Arthur Hiller
A versatile director who helmed the quintessential tearjerker 'Love Story', crafting mainstream hits that captured the American mood for decades.
1923–2016 (age 93)·Canadian film and television director·Birthday: November 22·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Arthur Hiller's career was a testament to steady, reliable craftsmanship in an industry often dazzled by flash. The Canadian-born director cut his teeth in the early days of television, directing hundreds of live TV dramas before moving seamlessly to film. He never settled into a single genre, instead becoming a go-to director for studios needing a sure hand on comedies like 'The Out-of-Towners', dramas like 'The Hospital', and the film that defined his legacy, 'Love Story'. That 1970 romance, with its famous line about love meaning never having to say you're sorry, became a cultural phenomenon and earned Hiller an Academy Award nomination for Best Director. He later served as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Directors Guild of America, respected more for his professionalism and dedication to the industry's institutions than for a singular artistic vision, leaving behind a filmography that is a snapshot of mainstream Hollywood taste from the 1960s through the 1990s.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Arthur was born in 1923, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Arthur Was Born
The biggest hits of 1923
#1 Movie
The Covered Wagon
Arthur's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1923Born
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1928Started school
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1936Became a teenager
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Could drive
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1941Could vote
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1944Turned 21
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1953Turned 30
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1963Turned 40
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1973Turned 50
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 60
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 70
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 80
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2016Died at 93
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
Key Achievements
- Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director for the blockbuster romance film 'Love Story' (1970).
- Served as President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences from 1993 to 1997.
- Directed 'The Out-of-Towners', a classic comedy starring Jack Lemmon and Sandy Dennis about a disastrous trip to New York.
- Presided as President of the Directors Guild of America from 1989 to 1993.
Did You Know?
He directed episodes for numerous classic TV series including 'Gunsmoke', 'The Alfred Hitchcock Hour', and 'Naked City'.
Hiller was awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the 2002 Oscars for his charitable work.
He was the chairman of the board of the American Film Institute for many years.
His film 'The Hospital' (1971) won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Paddy Chayefsky.
“I directed live television; you learn to tell the story clearly and get it right.”
