David O. Selznick facts for kids

Quick facts for kids David O. Selznick
Selznick, c. 1934
Born	David Selznick (1902-05-10)May 10, 1902 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	June 22, 1965(1965-06-22) (aged 63) Hollywood, California, U.S.
Resting place	Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale
Other names	Oliver Jeffries
Occupation	Film producer
Years active	1923–1957
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Irene Mayer Selznick ​ ​ (m. 1930; div. 1949)​ Jennifer Jones(m. 1949; his death)
Children	3
Parent(s)	Lewis J. Selznick Florence Sachs
Relatives	Myron Selznick (brother)

David O. Selznick (born May 10, 1902 – died June 22, 1965) was a famous American film producer. He also wrote movie scripts and managed film studios. He is most famous for making the movies Gone with the Wind (1939) and Rebecca (1940). Both of these films won him an Academy Award for Best Picture, which is a very big award in movies.

David Selznick's Early Life

David O. Selznick was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His father, Lewis J. Selznick, was also a movie producer, especially for silent movies. David added the "O" to his name to stand out from an uncle with the same same.

He studied at Columbia University in New York City. He learned about the movie business by working with his father. In 1926, David moved to Hollywood, where the movie industry was growing. He got a job at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), a big film studio.

Later, he worked at Paramount Pictures and then became the Head of Production at RKO. At RKO, he helped make many successful films. These included A Bill of Divorcement (1932) and the classic monster movie King Kong (1933). He also gave director George Cukor his first big chance.

In 1933, he returned to MGM. His father-in-law, Louis B. Mayer, was the head of MGM. Selznick was given his own special unit to produce important films. Some of his movies from this time were Dinner at Eight (1933), David Copperfield (1935), and A Tale of Two Cities (1935).

Starting Selznick International Pictures

Even though he made many successful movies at big studios, Selznick wanted to have his own company. He dreamed of being an independent producer. In 1935, he made this dream come true. He rented the RKO studios in Culver City. He then started his own company called Selznick International Pictures. His films were released through United Artists.

His success continued with many famous movies. These included The Prisoner of Zenda (1937) and A Star Is Born (1937).

Gone with the Wind

One of his biggest achievements was Gone with the Wind (1939). This movie is still one of the highest-earning films of all time when you adjust for inflation. Gone with the Wind won eight Academy Awards and two special awards. Selznick also won the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award that year for his great work in filmmaking.

He then produced another Best Picture Oscar winner, Rebecca (1940). This was the first Hollywood movie by the famous British director Alfred Hitchcock. Selznick brought Hitchcock to America, helping to start his American career. Rebecca was the only Hitchcock film to win Best Picture.

Later Movie Projects

After Rebecca, Selznick closed Selznick International Pictures for a while. He still helped other studios by letting them use his famous actors like Ingrid Bergman and Vivien Leigh. He then started a new company called The Selznick Studio.

He returned to making movies with Since You Went Away (1944), which he also wrote. He continued to work with Alfred Hitchcock on films like Spellbound (1945). He also made Portrait of Jennie (1948) with actress Jennifer Jones. Selznick also developed movie ideas and sold them to other producers. One movie he developed and sold was Hitchcock's Notorious (1946). In 1949, he also helped produce The Third Man.

Many people felt that Gone with the Wind was the highlight of Selznick's career. He later felt that he spent too much of his life trying to make another movie as big as Gone with the Wind.

In the 1950s, Selznick focused on helping the career of his second wife, Jennifer Jones. His last film was A Farewell to Arms (1957), starring Jennifer Jones and Rock Hudson. This movie was not very popular. However, in 1954, he made history in television. He produced a two-hour show called Light's Diamond Jubilee. This show was broadcast at the same time on all four major TV networks: CBS, NBC, ABC, and DuMont.

David Selznick's Family Life

Jennifer Jones and Selznick in Los Angeles, 1957.

In 1930, David Selznick married Irene Gladys Mayer. She was the daughter of MGM studio head Louis B. Mayer. They had two sons, Jeffrey and Daniel. They later separated in 1945 and divorced in 1948.

In 1949, he married actress Jennifer Jones. He had discovered her earlier in her career and helped her become a star. They had one daughter, Mary Jennifer Selznick.

Selznick was a member of the Republican political party.

His Death and Legacy

Crypt of David O. Selznick, in the Great Mausoleum, Forest Lawn Glendale

David Selznick died in 1965 after several heart attacks. He was buried in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California. His older brother, Myron Selznick, was also buried there.

For his important work in the movie industry, David O. Selznick has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. You can find it at 7000 Hollywood Boulevard, in front of the famous Hollywood Roosevelt hotel.

Academy Awards and Nominations

David O. Selznick was nominated for and won several Academy Awards for his films.

See also

In Spanish: David O. Selznick para niños