLewis Milestone

All Quiet On The Western FrontAll Quiet on the Western Front

1895-09-30

35-036

1980-09-25

days ()

2nd of 2

5

Taurog, NormanNorman Taurog

SkippySkippy

1899-02-23

32-260

1981-04-07

days ()

6

Borzage, FrankFrank Borzage

Bad GirlBad Girl

1894-04-23

38-209

1962-06-19

days ()

2nd of 2

7

Lloyd, FrankFrank Lloyd

CavalcadeCavalcade

1886-02-02

48-042

1960-08-10

days ()

2nd of 2

8

Capra, FrankFrank Capra

It Happened One NightIt Happened One Night

1897-05-18

37-285

1991-09-03

days ()

1st of 3

9

Ford, JohnJohn Ford

InformerThe Informer

1894-02-01

42-033

1973-08-31

days ()

1st of 4

10

Capra, FrankFrank Capra

Mr DEEDS Goes To TownMr. Deeds Goes to Town

1897-05-18

39-290

1991-09-03

days ()

2nd of 3

11

McCarey, LeoLeo McCarey

Awful TruthThe Awful Truth

1898-10-03

39-158

1969-07-05

days ()

1st of 2

12

Capra, FrankFrank Capra

You Cant Take It With YouYou Can't Take It With You

1897-05-18

41-281

1991-09-03

days ()

3rd of 3

13

Fleming, VictorVictor Fleming

Gone With The WindGone with the Wind

1889-02-23

51-006

1949-01-06

days ()

14

Ford, JohnJohn Ford

Grapes Of WrathThe Grapes of Wrath

1894-02-01

47-026

1973-08-31

days ()

2nd of 4

15

Ford, JohnJohn Ford

How Green Was My ValleyHow Green Was My Valley

1894-02-01

48-025

1973-08-31

days ()

3rd of 4

16

Wyler, WilliamWilliam Wyler

Mrs MiniverMrs. Miniver

1902-07-01

40-246

1981-07-27

days ()

1st of 3

17

Curtiz, MichaelMichael Curtiz

CasablancaCasablanca

1886-12-24

57-069

1962-04-10

days ()

18

McCarey, LeoLeo McCarey

Going My WayGoing My Way

1898-10-03

46-163

1969-07-05

days ()

2nd of 2

19

Wilder, BillyBilly Wilder

Lost WeekendThe Lost Weekend

1906-06-22

39-258

2002-03-27

days ()

1st of 2

20

Wyler, WilliamWilliam Wyler

Best Years of Our LivesThe Best Years of Our Lives

1902-07-01

44-255

1981-07-27

days ()

2nd of 3

21

Kazan, EliaElia Kazan

Gentlemans AgreementGentleman's Agreement

1909-09-07

38-195

2003-09-28

days ()

1st of 2

22

Huston, JohnJohn Huston

Treasure Of The Sierra MadreThe Treasure of the Sierra Madre

1906-08-05

42-231

1987-08-28

days ()

23

Mankiewicz, JosephJoseph L. Mankiewicz

Letter To Three WivesA Letter to Three Wives

1909-02-11

41-040

1993-02-05

days ()

1st of 2

24

Mankiewicz, JosephJoseph L. Mankiewicz

All AbOUT EveAll About Eve

1909-02-11

42-046

1993-02-05

days ()

2nd of 2

25

Stevens, GeorgeGeorge Stevens

Place In The SunA Place in the Sun

1904-12-18

47-103

1975-03-08

days ()

1st of 2

26

Ford, JohnJohn Ford

Quiet ManThe Quiet Man

1894-02-01

59-046

1973-08-31

days ()

4th of 4

27

Zinnemann, FredFred Zinnemann

From Here To EternityFrom Here to Eternity

1907-04-29

46-330

1997-03-14

days ()

1st of 2

28

Kazan, EliaElia Kazan

On The WaterfrontOn the Waterfront

1909-09-07

45-204

2003-09-28

days ()

2nd of 2

29

Mann, DelbertDelbert Mann

MartyMarty

1920-01-30

36-051

2007-11-11

days ()

30

Stevens, GeorgeGeorge Stevens

GiantGiant

1904-12-18

52-099

1975-03-08

days ()

2nd of 2

31

Lean, DavidDavid Lean

Bridge On The River KwaiThe Bridge on the River Kwai

1908-03-25

50-001

1991-04-16

days ()

1st of 2

32

Minnelli, VincenteVincente Minnelli

GigiGigi

1903-02-28

56-037

1986-07-25

days ()

33

Wyler, WilliamWilliam Wyler

Ben-HurBen-Hur

1902-07-01

57-278

1981-07-27

days ()

3rd of 3

34

Wilder, BillyBilly Wilder

ApartmentThe Apartment

1906-06-22

54-299

2002-03-27

days ()

2nd of 2

35

Robbins, JeromeJerome Robbins

West Side StoryWest Side Story

1918-10-11

43-180

1998-07-29

days ()

Shared

36

Wise, RobertRobert Wise

West Side StoryWest Side Story

1914-09-10

47-211

2005-09-14

days ()

Shared; 1st of 2

37

Lean, DavidDavid Lean

Lawrence Of ArabiaLawrence of Arabia

1908-03-25

55-014

1991-04-16

days ()

2nd of 2

38

Richardson, TonyTony Richardson

Tom JonesTom Jones

1928-06-05

35-313

1991-11-14

days ()

39

Cukor, GeorgeGeorge Cukor

My Fair LadyMy Fair Lady

1899-07-07

65-272

1983-01-24

days ()

40

Wise, RobertRobert Wise

Sound Of MusicThe Sound of Music

1914-09-10

51-220

2005-09-14

days ()

2nd of 2

41

Zinnemann, FredFred Zinnemann

Man For All SeasonsA Man for All Seasons

1907-04-29

59-346

1997-03-14

days ()

2nd of 2

42

Nichols, MikeMike Nichols

GraduateThe Graduate

1931-11-06

36-156

--

days ()

43

Reed, CarolCarol Reed

OliverOliver!

1906-12-30

62-105

1976-04-25

days ()

44

Schlesinger, JohnJohn Schlesinger

Midnight CowboyMidnight Cowboy

1926-02-16

44-050

2003-07-25

days ()

45

Schaffner, FranklinFranklin J. Schaffner

PattonPatton

1920-05-30

50-320

1989-07-02

days ()

46

Friedkin, WilliamWilliam Friedkin

French ConnectionThe French Connection

1935-08-29

36-225

--

days ()

47

Fosse, BobBob Fosse

CabaretCabaret

1927-06-23

45-277

1987-09-23

days ()

48

Hill, GeorgeGeorge Roy Hill

StingThe Sting

1921-12-20

52-103

2002-12-27

days ()

49

Coppola, FrancisFrancis Ford Coppola

Godfather Part 2The Godfather Part II

1939-04-07

36-001

--

days ()

50

Forman, MilosMiloš Forman

One Flew Over The Cuckoos NestOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

1932-02-18

44-040

--

days ()

1st of 2

51

Avildsen, JohnJohn G. Avildsen

RockyRocky

1935-12-21

41-097

--

days ()

52

Allen, WoodyWoody Allen

Annie HallAnnie Hall

1935-12-01

42-123

--

days ()

53

Cimino, MichaelMichael Cimino

Deer HunterThe Deer Hunter

1939-02-03

40-065

--

days ()

54

Benton, RobertRobert Benton

Kramer Vs KramerKramer vs. Kramer

1932-09-29

47-198

--

days ()

55

Redford, RobertRobert Redford

Ordinary PeopleOrdinary People

1936-08-18

44-225

--

days ()

56

Beatty, WarrenWarren Beatty

RedsReds

1937-03-30

44-364

--

days ()

57

Attenborough, RichardRichard Attenborough

GandhiGandhi

1923-08-29

59-225

--

days ()

58

Brooks, JamesJames L. Brooks

Terms Of EndearmentTerms of Endearment

1940-05-09

43-336

--

days ()

59

Forman, MilosMiloš Forman

AmadeusAmadeus

1932-02-18

53-035

--

days ()

2nd of 2

60

Pollack, SydneySydney Pollack

Out Of AfricaOut of Africa

1934-07-01

51-266

2008-05-26

days ()

61

Stone, OliverOliver Stone

PlatoonPlatoon

1946-09-15

40-196

--

days ()

1st of 2

62

Bertolucci, BernardoBernardo Bertolucci

Last EmperorThe Last Emperor

1940-03-16

48-026

--

days ()

63

Levinson, BarryBarry Levinson

Rain ManRain Man

1942-04-06

46-355

--

days ()

64

Stone, OliverOliver Stone

Born On The Fourth Of JulyBorn on the Fourth of July

1946-09-15

43-192

--

days ()

2nd of 2

65

Costner, KevinKevin Costner

Dances With WolvesDances with Wolves

1955-01-18

36-066

--

days ()

66

Demme, JonathanJonathan Demme

Silence Of The LambsThe Silence of the Lambs

1944-02-22

48-037

--

days ()

67

Eastwood, ClintClint Eastwood

UnforgivenUnforgiven

1930-05-31

62-302

--

days ()

1st of 2

68

Spielberg, StevenSteven Spielberg

Schindlers ListSchindler's List

1946-12-18

47-093

--

days ()

1st of 2

69

Zemeckis, RobertRobert Zemeckis

Forrest GumpForrest Gump

1952-05-14

42-317

--

days ()

70

Gibson, MelMel Gibson

BraveheartBraveheart

1956-01-03

40-082

--

days ()

71

Minghella, AnthonyAnthony Minghella

English PatientThe English Patient

1954-01-06

43-077

2008-03-18

days ()

72

Cameron, JamesJames Cameron

TitanicTitanic

1954-08-16

43-219

--

days ()

73

Spielberg, StevenSteven Spielberg

Saving Private RyanSaving Private Ryan

1946-12-18

52-093

--

days ()

2nd of 2

74

Mendes, SamSam Mendes

American BeautyAmerican Beauty

1965-08-01

34-238

--

days ()

75

Soderbergh, StevenSteven Soderbergh

TrafficTraffic

1963-01-14

38-070

--

days ()

76

Howard, RonRon Howard

Beautiful MindA Beautiful Mind

1954-03-01

48-023

--

days ()

77

Polanski, RomanRoman Polanski

PianistThe Pianist

1933-08-18

69-217

--

days ()

78

Jackson, PeterPeter Jackson

Lord Of The Rings The Return Of The KingLord of the Rings: The Return of the King

1961-10-31

42-121

--

days ()

79

Eastwood, ClintClint Eastwood

Million Dollar BabyMillion Dollar Baby

1930-05-31

74-272

--

days ()

2nd of 2

80

Lee, AngAng Lee

Brokeback MountainBrokeback Mountain

1954-10-23

51-133

--

days ()

81

Scorsese, MartinMartin Scorsese

DepartedThe Departed

1942-11-17

64-100

--

days ()

82

Coen, EthanEthan Coen

No Country For Old MenNo Country for Old Men

1957-09-21

50-156

--

days ()

Shared

83

Coen, JoelJoel Coen

No Country For Old MenNo Country for Old Men

1954-11-29

53-087

--

days ()

Shared

84

Boyle, DannyDanny Boyle

Slumdog MillionaireSlumdog Millionaire

1956-10-20

52-125

--

days ()

85

Bigelow, KathrynKathryn Bigelow

Hurt LockerThe Hurt Locker

1951-11-27

58-100

--

days ()

#

Director

Film

Date of birth

Date of award

Age upon
receiving award

Date of death

Lifespan

Notes

See also

  • Academy Award for Best Director

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