Alan J. Pakula facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alan J. Pakula
Pakula in Sweden, 1990
Born	(1928-04-07)April 7, 1928 The Bronx, New York City, U.S.
Died	November 19, 1998(1998-11-19) (aged 70) Melville, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Film director, screenwriter, producer
Years active	1957–1998
Notable work	Klute The Parallax View All the President's Men Comes a Horseman Starting Over Sophie's Choice Presumed Innocent The Pelican Brief
Spouse(s)	Hope Lange ​ ​ (m. 1963; div. 1971)​ Hannah Cohn Boorstin ​ (m. 1973)​

Alan Jay Pakula (born April 7, 1928 – died November 19, 1998) was a famous American film director, writer, and producer. He was known for making movies that often explored serious topics. He was nominated for three big awards called Academy Awards. These nominations were for Best Picture for To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), Best Director for All the President's Men (1976), and Best Adapted Screenplay for Sophie's Choice (1982).

Pakula also directed a special group of three films often called his "paranoia trilogy." These movies were Klute (1971), The Parallax View (1974), and All the President's Men (1976).

Early Life of Alan J. Pakula

Alan Pakula was born in The Bronx, a part of New York City. His parents, Jeanette and Paul Pakula, were Jewish and came from Poland. He went to a school called The Hill School in Pennsylvania. Later, he studied drama at Yale University.

Alan Pakula's Film Career

Pakula started his career in Hollywood at Warner Bros.. He worked as an assistant in the cartoon department. In 1957, he began producing films for Paramount Pictures.

Producing and Directing First Films

In 1962, Pakula produced the movie To Kill a Mockingbird. This film was very successful. It earned him a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Picture. He worked closely with director Robert Mulligan on many films as a producer. In 1969, Pakula directed his first movie, The Sterile Cuckoo, which starred Liza Minnelli.

The "Paranoia Trilogy" Films

In the 1970s, Alan Pakula became famous for directing three movies. These films are often called his "paranoia trilogy" because they deal with themes of suspicion and hidden dangers.

• Klute (1971): This was the first film in the trilogy. It was a thriller starring Jane Fonda.
• The Parallax View (1974): This movie starred Warren Beatty. It was a thriller about political secrets and hidden groups. The film showed how a character was tricked into joining a secret organization.
• All the President's Men (1976): This was the final film in the trilogy. It was based on a true story about the Watergate scandal. The movie starred Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman as two reporters. Many people consider it one of the best thrillers from the 1970s.

Later Successful Movies

Pakula continued to make popular films. In 1982, he directed Sophie's Choice, starring Meryl Streep. He also wrote the screenplay for this movie, which was nominated for an Academy Award.

Other successful films he directed include:

• Presumed Innocent: This movie was based on a popular book by Scott Turow.
• The Pelican Brief: Another political thriller based on a book by John Grisham.

His last film was a crime drama called The Devil's Own (1997). He worked with actor Harrison Ford again on this movie.

Alan Pakula's Personal Life

Alan Pakula was married twice. His first marriage was to actress Hope Lange from 1963 to 1971. He then married Hannah Pakula (Hannah Cohn Boorstin) in 1973. They remained married until his death.

He had two stepchildren from his first marriage, Christopher and Patricia Murray. He also had three stepchildren from his second marriage: Louis, Robert, and Anna Boorstin.

How Alan Pakula Died

On November 19, 1998, Alan Pakula was driving on the Long Island Expressway in Melville, New York. A metal pipe flew off a truck in front of him. It crashed through his car's windshield and hit him in the head. His car then went off the road. He was taken to the hospital but sadly passed away.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Alan J. Pakula para niños