Philip Kaufman facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Philip Kaufman
Kaufman in 1991
Born	(1936-10-23) October 23, 1936 (age 88) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation	Director screenwriter producer
Years active	1964–2012
Spouse(s)	Rose Fisher (m. 1959; died 2009)
Children	1

Philip Kaufman (born October 23, 1936) is an American film director and screenwriter. This means he makes movies and writes the stories for them. He has directed many films over nearly 50 years. He has won awards like a BAFTA Award and was nominated for an Academy Award and a Primetime Emmy Award. People describe him as someone who likes to do things his own way. He is known for making many different kinds of movies, from horror to westerns. His films always show his unique ideas.

Kaufman became very well known for his film The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988). For this movie, he won a BAFTA Award and was nominated for an Academy Award for writing the best adapted screenplay. He also directed other famous films like The Wanderers (1979), Rising Sun (1993), and Quills (2000). He gained a lot of attention for The Right Stuff (1983), which was nominated for eight Academy Awards. He also directed the HBO movie Hemingway & Gellhorn (2012), which earned him an Emmy nomination for directing.

Early Life and Education

Philip Kaufman was born in Chicago in 1936. He was the only son of Elizabeth and Nathan Kaufman. One of his friends from school was William Friedkin, who also became a famous director. Philip loved movies from a young age and often went to see two movies for the price of one.

He studied history at the University of Chicago and then went to Harvard Law School for a year. He wanted to become a history professor.

Before finishing his studies, Kaufman became part of the "counterculture movement" in the 1960s. This was a time when many young people questioned traditional ways of life. In 1960, he moved to San Francisco and worked different jobs, like a postal worker. He met interesting people there, including the writer Henry Miller.

Later, he and his wife decided to travel and live in Europe. He worked on a farm in Israel called a kibbutz. Then he taught English and math in Greece and Italy for two years. During his travels, he met author Anaïs Nin. Her relationship with Henry Miller later inspired Kaufman's film Henry and June (1990).

He met Rose Fisher in 1957 when they were both students at the University of Chicago. They got married in 1958 and had one son, Peter. Rose Kaufman also wrote screenplays and had small acting roles in two of Philip's films. After traveling in Europe, they returned to the United States. Seeing experimental films in Europe made Philip decide to become a filmmaker. He felt inspired by these new movies and wanted to bring that "European flavor" to his own films.

Career Highlights

Early Films: 1964–1977

Goldstein (1964)

Kaufman returned to Chicago to make his first movie, Goldstein (1964). He co-wrote and co-directed it with Benjamin Manaster. The film was inspired by a story and was filmed in Chicago with local actors.

Goldstein won an award at the 1964 Cannes Film Festival. Famous French director Jean Renoir called it the best American film he had seen in 20 years. Another director, François Truffaut, even applauded during its first showing in Chicago.

Fearless Frank (1967)

Two years later, Kaufman directed Fearless Frank (1967). This was a comic book-style movie that he wrote, produced, and directed. It starred Jon Voight in his first movie role. The film didn't do well at the box office, but it helped Kaufman get a contract with Universal Studios in 1969.

The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid (1972)

In 1972, Kaufman wrote and directed The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid. This was his first commercial film, starring Robert Duvall as Jesse James. Kaufman did a lot of research for the story. Critics said he tried to show events as they might have really happened, with a bit of humor.

The White Dawn (1974)

Kaufman directed The White Dawn in 1974. This drama was based on a novel and filmed like a documentary. It tells the story of whalers, played by Warren Oates, Louis Gossett Jr., and Timothy Bottoms, who get stuck in the Arctic. They have to survive by battling polar bears and using the help of the Eskimos who saved them.

The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)

Kaufman started writing and directing The Outlaw Josey Wales in 1975. However, he was later replaced as director after disagreements with the movie's star, Clint Eastwood. Eastwood then directed the film himself.

Major Successes: 1978–1983

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

In 1978, Kaufman directed the science fiction thriller Invasion of the Body Snatchers. This movie became his first big hit. It was a new version of a 1956 film. Kaufman set his version in San Francisco and made the alien threat feel very scary and real. One critic called it "the best movie of its kind ever made."

The Wanderers (1979)

In 1979, he directed The Wanderers, based on a funny novel. This film showed Kaufman's skill in directing a very different type of movie. It's about a group of teenage friends in the Bronx in 1963. The film starred Ken Wahl and Karen Allen and has become a favorite among fans.

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

In 1981, Kaufman helped create the story for the first Indiana Jones movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark. The character of Indiana Jones was created by George Lucas, and Kaufman came up with the idea of searching for the Ark of the Covenant.

The Right Stuff (1983)

In 1983, Kaufman directed and wrote the screenplay for the highly praised film, The Right Stuff. It was based on a popular book about the first U.S. astronauts and test pilots. The film helped start the careers of many actors, including Ed Harris and Dennis Quaid.

Kaufman wanted the story to focus on both the astronauts and the test pilot Chuck Yeager. The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards and won four, but it didn't make a lot of money at the box office. Critics praised Kaufman's work on the film.

Later Works: 1988–2012

The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988)

Kaufman directed and co-wrote The Unbearable Lightness of Being in 1988. The film is based on a novel and takes place during the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. Kaufman was nominated for an Academy Award for his screenplay.

Rising Sun (1993)

Kaufman directed Rising Sun in 1993, a thriller based on a book. The film starred Sean Connery and Wesley Snipes.

In 1995, Kaufman narrated China: The Wild East, a documentary directed by his son, Peter Kaufman.

Hemingway & Gellhorn (2012)

In 2012, Kaufman directed an HBO movie called Hemingway & Gellhorn. It was about the writer Ernest Hemingway and his relationship with Martha Gellhorn. The film starred Clive Owen and Nicole Kidman. This movie had been planned for many years, but Kaufman delayed it to care for his wife, who was ill. Nicole Kidman was eager to be in the film, telling him, "I want to do it... no matter how long it takes." The film was nominated for 15 Primetime Emmy Awards, including one for Kaufman's directing.

Personal Life

Philip Kaufman lives in San Francisco, where he also runs his film company. He married Rose Fisher in 1959. Their son, Peter, was born in 1960. Rose Kaufman, who also wrote screenplays and acted in some of her husband's films, passed away in 2009.

Their son, Peter Kaufman, has also worked in movies as a producer for films like Henry & June and Hemingway & Gellhorn. Peter is married to Christine Pelosi, who is the daughter of Nancy Pelosi, a well-known American politician. They have a daughter named Isabella.

Filmography

Film

Year	Film	Director	Writer	Producer	Notes
1964	Goldstein	Yes	Yes	Yes	Co-writer and director with Benjamin Manaster
1967	Fearless Frank	Yes	Yes	Yes
1972	The Great Northfield, Minnesota Raid	Yes	Yes	No
1974	The White Dawn	Yes	No	No
1976	The Outlaw Josey Wales	No	Yes	No	Based on the novel The Rebel Outlaw: Josey Wales
1978	Invasion of the Body Snatchers	Yes	No	No	Remake of the 1956 film
1979	The Wanderers	Yes	Yes	No	Based on the 1974 novel, adapted with Rose Kaufman
1981	Raiders of the Lost Ark	No	Story	No	With George Lucas
1983	The Right Stuff	Yes	Yes	No	Based on the 1979 novel
1988	The Unbearable Lightness of Being	Yes	Yes	No	Based on the 1984 novel, adapted with Jean-Claude Carrière
1990	Henry & June	Yes	Yes	No	Written with Rose Kaufman
1993	Rising Sun	Yes	Yes	No	Based on the 1992 novel, adapted with Michael Backes and Michael Crichton
1994	China: The Wild East	No	No	Yes	Documentary film
2000	Quills	Yes	No	No	Based on the play of the same name
2004	Twisted	Yes	No	No

Also credited for creating characters in later Indiana Jones films and video games.

Television

Year	Film	Director	Writer	Producer	Notes
2012	Hemingway & Gellhorn	Yes	No	No	HBO Television film

Appearances

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1978	Invasion of the Body Snatchers	City Official on Phone	Voice cameo
1988	The Unbearable Lightness of Being	Man walking on street outside Sabina's flat	Cameo
2004	Lumps of Joy	Himself	Short film
2017	Adventures in Moviegoing	Host	Episode: "Kareem Abdul-Jabbar"

Awards and Nominations

Year	Award Group	Category	Project	Result
1972	Writers Guild of America	Best Drama Written for the Screen	The Great Northfield, Minnesota Raid	Nominated
1981		Best Comedy Written for the Screen	Raiders of the Lost Ark	Nominated
1983		Best Adapted Screenplay	The Right Stuff	Nominated
1983	Directors Guild of America	Outstanding Direction of a Motion Picture	The Right Stuff	Nominated
1988	Writers Guild of America	Best Adapted Screenplay	Unbearable Lightness of Being	Nominated
	Academy Award	Best Adapted Screenplay		Nominated
	BAFTA Award	BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay		Won
2012	Primetime Emmy Award	Outstanding Directing for TV Movie or a Dramatic Special	Hemingway and Gellhorn	Nominated
2012	Directors Guild of America	Outstanding Direction of a Miniseries or Movie	Hemingway and Gellhorn	Nominated

Legacy

Film experts say that Philip Kaufman is unique among American directors. He often makes movies for grown-ups that explore feelings, art, and how people are influenced by power. His films are known for their strong mood and beautiful camera work. They have a "poetic style" that helps show different historical times. Even though his later films have a European feel, his stories always focus on being an individual and having strong values, and they are clearly American.