David O. Selznick

David Oliver Selznick (May 10, 1902 - June 22, 1965), was an influential Hollywood producers, best know for producing the epic blockbuster Gone With the Wind, (1939) which earned him an Oscar. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the son of silent movie director Lewis J. Selznick. He studed at Columbia University until his father lost the family fortune, then became a script reader at MGM.

Following Gone With the Wind, Selznick spent the rest of his life trying to top that achievement. His work with Alfred Hitchcock produced Rebecca in 1940, but The Paradine Case[?] in 1947 was a low point of his career. Hitchcock reported feeling stifled by Selznick and did not work with him any further after his contract with him was fulfilled by The Paradine Case. Selznick struggled with his ego and his dwindling influence in Hollywood, gambling extensively.

Seznick bucked heads with director King Vidor over Duel in the Sun, 1946, a vehicle for actress Jennifer Jones, whom Selznick soon married (they stayed married until his death). His last feature, A Farewell to Arms, (1957), received modest reviews.

Academy Awards and Nominations

• 1946 Nominated Best Picture Spellbound
• 1945 Nominated Best Picture Since You Went Away
• 1941 Won Best Picture Rebecca
• 1940 Won Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award[?]
• 1940 Won Best Picture Gone with the Wind
• 1938 Nominated Best Picture A Star Is Born
• 1937 Nominated Best Picture A Tale of Two Cities