Contents
Sidney Lumet
Directing 12 Angry Men, Serpico and Network: tense dramas about justice, power and compromised institutions.
12 Angry Men · Dog Day Afternoon
- Born
- 25 June 1924
- Birthplace
- Philadelphia, United States
- Died
- 9 April 2011
More people
Sidney Lumet
Sidney Lumet moved from child acting and live television to an unusually varied film career, often rooted in New York.
Early life
Theatre family
Grew up in New York with parents who worked in Yiddish theatre.
Child performer
Acted on radio and stage before serving in the US Army during World War II.
Career
- 1950
Live television
Began directing television, developing his speed and rehearsal-led approach.
- 1957
Feature debut
Moved into cinema with 12 Angry Men.
- 1970s
New York dramas
Established a major run of socially engaged films, including Serpico and Dog Day Afternoon.
- 2005
Honorary Oscar
Received recognition for his lifetime contribution to filmmaking.
Selected work
12 Angry Men
A jury's deliberations expose prejudice and reasonable doubt.
Dog Day Afternoon
A bank robbery becomes a public spectacle.
Network
Television executives turn an anchor's breakdown into entertainment.
Beyond work
Wartime service
Worked as an Army radar repairman in India and Burma.
Writing
Explained his craft in the 1995 book Making Movies.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗British Film Institute: film and context ↗Photo: Photographer unknown. Published and distributed by Maron Films.. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
