Editing Burt Lancaster (section)

===United Artists===
Hecht and Lancaster left Warners for [[United Artists]], for what began as a two-picture deal, the first of which was to be 1954's ''[[Apache (film)|Apache]]'', starring Lancaster as a Native American.<ref>Burt Lancaster Makes U. A. Deal: Movie Star and His Partner, Harold Hecht, Find a New Outlet for Productions By Thomas M. Pryor New York Times June 24, 1953: 30.</ref><ref>Looking at Hollywood: Lancaster Gets Indian Role in 'Bronco Apache' Hopper, Hedda. Chicago Daily Tribune2 Dec 1952: a5.</ref>

They followed it with another Western in 1954, ''[[Vera Cruz (film)|Vera Cruz]]'', co-starring [[Gary Cooper]] and produced by Hill. Both films were directed by [[Robert Aldrich]] and were hugely popular.

United Artists signed Hecht-Lancaster to a multi-picture contract, to make seven films over two years.<ref>Hollywood Surprise by Thomas M. Pryor. ''The New York Times'' February 14, 1954: X5.</ref> These included films in which Lancaster did not act. Their first was ''[[Marty (film)|Marty]]'' in 1955, based on [[Paddy Chayefsky]]'s TV play starring [[Ernest Borgnine]] and directed by [[Delbert Mann]]. It won both the [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture Oscar]] and the [[Palme d'Or]] award at [[Cannes Film Festival|Cannes]] and Borgnine an [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor Oscar]]. It also earned $2 million on a budget of $350,000.<ref name="times">Hollywood Dossier: 'Marty' Hits Jackpot – Team – On the Set By Oscar Godabout Hollywood. ''The New York Times'' September 11, 1955: X7.</ref> ''Vera Cruz'' had been a huge success, but ''Marty'' secured Hecht-Lancaster as one of the most successful independent production companies in Hollywood at the time.<ref name="tino">Tino Balio, ''United Artists: The Company That Changed the Film Industry'', University of Wisconsin Press, 1987 p. 82</ref> ''Marty'' star Borgnine was under contract to Hecht-Lancaster and was unhappy about his lack of upcoming roles, especially after only receiving some seven lines in 1957's ''Sweet Smell of Success'' and half of his normal pay for ''Marty''.<ref>{{Cite web | url = https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/ernest-borgnine-1917-2012-interview-346400 | title = Ernest Borgnine (1917-2012): A Personal Remembrance and An Unforgettable Interview | website = The Hollywood Reporter | date = July 9, 2012 | language = en|access-date=September 25, 2019}}</ref> He eventually sued for breach of contract to gain back some of this money in 1957.<ref>{{Cite book | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ooqACgAAQBAJ&q=burt+lancaster+ernest+borgnine+contract&pg=PA14 | title = Burt Lancaster: A Filmography and Biography | last = Andreychuk | first = Ed | date = 2015 | publisher = McFarland | isbn = 978-1476606491 | language = en}}</ref>

Without Hill, Hecht and Lancaster produced ''[[The Kentuckian (1955 film)|The Kentuckian]]'' in 1955. It was directed by Lancaster in his directorial debut, and he also played a lead role. Lancaster disliked directing and only did it once more, on 1974's ''[[The Midnight Man (1974 film)|The Midnight Man]]''.<ref>' The Top Box-Office Hits of 1955', ''Variety Weekly'', January 25, 1956</ref>

Lancaster still had commitments with Wallis, and made ''[[The Rose Tattoo (film)|The Rose Tattoo]]'' for him in 1955, starring with [[Anna Magnani]] and Daniel Mann directing. It was very popular at the box office and critically acclaimed, winning Magnani an Oscar.<ref>' The Top Box-Office Hits of 1956', ''Variety Weekly'', January 2, 1957</ref>