Steven Spielberg

Steven Spielberg is one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema and one of the most recognizable directors in Hollywood. He is also among the wealthiest filmmakers in the world, with a long list of commercially successful and critically acclaimed projects to his name as director, producer, or writer. He is widely credited with launching the modern summer blockbuster with *Jaws* (1975), and his work since the mid-1970s has had a defining impact on popular filmmaking.

Steven Allan Spielberg was born in 1946 in Cincinnati, Ohio, to Leah Frances (Posner), a concert pianist and restaurateur, and Arnold Spielberg, an electrical engineer who worked in computer development. Both of his parents were born to Russian Jewish immigrant families. Spielberg spent his early years in Haddon Township, New Jersey, Phoenix, Arizona, and later Saratoga, California. He attended California State University, Long Beach, but left to pursue a career in entertainment. Among his early directing efforts were *Battle Squad* (1961), which combined World War II footage with footage of an airplane on the ground that he made appear to be moving; *Escape to Nowhere* (1961), which featured children as World War Two soldiers, including his sister Anne Spielberg; and *The Last Gun* (1959), a western. All of these were short films. In the following years, Spielberg directed *Firelight* (1964), a film about aliens invading a small town, and *Slipstream* (1967), which was unfinished. In 1968, he directed *Amblin’* (1968), a film that prominently featured the desert and became the name of his production company, which later produced such classics as *E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial* (1982). *Amblin’* was not the first of his films to feature the desert. Spielberg also directed *Duel* (1971), a notable early project starring Dennis Weaver. In the early 1970s, he worked in television, directing episodes of series such as Rod Serling's *Night Gallery* (1969), *Marcus Welby, M.D.* (1969), and *Murder by the Book* (1971). His work in television and short films, as well as his early directing projects, were early indicators of the talent that would later captivate audiences worldwide.

Spielberg's first major directorial effort was *The Sugarland Express* (1974), starring Goldie Hawn, a film that marked him as a rising talent. His next project, *Jaws* (1975), made him an international superstar and is credited with starting the tradition of the summer blockbuster. His next film, *Close Encounters of the Third Kind* (1977), was a unique and original UFO story that remains a classic. In 1978, Spielberg produced *I Wanna Hold Your Hand* (1978), and followed that with *Used Cars* (1980), a comedy starring Kurt Russell and Jack Warden. He then directed *Raiders of the Lost Ark* (1981), featuring Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. In 1982, he produced and directed two films: *Poltergeist* (1982) and *E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial* (1982), which was the highest-grossing film of all time up to that point. Spielberg also helped pioneer the practice of product placement, notably with the placement of Reese's Pieces in *E.T.* He was also among the first to emphasize special effects on a large scale in films like *E.T.* and *Close Encounters*. In 1984, he directed *Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom* (1984), a commercial success that did not receive the same critical acclaim as its predecessor. As a producer in the 1980s, Spielberg was involved in projects such as *The Goonies* (1985) and *Gremlins* (1984), and produced the animated film *An American Tail* (1986). His biggest success as a producer in 1985 was *Back to the Future* (1985), which made Michael J. Fox a star. As a director, he adapted *The Color Purple* (1985), starring Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey. In the late 1980s, he directed *Empire of the Sun* (1987), which had mixed results. However, his success continued.

In the late 1980s, Spielberg remained at the center of popular culture. In 1988, he produced the landmark animation/live-action film *Who Framed Roger Rabbit* (1988). The following year, he produced and directed *Always* (1989), *Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade* (1989), and *Back to the Future Part II* (1989), all of which were box-office and critical successes. He also produced the comedy-drama *Dad* (1989), starring Jack Lemmon and Ted Danson, which received mixed reviews. Spielberg has also been a major force in animation, particularly in the 1990s. In addition to *Who Framed Roger Rabbit*, he produced the animated series *Tiny Toon Adventures* (1990), *Animaniacs* (1993), *Pinky and the Brain* (1995), *F