Irwin Winkler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Irwin Winkler
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|---|---|
| Born | May 25, 1931 New York City, U.S.
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| Education | B.A. New York University |
| Occupation | Film director, producer |
| Years active | 1967–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Margo Winkler
(after 1959) |
| Children | Charles Winkler David Winkler Adam Winkler |
| Parent(s) | Sol Winkler Anna Winkler |
Irwin Winkler (born May 25, 1931) is a famous American film producer and director. He has worked on over 58 movies since 1967. One of his first films, They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969), was nominated for nine Academy Awards. He won an Oscar for Best Picture for the movie Rocky in 1976. He was also nominated for Best Picture for other well-known films like Raging Bull (1980), The Right Stuff (1983), and Goodfellas (1990).
Contents
Early Life and School
Irwin Winkler was born in New York City on May 25, 1931. He grew up in Coney Island. One of his first jobs was working on a bumper car ride there. He finished high school early and went to New York University.
He joined the Army during the Korean War. After two years of service, he returned to New York University. He earned a degree in American Literature in 1955.
Starting His Career
After college, Winkler got a job at the William Morris Agency (WMA). This company helps actors and artists find work. He later teamed up with Robert Chartoff to start their own talent management company.
Through their work, Winkler and Chartoff helped arrange a screen test for actress Julie Christie. They also helped make the film Darling. These experiences led them from managing talent to making movies.
Making and Directing Movies
Winkler and Robert Chartoff started their own movie company called Chartoff-Winkler Productions. Their first movie was Double Trouble (1967), starring Elvis Presley. They also produced Point Blank (1967), which is now seen as a classic.
They gained a lot of praise for They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969). Their movie The Strawberry Statement (1970) won an award at the Cannes Film Festival.
The Rocky Movies
Winkler and Chartoff had their biggest success with Rocky (1976). This film won the Academy Award for Best Picture. They also received Oscar nominations for Raging Bull (1980) and The Right Stuff (1983). These were their last big projects together.
Winkler also produced many other famous films. These include The Right Stuff (1983), which won four Academy Awards. He also produced Round Midnight (1986). He received another Best Picture Oscar nomination for Goodfellas (1990). He produced several Rocky sequels: Rocky II (1978), Rocky III (1982), Rocky IV (1985), and Rocky V (1990).
Becoming a Director
Irwin Winkler started directing movies in 1991 with Guilty by Suspicion. This film was about the Hollywood blacklist. His next movie, Night and the City, also starred Robert De Niro.
He had great success as a writer and director with The Net (1995), starring Sandra Bullock. This movie even led to a TV series.
His film Life as a House (2001) was praised by critics. He then directed De-Lovely (2004), a movie about the composer Cole Porter.
Later Work
Winkler continued to produce many films. These include The Shipping News (2001) and Enough (2002). He also produced a remake of The Gambler in 2014. He had produced the original film in 1974.
He returned to the Rocky series with Rocky Balboa (2006). He also produced the spin-off movies Creed (2015) and Creed II (2018). These films won many awards.
Winkler also worked with director Martin Scorsese on films like The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), Silence (2016), and The Irishman (2019). The Irishman was his first movie with Netflix.
In 2019, Winkler wrote a book about his life in movies. It is called A Life in Movies: Stories from 50 years in Hollywood.
Personal Life
Irwin Winkler married Margo Winkler in 1959. They moved to Los Angeles in 1966. Margo's parents were performers in Vaudeville.
Irwin and Margo have three sons: Charles Winkler, David Winkler, and Adam Winkler. His youngest son, Adam, is a professor of constitutional law and a writer.
Filmography
Director
| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Writer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Guilty by Suspicion | Yes | No | Yes |
| 1992 | Night and the City | Yes | Yes | No |
| 1995 | The Net | Yes | Yes | No |
| 1999 | At First Sight | Yes | Yes | No |
| 2001 | Life as a House | Yes | Yes | No |
| 2004 | De-Lovely | Yes | Yes | No |
| 2006 | Home of the Brave | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Producer
- Double Trouble (1967)
- Point Blank (1967) (Uncredited)
- Blue (1968)
- The Split (1968)
- They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969)
- Leo the Last (1970)
- The Strawberry Statement (1970)
- Believe in Me (1971)
- The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight (1971)
- The New Centurions (1972)
- Thumb Tripping (1972)
- The Mechanic (1972)
- Up the Sandbox (1972)
- Busting (1974)
- S*P*Y*S (1974)
- The Gambler (1974)
- Peeper (1974)
- Breakout (1975)
- Rocky (1976)
- Nickelodeon (1976)
- New York, New York (1977)
- Valentino (1977)
- Uncle Joe Shannon (1978)
- Rocky II (1979)
- Raging Bull (1980)
- True Confessions (1981)
- Rocky III (1982)
- Author! Author! (1982)
- The Right Stuff (1983)
- Rocky IV (1985)
- Revolution (1985)
- Scandal Sheet (1985) (TV movie)
- Round Midnight (1986)
- Betrayed (1988)
- Music Box (1989)
- Goodfellas (1990)
- Rocky V (1990)
- The Juror (1996)
- The Shipping News (2001)
- Enough (2002)
- The Net 2.0 (2006) (Direct-to-video)
- Trespass (2011)
- The Gambler (2014)
- Survivor (2015)
- Creed (2015)
- Silence (2016)
- Creed II (2018)
- The Irishman (2019)
- Creed III (2023)
- The Alto Knights (2025)
Executive Producer
- Comes a Horseman (1978)
- The Net (1998−99) (Also writer)
- Rocky Balboa (2006)
- The Mechanic (2011)
- The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
As an Actor
| Year | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Welcome to Hollywood | Himself |
Thanks
| Year | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Welcome to Hollywood | Special thanks |
Awards and Honors
Irwin Winkler has received many awards for his work in movies.
Major Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Film | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Academy Awards | Best Picture | Rocky | Won | |
| 1980 | Raging Bull | Nominated | |||
| 1983 | The Right Stuff | Nominated | |||
| 1990 | Goodfellas | Nominated | |||
| 2003 | American Society of Cinematographers Awards | Board of Governors Award | N/A | Won | |
| 2001 | Aspen Filmfest | Audience Favorite Feature Award | Life as a House | Won | |
| 2016 | Awards Circuit Community Awards | Best Motion Picture | Silence | Nominated | |
| 2015 | Black Reel Awards | Outstanding Film | Creed | Won | |
| 1990 | British Academy Film Awards | Best Film | Goodfellas | Won | |
| 1991 | Cannes Film Festival | Palme d'Or | Guilty by Suspicion | Nominated | |
| 2019 | Chicago Indie Critics Awards | Best Studio Film | The Irishman | Nominated | |
| 1989 | Chicago International Film Festival | Lifetime Achievement Award | N/A | Won | |
| 2015 | Christopher Awards | Best Feature Film | Creed | Won | |
| 1995 | Deauville American Film Festival | Lifetime Achievement Award | N/A | Won | |
| 2016 | Gold Derby Awards | Best Motion Picture | Silence | Nominated | |
| 1976 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Rocky | Won | |
| 1980 | Raging Bull | Nominated | |||
| 1983 | The Right Stuff | Nominated | |||
| 1990 | Goodfellas | Nominated | |||
| 1985 | Golden Raspberry Awards | Worst Picture | Revolution | Nominated | |
| Rocky IV | Nominated | ||||
| 1990 | Rocky V | Nominated | |||
| 1999 | Hollywood Film Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Producing | N/A | Won | |
| 2008 | Israel Film Festival | Lifetime Achievement Award | N/A | Won | |
| 1999 | Joseph Plateau Awards | Joseph Plateau Honorary Award | N/A | Won | |
| 2006 | National Board of Review Awards | Career Achievement Award in Producing | N/A | Won | |
| 2019 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Picture | The Irishman | Nominated | |
| 2002 | Palm Springs International Film Festival | Lifetime Achievement Award | N/A | Won | |
| 2016 | Producers Guild of America Awards | David O. Selznick Achievement Award | N/A | Won | |
| 1985 | Stinkers Bad Movie Awards | Worst Picture | Revolution | Won | |
| 2003 | Swiss Film Fund | Helvetian Award for Extraordinary Artistic Achievement | N/A | Won |
Other Honors
Irwin Winkler has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It is located at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard. He also received the David O. Selznick Achievement Award in 2017. This award is given by the Producers Guild of America. France also honored him with the Commandeur des Arts et Lettres award.
See also
In Spanish: Irwin Winkler para niños
