Robert Pirosh facts for kids

Robert Pirosh (born April 1, 1910 – died December 25, 1989) was an American writer and director for movies. He was best known for his films about war and the military. These stories were often inspired by his own time as a soldier in the United States Army during World War II.

He won a special award called an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for his movie Battleground (1949). This film was partly based on his own experiences during the Battle of the Bulge. He was also nominated for another Oscar for Go for Broke! (1951). This movie was about the brave 442nd Regimental Combat Team.

Early Life and Dreams

Robert Pirosh was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He finished high school at Baltimore City College in 1928. To prepare for a career in Hollywood, he studied in Europe. He went to the Sorbonne in France and the University of Berlin in Germany.

Starting in Hollywood

When he first looked for work in Hollywood, he sent a very unique letter. It started with "Dear Sir, I like words." This letter helped him get noticed. He wanted to be a screenwriter, someone who writes movie scripts.

A Famous Letter

His letter ended with a memorable line. He wrote that he liked the word screenwriter more than copywriter. He left his advertising job in New York to try Hollywood. Before moving, he spent a year studying and having fun in Europe. He returned still loving words and asked for a meeting. This letter later became famous and was featured in a book called Letters of Note.

Hollywood Writer

Pirosh began his movie career in 1934. He started as a junior writer at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, a big movie studio. He worked with another new writer, George Seaton. They wrote together on two famous comedies for the Marx Brothers. These were A Night at the Opera (1935) and A Day at the Races (1937).

He also helped adapt a play called Night of January 16th into a movie in 1941. In 1942, he worked on a funny movie called Rings on Her Fingers. This film starred famous actors Henry Fonda and Gene Tierney.

Serving His Country

During World War II, Robert Pirosh served in the United States Army. He was a Master Sergeant, which is a high rank for a non-commissioned officer. He was part of the 320th Regiment in the 35th Infantry Division. He fought in important battles in Europe, including the Ardennes and Rhineland campaigns.

War Experiences Inspire Films

During the Battle of the Bulge, a major battle, he led a small group of soldiers. They went into Bastogne to help American forces who were surrounded there. While fighting, he kept a journal about his experiences. This journal later became the main idea for his famous 1949 movie Battleground.

After the War: Awards and Directing

After the war, Robert Pirosh continued his successful career. He won an Academy Award in 1949. This was for his script for the World War II movie Battleground. He also helped produce this film. It was the first movie based on the Ardennes battle.

Winning Top Awards

His work on Battleground was highly praised. He also won the Golden Globe and the Writers Guild of America awards that same year. These are all very important awards in the film industry.

Directing and TV Shows

In 1951, he was nominated for another Academy Award for his screenplay Go for Broke!. This was also the first movie he directed. He went on to write the story for the respected Steve McQueen World War II film Hell Is for Heroes. Many believe this movie inspired the TV show Combat!, which he also created.

Pirosh also directed other movies, like Valley of the Kings in 1954 and The Girl Rush in 1955. Later, he wrote an episode for the 1976 CBS western TV series Sara.

Robert Pirosh's Works