Editing Robert Wise

{{short description|American film director, film producer and film editor}}
{{other people}}
{{use mdy dates|date=December 2013}}
{{Infobox person
| name        = Robert Wise
| image       = Robert wise 1990.jpg
| caption     = Wise in 1990
| birth_name  = Robert Earl Wise
| birth_date  = {{birth date|1914|9|10|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Winchester, Indiana]], U.S.
| death_date  = {{death date and age|2005|9|14|1914|9|10}}
| death_place = [[Westwood, Los Angeles|Westwood]], California, U.S.
| yearsactive = 1934–2000
| spouse      = {{unbulleted list
| {{marriage|Patricia Doyle|25 May 1942|22 September 1975|reason=her death}}
| {{marriage|Millicent Franklin|29 January 1977}}
}}
| occupation  = Film director, film producer, film editor
| children    = 1
}}
'''Robert Earl Wise''' (September 10, 1914 – September 14, 2005) was an American filmmaker. He won the [[Academy Awards]] for [[Academy Award for Best Director|Best Director]] and [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]] for his [[musical film]]s ''[[West Side Story (1961 film)|West Side Story]]'' (1961) and ''[[The Sound of Music (film)|The Sound of Music]]'' (1965). He was also nominated for [[Academy Award for Best Film Editing|Best Film Editing]] for ''[[Citizen Kane]]'' (1941) and directed and produced ''[[The Sand Pebbles (film)|The Sand Pebbles]]'' (1966), which was nominated for Best Picture.

Among his other films are ''[[The Body Snatcher (1945 film)|The Body Snatcher]]'' (1945), ''[[Born to Kill (1947 film)|Born to Kill]]'' (1947), ''[[The Set-Up (1949 film)|The Set-Up]]'' (1949), ''[[The Day the Earth Stood Still]]'' (1951), ''[[Destination Gobi]]'' (1953), ''[[This Could Be the Night (film)|This Could Be The Night]]'' (1957), ''[[Run Silent, Run Deep (1958 film)|Run Silent, Run Deep]]'' (1958), ''[[I Want to Live!]]'' (1958), ''[[The Haunting (1963 film)|The Haunting]]'' (1963), ''[[The Andromeda Strain (film)|The Andromeda Strain]]'' (1971), ''[[The Hindenburg (film)|The Hindenburg]]'' (1975) and ''[[Star Trek: The Motion Picture]]'' (1979).

He was the president of the [[Directors Guild of America]] from 1971 to 1975 and the president of the [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]] from 1985 through 1988.

Wise achieved critical success as a director in a striking variety of film genres: [[Horror noir|horror-noir]], [[Western (genre)|western]], [[war film|war]], [[film noir]], [[Horror film|horror]], [[science fiction film|science fiction]], [[musical film|musical]] and [[drama film|drama]], with many repeat successes within each genre. Wise's meticulous preparation may have been largely motivated by studio budget constraints, but advanced the moviemaking art. He received the [[AFI Life Achievement Award]] in 1998.

==Early years==
Wise was born in [[Winchester, Indiana]], the youngest son of Olive R. (née Longenecker) and Earl W. Wise, a meat packer.<ref>[http://www.filmreference.com/film/40/Robert-E-Wise.html Robert E. Wise Biography (1914-)]. Filmreference.com. Retrieved on 2014-05-22.</ref><ref>{{cite book | last =Gehring | first =Wes D. | title =Robert Wise: Shadowlands
 | publisher =Indiana Historical Society Press | year =2012 | location =Indianapolis | page =1 | isbn =978-0-87195-296-7}}</ref> He had an elder brother, David.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2005-09-15|title=Robert Wise, Film Director, Dies at 91|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/15/movies/robert-wise-film-director-dies-at-91.html|access-date=2022-02-13|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The family moved to [[Connersville, Indiana|Connersville]], [[Fayette County, Indiana]], where Wise attended public schools. As a youth Wise's favorite pastime was going to the movies.<ref>Gehring, p. 3.</ref> As a student at [[Connersville High School]], Wise wrote humor and sports columns for the school's newspaper and was a member of the yearbook staff and poetry club.<ref>Gehring, p. 6 and 17.</ref><ref>The Connersville High School's auditorium, the Robert E. Wise Center for Performing Arts, was named in his honor in 1990. See {{cite news | last =Selke | first =Mike | title =Connersville's Hollywood star director gives in to heart failure | newspaper =Connersville News Examiner | location =Connersville, Indiana | page = A1 and A9 | date =September 16, 2005 }}</ref> Wise initially sought a career in journalism and following graduation from high school attended [[Franklin College (Indiana)|Franklin College]], a small liberal arts college south of [[Indianapolis, Indiana]], on a scholarship.<ref>Gehring, p. 17, 19.</ref> In 1933, due to the family's poor financial situation during the [[Great Depression]], Wise was unable to return to college for his second year and moved to Hollywood to begin a lifelong career in the film industry.<ref name=Smith404>{{cite book | last =Smith | first =David L. | title =Hoosiers in Hollywood | publisher =Indiana Historical Society Press | year =2006 | location =Indianapolis | page =404| isbn =978-0-87195-194-6}}</ref> Wise's older brother, David, who had gone to Hollywood several years earlier and worked at [[RKO Pictures]], found his younger brother a job in the shipping department at RKO.<ref name=Gehring20>Gehring, p. 20.</ref> Wise worked odd jobs at the studio before moving into editing.<ref name=Smith404/>

==Early career==
Wise began his film career at [[RKO Pictures|RKO]] as a sound and music editor. In the 1930s, RKO was a budget-minded studio with "a strong work ethic" and "willingness to take artistic risks", which was fortunate for a newcomer to Hollywood such as Wise.<ref>Gehring, p. 20–21.</ref> At RKO, Wise became an assistant to T.K. Wood, the studio's head sound-effects editor.<ref>Gehring, p. 26.</ref> Wise's first screen credit was a ten-minute short subject called ''A Trip through Fijiland'' (1935), which was made from RKO footage salvaged from an abandoned feature film.<ref>Gehring, pp. 27–28.</ref>

As Wise gained experience, he became more interested in editing film content, rather than sound, and went to work for RKO film editor William "Billy" Hamilton.<ref name=Gehring28>Gehring, p. 28.</ref> Wise's first film as Hamilton's assistant was Alfred Santell's ''Winterset'' (1936). Wise continued to work with Hamilton on other films, including ''[[Stage Door]]'' (1937), ''[[Having Wonderful Time]]'' (1938) and ''[[The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle]]'' (1939).<ref name=Gehring28/> In ''[[The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939 film)|The Hunchback of Notre Dame]]'' (1939) and ''[[5th Ave Girl]]'' (1939), Hamilton and Wise, as assistant film editor, shared screen credit; it was Wise's first credit on a feature film.<ref>Gehring, pp. 29–30.</ref> Wise's first solo film editing work was on ''[[Bachelor Mother]]'' (1939) and ''[[My Favorite Wife]]'' (1939).<ref>Gehring, p. 30.</ref>

At RKO, Wise worked with [[Orson Welles]] on ''[[Citizen Kane]]'' (1941) and was nominated for the [[Academy Award for Film Editing]].<ref name=Gehring20/> Wise was the film's last living crew member.

Though Wise worked as an editor on ''Citizen Kane'', it is likely that while working on the film he became familiar with the [[optical printer]] techniques employed by [[Linwood Dunn]], inventor of the practical optical printer, to produce effects for ''Citizen Kane'' such as the image projected in the broken [[snowglobe]] which falls from Kane's hand as he dies.<ref>{{cite book|first1=Robert L.|last1=Carringer|title=The Making of Citizen Kane|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WEJDyUCS3S4C&q=Linwood+Dunn+citizen+kane&pg=PA170|publisher=University of California Press|location=Berkeley, California|isbn=0520205677|pages=89–99|date=1996|access-date=1 April 2017}}</ref>

In ''Citizen Kane'', Welles used a deep-focus technique, in which heavy lighting is employed to achieve sharp focus for both foreground and background in the frame. Wise later used the technique in films that he directed.<ref>Gehring, p. 44.</ref> Welles' ''Citizen Kane'' also influenced Wise's innovations in the use of sound in films such as ''The Set-Up'' (1949), where Wise limited music to in-film sources, and in ''Executive Suite'' (1954), which used no music.<ref>Gehring, p. 44–45.</ref> In addition, biographical films or biographical profiles of fictionalized characters such as [[Charles Foster Kane]] were often the subjects of Wise's later work, including ''Somebody Up There Likes Me'' (1956), ''I Want to Live!'' (1958), ''The Sound of Music'' (1965), ''So Big'' (1953), ''Run Silent, Run Deep'' (1958) and ''The Sand Pebbles'' (1966), among others.<ref>Gehring, p. 45.</ref> Wise also worked as editor on Welles' next film for RKO, ''[[The Magnificent Ambersons (film)|The Magnificent Ambersons]]'' (1942). While working as a [[film editor]], Wise was called on to shoot additional scenes for the film.<ref>Gerhring, p. 51.</ref> After Welles was dismissed from the studio, Wise continued editing films such as ''Seven Days Leave'' (1942), ''[[Bombardier (film)|Bombardier]]'' (1943) and ''[[The Fallen Sparrow]]'' (1943), before he received his first directing assignment.<ref>Gehring, p. 63 and 65.</ref>

==Director and producer==
For Wise, connecting to the viewer was the "most important part of making a film."<ref>Gehring, p. 160.</ref> Wise also had a reputation for a strong work ethic and budget-minded frugality.<ref>Gehring, p. 66.</ref> In addition, he was known for his attention to detail and well-researched preparation for a film. For example, before directing ''Until They Sail'' (1957), set in New Zealand during World War II, Wise traveled to New Zealand to interview women whose lives were similar to those portrayed in the film. Wise's attention to detail also extended to foreign locales. While in New Zealand doing research for the film, Wise also scouted background shots for the film's second-unit crew, even though the main film was shot on MGM's back lot in California.<ref>Gehring, p. 164.</ref> He also shot films on location, such as ''Mystery in Mexico'' (1948), a minor B-movie thriller filmed in Mexico City.<ref>Gehring, p. 113–114.</ref>

Wise's films often included lessons on racial tolerance. For example, Native Americans, Muslims,  Hispanics and African Americans were featured in such films as ''[[Two Flags West]]'' (1950), ''[[This Could Be the Night (film)|This Could Be the Night]]'' (1957), ''[[The Set-Up (1949)|The Set-Up]]'' (1949) and ''[[Odds Against Tomorrow]]'' (1959), and ''[[West Side Story (1961 film)|West Side Story]]'' (1961). ''The Sand Pebbles'' (1966) featured the story of a biracial couple, and Jewish characters were included in ''Somebody Up There Likes Me'' (1956), ''The Day the Earth Stood Still'' (1951), and ''[[The House on Telegraph Hill]]'' (1951).<ref>Gehring, p. 196 and 199.</ref>

At RKO, Wise got his first credited directing job in 1944 while working for Hollywood horror film producer [[Val Lewton]]. Wise replaced the original director on the horror film ''[[The Curse of the Cat People]]'' (1944), when it fell behind schedule.<ref>Gehring, p. 65–66.</ref><ref>Smith, p. 405.</ref> The film, a well received "dark fantasy about a solitary child and her imaginary friend", was a departure from the horror films of the day.<ref>Gehring, p. 71.</ref> In many of Wise's films, but especially in ''Curse of the Cat People'', the melodrama used a vulnerable child or childlike character to challenge a dark, adult world.<ref>Gehring, p. 75.</ref> Lewton promoted Wise to his superiors at RKO, beginning a collaboration that produced the notable horror film ''[[The Body Snatcher (1945 film)|The Body Snatcher]]'' (1945), starring [[Boris Karloff]] and [[Bela Lugosi]].<ref>Gerhing, p. 77–78.</ref> Wise identified the film as a personal favorite and its rave reviews also helped establish his career as a director.<ref>Gehring, p. 78.</ref>

Between ''Curse'' and ''Snatcher'', Wise directed ''[[Mademoiselle Fifi (film)|Mademoiselle Fifi]]'' (1944), an adaptation of two [[Guy de Maupassant]] short stories that explored man's darker side with a political subtext.<ref>Gehring, p. 86 and 88.</ref> ''Fifi''{{'}}s feminist perspective and a memorable chase sequence helped make it a "template picture for Wise".<ref>Gehring, p. 93–95.</ref> Wise also directed film noir, among them the [[Lawrence Tierney]] noir classic ''[[Born to Kill (1947 film)|Born to Kill]]'' (1947), and ''[[Blood on the Moon]]'' (1948), a noir Western starring [[Robert Mitchum]] as a cowboy drifter that included memorable night sequences.<ref>Gehring, p. 119–120, 122.</ref>

His last film for RKO ''[[The Set-Up (1949 film)|The Set-Up]]'' (1949) was a realistic boxing movie in which Wise portrayed the sport as cruel and exploitative.<ref>Gehring, p. 128.</ref> The film also included choreographed fight scenes and "set the bar" for other fight films.<ref>Gehring, p. 130 and 133.</ref> The film earned the Critic's Prize at the [[Cannes Film Festival]].<ref>Gehring, p. 126.</ref> Wise's use and mention of time in this film would echo in later [[Film noir|noir]] films such as [[Stanley Kubrick]]'s ''[[The Killing (film)|The Killing]]'' (1956) and [[Quentin Tarantino]]'s ''[[Pulp Fiction (film)|Pulp Fiction]]'' (1994).<ref>{{cite web | title =Killing (Motion picture : 1956)| publisher =UCLA Library, Film and Television Archive | url =http://cinema.library.ucla.edu | access-date =2012-11-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title =Pulp Fiction| publisher = UCLA Library, Film and Television Archive|location=Los Angeles, California| url = http://cinema.library.ucla.edu| access-date =November 1, 2012}}</ref>

In the 1950s, he proved adept in several genres, including science fiction in ''[[The Day the Earth Stood Still]]'' (1951); melodrama in ''[[So Big (1953 film)|So Big]]'' (1953);<ref>''So Big'' "foreshadowed the family values" that later appeared in ''The Sound of Music'' (1965). See Gehring, p. 179 and 181.</ref> Western in ''[[Tribute to a Bad Man]]'' (1956), starring [[James Cagney]];<ref>Gehring p. 190–191.</ref> fictionalized biography in the boardroom drama ''[[Executive Suite]]'' (1954); and the epic ''[[Helen of Troy (film)|Helen of Troy]]'' (1955) based on [[Homer]]'s ''[[Iliad]]''. ''[[Three Secrets]]'' (1950), a soap opera/family melodrama, gave Wise a chance to work with actress [[Patricia Neal]] "in a landmark performance about gender double standards".<ref>Gehring, p. 137.</ref> Neal starred in two more Wise films: ''[[The Day the Earth Stood Still]]'' (1951) and ''[[Something for the Birds]]'' (1952). ''The Day the Earth Stood Still'', a science fiction thriller that warned about the dangers of atomic warfare, included a realistic setting and an emphasis on the story instead of special effects.<ref>Gehring, p. 142–143.</ref> The film received "overwhelmingly positive" reviews<ref>Gehring, p. 149.</ref> and has become "one of the most enduring and influential science fiction films ever made, and among the first produced by a major studio."<ref>Gehring, p. 150–151.</ref>

The biography of convicted killer [[Barbara Graham]] in ''[[I Want to Live!]]'' (1958), featured [[Susan Hayward]]'s Oscar-winning performance as Graham and earned Wise his first nomination for [[Academy Award for Best Director|Best Director]].<ref>Gehring, p. 200.</ref> The film became one of the top-grossing pictures of 1959 and was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Screenplay from another medium and Best (black and white) Cinematography.<ref>Gehring, p. 204.</ref> In addition, ''Executive Suite'' earned Wise a Best Director nomination from the Motion Picture Academy, the Venice Film Festival, and the Directors Guild of America. The film was awarded Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts nominated it for Best Film.<ref>Gehring, p. 187.</ref> Other Wise-directed films from the 1950s include ''[[Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956 film)|Somebody Up There Likes Me]]'' (1956), a portrait of boxer [[Rocky Graziano]], starring [[Paul Newman]];<ref>Gehring, p. 193–194.</ref><ref>Wise accepted the [[Academy Award for Best Actor]] on behalf of his absent friend, [[Paul Newman]], who won for his performance in ''[[The Color of Money]]'' (1986). See Gehring, p. 200 and {{cite web | last = Fichtinger | first = Lukas | title = Biography for Robert Wise | website =Internet Movie Database| url = https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0936404/bio| access-date =November 1, 2012}}</ref> Wise's first overt comedy, ''[[Something for the Birds]]'' (1952);<ref>Gehring, p. 152.</ref> the action comedy ''[[Destination Gobi]]'' (1953);<ref>Gehring, p. 157.</ref> and ''[[The Desert Rats (film)|The Desert Rats]]'' (1953), a more traditional war film.<ref>Gehring, p. 158.</ref>

In the 1960s, Wise directed three films adapted from the Broadway stage: ''[[West Side Story (1961 film)|West Side Story]]'' (1961), ''[[Two for the Seesaw (1962 film)|Two for the Seesaw]]'' (1962) and ''[[The Sound of Music (film)|The Sound of Music]]'' (1965).<ref>Gehring, p. 208.</ref> In 1961, teamed with [[Jerome Robbins]], Wise won the [[Academy Award for Best Director]] for ''West Side Story'', which Wise also produced. Wise and Robbins were the first duo to share an Academy Award for directing.<ref>Gehring, p. 221.</ref> Wise won a second Oscar, for Best Picture, as the film's producer,<ref name=Smith406>Smith, p. 406.</ref> ''West Side Story'' won ten out of its 11 Academy Award nominations: Best Picture, Director, Supporting Actor ([[George Chakiris]]), Supporting Actress ([[Rita Moreno]]), Cinematography (color), Art/Set Decoration (color), Sound, Scoring of a Musical Picture, Editing, and Costume Design (color). It lost for Best Screenplay based on material from another medium to ''[[Judgment at Nuremberg]]'' (1961).<ref>Gehring, p. 223–224.</ref> ''West Side Story'' was a box-office hit, and critics have declared it "a cinema masterpiece".<ref>The ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' "Guide to the Greatest Movies Ever Made" also named ''West Side Story'' at the top of its 100 best musicals list. See Gehring, p. 222–223.</ref>

Prior to directing ''The Sound of Music'' (1965), Wise directed the psychological horror film ''[[The Haunting (1963 film)|The Haunting]]'' (1963), starring [[Julie Harris (actress)|Julie Harris]], in an adaptation of [[Shirley Jackson]]'s novel ''[[The Haunting of Hill House]]''.<ref>Gehring, p. 227.</ref> Wise's big-budget adaptation of [[Richard Rodgers]] and [[Oscar Hammerstein II|Oscar Hammerstein]]'s family-oriented musical ''[[The Sound of Music (film)|The Sound of Music]]'', with [[Julie Andrews]] as Maria and [[Christopher Plummer]] as Captain von Trapp, became one of film history's highest-grossing movies.<ref name=Gehring233>Gehring, p. 233.</ref> Wise won Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture for ''The Sound of Music'' for 1965.<ref>Wise initially turned down the project, but later agreed after reaching a compromise with the film's producer. He directed the film in exchange for a percentage of the film's net profit and an agreement to finance ''The Sand Pebbles'', one of Wise's film projects that had stalled due to budget concerns. See Gehring, p. 233.</ref> Wise struggled to keep ''The Sound of Music'' from being an overly sweet, sentimental story by cutting lesser-known songs and adding new dialogue to improve transitions.<ref>Gehring, p. 234.</ref> In addition to garnering Wise two Oscars, the film won three more for editing, sound and scoring of music for an adaptation.<ref>Gehring, p. 240.</ref>

''The Sound of Music'' was an interim film for Wise, produced to mollify the studio while he developed the difficult film ''[[The Sand Pebbles (film)|The Sand Pebbles]]'' (1966), starring [[Steve McQueen (actor)|Steve McQueen]], [[Richard Attenborough]], and [[Candice Bergen]]. ''The Sand Pebbles'', Wise's critically acclaimed film epic, was a parable of the [[Vietnam War]], with an antiwar director and message.<ref>Gehring, p. 246.</ref><ref>The film's premier was held at the Lyric Theater in [[Indianapolis, Indiana]], where Wise had seen films in his youth on family outings to the city. See Gehring, p. 253.</ref> McQueen received his only Oscar nomination for his performance in the film.<ref name=Smith406/> Set in the late 1920s in China, this was an early entry in a series of [[Vietnam War]] era films followed by ''[[Catch-22 (film)|Catch-22]]'' and ''[[MASH (film)|M*A*S*H]]''. Excellent reviews for ''The Sand Pebbles'' marked Wise's last "creative peak" in his long career.<ref>Gehring, p. 253 and 255.</ref> ''[[Star! (film)|Star!]]'' (1968), with Julie Andrews in the lead as [[Gertrude Lawrence]], failed at the box office,<ref>Gehring, p. 256–258</ref> although it was consistent with Wise's other successful films that portrayed a strong woman "whose life choices invite melodramatic relationships."<ref name=Gehring258>Gehring, p. 258.</ref> Andrews was cast against type, but Wise, as the film's director, took responsibility for the film's shortcomings.<ref name=Gehring258/>

In the 1970s, Wise directed such films as ''[[The Andromeda Strain (film)|The Andromeda Strain]]'' (1971), ''[[The Hindenburg (film)|The Hindenburg]]'' (1975), the horror film ''[[Audrey Rose (film)|Audrey Rose]]'' (1977) and ''[[Star Trek: The Motion Picture]]'' (1979), the first ''[[Star Trek]]'' feature film.<ref>Gehring, p. 260, 263, 271, and 273.</ref>

Wise's adaptation of [[Michael Crichton]]'s science-fiction thriller, ''[[The Andromeda Strain (film)|The Andromeda Strain]]'' (1971), an anti-[[biological warfare]] film, was a "modest critical hit."<ref>Gehring, p. 260.</ref> His next film, ''[[Two People (1973 film)|Two People]]'' (1973), starring [[Peter Fonda]] and [[Lindsay Wagner]], got "poor reviews" and is "one of Wise's least-seen movies."<ref>Gehring, p. 263.</ref> ''[[The Hindenburg (film)|The Hindenburg]]'' (1975), which profiles the 1937 crash of the [[LZ 129 Hindenburg|eponymous airship]], was panned by critics, although it won Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects and Best Sound Effects.<ref>Gehring, p. 264 and 270.</ref> Wise's ''Audrey Rose'' (1977), a [[reincarnation]] thriller, received mixed reviews and was "sometimes criticized for being an ''[[The Exorcist|Exorcist]]'' (1973) knockoff."<ref>Gehring, p. 271.</ref>

''Star Trek: The Motion Picture'' (1979), the first of the feature films based on the [[Star Trek|popular television series]], was a difficult shoot for Wise. Popular film critic [[Leonard Maltin]] called it "Slow, talky, and derivative, somewhat redeemed by terrific special effects".<ref name=Gehring275>Gehring, p. 275.</ref> The film was a box office hit but a critical failure.

Wise was [[Ilya Salkind|Ilya]] and [[Alexander Salkind]]'s first choice to direct the [[Superman (1978 film series)|''Superman'']] spin-off ''[[Supergirl (1984 film)|Supergirl]]'' after [[Richard Lester]] departed the franchise, but he declined.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Saluting SUPERGIRL: DC's First Movie Heroine|url=https://www.dcuniverseinfinite.com/news/saluting-supergirl-dcs-first-movie-heroine/|access-date=2021-05-26|website=www.dcuniverseinfinite.com}}</ref> Wise also was considered to direct the 1985 holiday film ''[[Santa Claus: The Movie]]'' and the 1988 horror film ''[[Child's Play (1988 film)|Child's Play]]'' introducing the slasher villain [[Chucky (character)|Chucky]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=thedigitalcinema {{!}} Interview with Producer Ilya Salkind for SANTA CLAU|url=https://www.thedigitalcinema.info/ilya-salkind---santa-claus-the-movie|access-date=2021-05-27|website=the-digital-cinema|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Weiner|first=David|date=2018-11-05|title=How 'Child's Play' Survived Bad Test Screenings to Become a Horror Classic|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/first-childs-play-test-screenings-were-terrible-1156071/|access-date=2021-05-26|website=The Hollywood Reporter|language=en-US}}</ref> In 1989, Wise directed ''[[Rooftops (film)|Rooftops]]'', his last theatrical feature film. The low-budget musical "opened and closed with no fanfare."<ref name=Gehring275/> At age 86, Wise directed ''[[A Storm in Summer]]'' (2000) for Showtime (cable television). Starring [[Peter Falk]], it was his only made-for-television movie, airing in 2001,<ref name=Smith406/> and won a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Children's Special.<ref name=Gehring276>Gehring, p. 276.</ref>

==Later years==
Wise, a lifelong liberal, contributed to charitable organizations, including the [[American Civil Liberties Union]], and established the Robert E. Wise Foundation to provide financial assistance to causes in the Los Angeles area.<ref>Gehring, p. 266.</ref> Wise's private papers are housed at the [[University of Southern California]].<ref>Gehring, p. 267.</ref>

As Wise's directing career slowed, he took a more active role in supporting the film industry. He became a governor of the [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]] in 1966 and served for 19 years until becoming president from 1985<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Daily Variety]]|title=Academy Elect Robert Wise to President's Post|page=1|date=August 1, 1985}}</ref> through 1988. He had previously been president of the Directors Guild of America from 1971 to 1975. He also sat on the Board of Trustees of the [[American Film Institute]] and chaired its Center for Advanced Film Studies. Wise was named chairman of the [[Directors Guild of America]]'s special projects committee in 1980, organizing its fiftieth anniversary celebration in New York in 1986. In addition, Wise was a leading member of the National Council of the Arts and Sciences, the Department of Film at the [[Museum of Modern Art]] in New York, and the Motion Picture Country House and Hospital.<ref>{{cite magazine|first=David|last=Margolick|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2011/02/motion-picture-home-201102|title=No Comfort For Old Men|magazine=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]|publisher=[[Condé Nast]]|location=New York City|date=February 2011|access-date=August 11, 2018}}</ref>

During the 1980s and 1990s Wise served on the advisory board of the [[National Student Film Institute]].<ref>{{cite book|title=National Student Film Institute/L.A: The Sixteenth Annual Los Angeles Student Film Festival|date=June 10, 1994|location=The Directors Guild Theatre|pages=10–11|ref=Program}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Los Angeles Student Film Institute: 13th Annual Student Film Festival|date=June 7, 1991|location=The Directors Guild Theatre|page=3|ref=Program}}</ref>

Wise also encouraged young filmmakers and responded to inquiries from fans and film students. Wise supervised [[Emilio Estevez]]'s debut as a director in ''Wisdom'' (1986) and was its executive producer.<ref name=Gehring276/> Wise also made a cameo performance in [[John Landis]]' ''[[The Stupids (film)|The Stupids]]'' (1996).<ref name=Gehring276/>

In his later years, Wise continued to be active in productions of DVD versions of his films, including making public appearances promoting those films. His last contributions were to the DVD commentaries of ''[[The Sound of Music (film)|The Sound of Music]]'', ''[[The Haunting (1963 film)|The Haunting]]'' and ''[[The Set-Up (1949 film)|The Set-Up]]''. He also oversaw the DVD commentaries of ''The Sand Pebbles'' and ''[[Executive Suite]]''. He also oversaw and provided DVD commentary for his Director's Edition of ''[[Star Trek: The Motion Picture]]'', which included re-edited scenes, new optical effects and a new sound mix. This was the director's final project before his death.<ref>{{cite web|first=Liam|last=Hansen|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4853307|title=A Robert Wise Reprise|website=[[NPR]]|date=September 18, 2005|access-date=August 11, 2018}}</ref>

==Personal life==
On May 25, 1942, Wise married actress Patricia Doyle.<ref>Gerhing, p. 59.</ref> Throughout their long life together, Wise and his wife enjoyed entertaining and traveling, before she died of cancer on September 22, 1975.<ref>Gehring, p. 264.</ref> The couple had one son, Robert, who became an assistant cameraman.<ref>Gehring, p. 60.</ref> On January 29, 1977, Wise married Millicent Franklin.<ref>Franklin was a ''Star Trek'' fan and had a cameo in her husband's ''Star Trek'' film. See Gehring, p. 274.</ref> Millicent died on August 31, 2010, at [[Cedars-Sinai Medical Center|Cedars-Sinai Hospital]], Los Angeles.{{Citation needed|date=May 2019}}

Wise had an expansive bungalow on the Universal Studios lot and owned a modern California beach house. He continued to screen films for personal enjoyment and had "final cut" decisions on his films.<ref>Gehring, p. 265 and 271.</ref>

Wise suffered a heart attack and was rushed to [[UCLA Medical Center]], where he died of heart failure on September 14, 2005, four days after his 91st birthday.<ref name=Smith404/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://legacy.suntimes.com/obituaries/chicagosuntimes/obituary.aspx?n=robert-wise&pid=15095453| title =Obituary: Robert Wise| newspaper =[[Chicago Sun Times]]|publisher=[[Sun-Times Media Group]]|location=Chicago, Illinois|agency=[[Associated Press]] | date =September 15, 2005| access-date = November 1, 2012}}</ref>

==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Director
! Producer
! Notes
|-
|rowspan=2|1944
|''[[The Curse of the Cat People]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|Replaced director [[Gunther von Fritsch]]
|-
|''[[Mademoiselle Fifi (film)|Mademoiselle Fifi]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1945
|''[[The Body Snatcher (1945 film)|The Body Snatcher]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|''[[A Game of Death]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|1946
|''[[Criminal Court (film)|Criminal Court]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|1947
|''[[Born to Kill (1947 film)|Born to Kill]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1948
|''[[Mystery in Mexico]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|''[[Blood on the Moon]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|1949
|''[[The Set-Up (1949 film)|The Set-Up]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1950
|''[[Two Flags West]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|''[[Three Secrets]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1951
|''[[The House on Telegraph Hill]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|''[[The Day the Earth Stood Still]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1952
|''[[The Captive City (1952 film)|The Captive City]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|''[[Something for the Birds]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|rowspan=4|1953
|''[[Destination Gobi]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|''[[The Desert Rats (film)|The Desert Rats]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|''[[Return to Paradise (1953 film)|Return to Paradise]]''
|
|{{yes}}
|
|-
|''[[So Big (1953 film)|So Big]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|1954
|''[[Executive Suite]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|rowspan=3|1956
|''[[Helen of Troy (film)|Helen of Troy]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|''[[Tribute to a Bad Man]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|''[[Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956 film)|Somebody Up There Likes Me]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1957
|''[[This Could Be the Night (film)|This Could Be the Night]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|''[[Until They Sail]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1958
|''[[Run Silent, Run Deep (1958 film)|Run Silent, Run Deep]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|''[[I Want to Live!]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|1959
|''[[Odds Against Tomorrow]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|
|-
|1961
|''[[West Side Story (1961 film)|West Side Story]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes|Uncredited}}
|Directed with [[Jerome Robbins]]
|-
|1962
|''[[Two for the Seesaw (1962 film)|Two for the Seesaw]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes|Uncredited}}
|
|-
|1963
|''[[The Haunting (1963 film)|The Haunting]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes|Uncredited}}
|
|-
|1965
|''[[The Sound of Music (film)|The Sound of Music]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|
|-
|1966
|''[[The Sand Pebbles (film)|The Sand Pebbles]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|
|-
|1968
|''[[Star! (film)|Star!]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1971
|''[[The Andromeda Strain (film)|The Andromeda Strain]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|
|-
|''[[Happy Birthday, Wanda June]]''
|
|{{yes|Uncredited}}
|
|-
|1973
|''[[Two People (1973 film)|Two People]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|
|-
|1975
|''[[The Hindenburg (film)|The Hindenburg]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes|Uncredited}}
|
|-
|1977
|''[[Audrey Rose (film)|Audrey Rose]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|1979
|''[[Star Trek: The Motion Picture]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|1989
|''[[Rooftops (film)|Rooftops]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
|2000
|''[[A Storm in Summer]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|TV movie
|}

'''Editor'''
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Notes
|-
|rowspan=3|1939
|''[[Bachelor Mother]]''
|
|-
|''[[Fifth Avenue Girl]]''
|
|-
|''[[The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939 film)|The Hunchback of Notre Dame]]''
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1940
|''[[My Favorite Wife]]''
|
|-
|''[[Dance, Girl, Dance]]''
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1941
|''[[Citizen Kane]]''
|
|-
|''[[The Devil and Daniel Webster (film)|The Devil and Daniel Webster]]''
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1942
|''[[The Magnificent Ambersons (film)|The Magnificent Ambersons]]''
|Also director of additional sequences (Uncredited)
|-
|''[[Seven Days' Leave (1942 film)|Seven Days' Leave]]''
|
|-
|rowspan=3|1943
|''[[Bombardier (film)|Bombardier]]''
|
|-
|''[[The Fallen Sparrow]]''
|
|-
|''[[The Iron Major]]''
|
|-
|}

'''Executive producer'''
* ''[[Star! (film)|Star!]]'' (1968) (Uncredited)
* ''[[The Baby Maker]]'' (1970)
* ''[[Wisdom (film)|Wisdom]]'' (1986)

'''Other roles'''
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Notes
|-
|rowspan=2|1934
|''[[Of Human Bondage (1934 film)|Of Human Bondage]]''
|rowspan=4|Sound effects editor (uncredited)
|-
|''[[The Gay Divorcee]]''
|-
|rowspan=2|1935
|''[[The Informer (1935 film)|The Informer]]''
|-
|''[[Top Hat]]''
|-
| 1939
|''[[The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle]]''
|Assistant editor (uncredited)
|-
|1944
|''[[Action in Arabia]]''
|Second unit director (uncredited)
|-
|1996
|''[[The Stupids (film)|The Stupids]]''
|Acting role: Stanley's Neighbor
|-
|}

==Accolades==
Wise was a four-time Oscar-winner (Best Director and Best Picture, 1961 and 1965) and also received the Academy's Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award (1966);<ref>Smith, p. 517.</ref> the D.W. Griffith Award (1988) from the Directors Guild of America for outstanding lifetime achievement;<ref name=Gehring276/> the [[National Medal of Arts]] (1992);<ref>{{cite web | title = Lifetime Honors&nbsp;– National Medal of Arts | publisher = National Endowment for the Arts | url = http://www.nea.gov/honors/medals/medalists_year.html#92 | access-date = October 31, 2012 | url-status=dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110721054307/http://www.nea.gov/honors/medals/medalists_year.html#92 | archive-date = July 21, 2011 | df = mdy-all }}</ref> AFI's Lifetime Achievement Award (1998);<ref name="Klady 1998">{{cite web |last=Klady |first=Leonard |title=AFI honors 'gentle giant' Wise |website=Variety |date=February 23, 1998 |url=https://variety.com/1998/film/news/afi-honors-gentle-giant-wise-1117467987/ |access-date=August 3, 2023}}</ref> and the Society of Motion Picture and Television Art Directors career award for "outstanding contribution to cinematic imagery" (1998).<ref name=Gehring276/> Wise also has a star (#6340) on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].<ref>Smith, p. 525.</ref>

In 2012, the [[Motion Picture Editors Guild]] published a list of the 75 best-edited films of all time based on a survey of its membership. ''Citizen Kane'', which Wise had edited early in his career, was listed second.<ref>{{cite journal |title=The 75 Best Edited Films |journal=Editors Guild Magazine |date=May 2012 |volume=1 |issue=3 |url=https://www.editorsguild.com/magazine.cfm?ArticleID=1102 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150317101140/https://www.editorsguild.com/magazine.cfm?ArticleID=1102 |archive-date=2015-03-17}}</ref>

In Indiana, Governor [[Roger D. Branigin]] proclaimed March 1, 1967, Robert Wise Day in honor of the 1967 premiere of ''The Sand Pebbles'' in Indianapolis. Wise was also named a [[Sagamore of the Wabash]].<ref name=Smith406/> In 1968, Wise was awarded an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from Franklin College and in 1981 co-chaired a $10 million fundraising campaign for the college.<ref name=Smith406/> [[Connersville, Indiana]], proclaimed June 4, 1968, as Robert Wise Day, while his birthplace, [[Winchester, Indiana]], made a similar proclamation the following day.<ref name=Gehring277>Gehring, p. 277.</ref>

On November 3, 1990, Wise attended the dedication of the Robert E. Wise Center for Performing Arts at the new Connersville High School.<ref name=Gehring277/> In 1992, Wise was named the first recipient of the Indianapolis-based [[Heartland Film Festival]]'s Crystal Heart Career Achievement Award.<ref name=Gehring277/> In 2002, the [[Indiana Historical Society]] named Wise a Living Legend.<ref>{{cite news | first1 =Bonnie| last1 =Britton |first2=Steve|last2=Slosared |agency=The Associated Press | title =Director of classic movies dies at 91 | newspaper =[[Indianapolis Star]]
 | publisher=[[Gannett Company]]|location =Indianapolis, Indiana | page =A12 | date =September 16, 2005}}</ref> Wise is also depicted in a mural of famous [[Randolph County, Indiana]], natives in the county's courthouse.<ref name=Smith406/> This mural was painted by local artist Roy L. Barnes.<ref name=Smith406/>

In July 1994 he was ordained a knight in the [[Order of Leopold (Belgium)|Order of Leopold]] in Belgium.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Daily Variety]]|date=June 29, 1994|page=15|title=Short Takes}}</ref>

{| style="width:100%;"
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| width="45%" |

===[[Academy Awards]]===
'''[[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]]'''
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Result
|-
|1961
|''West Side Story''
|{{won}}
|-
|1965
|''The Sound of Music''
|{{won}}
|-
|1966
|''The Sand Pebbles''
|{{nom}}
|-
|}

'''[[Academy Award for Best Director|Best Director]]'''
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Result
|-
|1958
|''I Want to Live!''
|{{nom}}
|-
|1961
|''West Side Story''
|{{won}}
|-
|1965
|''The Sound of Music''
|{{won}}
|-
|}

'''[[Academy Award for Best Film Editing|Best Editing]]'''
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Result
|-
|1941
|''Citizen Kane''
|{{nom}}
|-
|}

| width="55%" |

===[[Golden Globe Awards]]===
'''[[Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy|Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy]]'''
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Result
|-
|1961
|''West Side Story''
|{{won}}
|-
|1965
|''The Sound of Music''
|{{won}}
|-
|1966
|''The Sand Pebbles''
|{{nom}}
|}

'''[[Golden Globe Award for Best Director|Best Director]]'''
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Result
|-
|1958
|''I Want to Live!''
|{{nom}}
|-
|1961
|''West Side Story''
|{{nom}}
|-
|1963
|''The Haunting''
|{{nom}}
|-
|1965
|''The Sound of Music''
|{{nom}}
|-
|1966
|''The Sand Pebbles''
|{{nom}}
|}
| width="50%" |
|}

<!--Table is for nominations & wins received only by films directed by Wise. DO NOT INCLUDE MOVIES THAT WEREN'T DIRECTED BY HIM-->
{| class="wikitable"
|+Awards and nominations received by Wise's films
! rowspan="2" | Year
! rowspan="2" | Title
! colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" width=160| Academy Awards
! colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" width=160| BAFTA Awards
! colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" width=160| Golden Globe Awards
|-
! Nominations
! Wins
! Nominations
! Wins
! Nominations
! Wins
|-
|1949
|''[[The Set-Up (1949 film)|The Set-Up]]''
|align=center|1
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1951
|''[[The House on Telegraph Hill]]''
|align=center|1
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|''[[The Day the Earth Stood Still]]''
|
|
|
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|1
|-
|rowspan=2|1953
|''[[The Desert Rats (film)|The Desert Rats]]''
|align=center|1
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|''[[So Big (1953 film)|So Big]]''
|
|
|
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|1
|-
|1954
|''[[Executive Suite]]''
|align=center|4
|align=center|
|align=center|2
|align=center|
|align=center|
|align=center|
|-
|1956
|''[[Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956 film)|Somebody Up There Likes Me]]''
|align=center|3
|align=center|2
|
|
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2| 1957
|''[[This Could Be the Night (film)|This Could Be the Night]]''
|
|
|
|
|align=center|1
|
|-
|''[[Until They Sail]]''
|
|
|
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|1
|-
| 1958
|''[[I Want to Live!]]''
|align=center|6
|align=center|1
|align=center|1
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|2
|-
|1959
|''[[Odds Against Tomorrow]]''
|
|
|
|
|align=center|1
|
|-
|1961
|''[[West Side Story (1961 film)|West Side Story]]''
|align=center|11
|align=center|10
|align=center|1
|align=center|
|align=center|7
|align=center|3
|-
|1962
|''[[Two for the Seesaw (1962 film)|Two for the Seesaw]]''
|align=center|2
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1963
|''[[The Haunting (1963 film)|The Haunting]]''
|
|
|
|
|align=center|1
|
|-
|1965
|''[[The Sound of Music (film)|The Sound of Music]]''
|align=center|10
|align=center|5
|align=center|1
|
|align=center|4
|align=center|2
|-
|1966
|''[[The Sand Pebbles (film)|The Sand Pebbles]]''
|align=center|8
|
|
|
|align=center|8
|align=center|1
|-
|1968
|''[[Star! (film)|Star!]]''
|align=center|7
|
|
|
|align=center|4
|align=center|1
|-
|1971
|''[[The Andromeda Strain (film)|The Andromeda Strain]]''
|align=center|2
|
|
|
|align=center|1
|
|-
|1975
|''[[The Hindenburg (film)|The Hindenburg]]''
|align=center|5
|align=center|2
|
|
|
|
|-
|1979
|''[[Star Trek: The Motion Picture]]''
|align=center|3
|
|
|
|align=center|1
|
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!align=center|64
!align=center|20
!align=center|5
!align=center|0
!align=center|35
!align=center|12
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book | last =Gehring | first =Wes D | title =Robert Wise: Shadowlands
 | publisher =Indiana Historical Society Press | year =2012 | location =Indianapolis | isbn =9780871952967}}
* {{cite news | last =Selke | first =Mike | title =Connersville's Hollywood star director gives in to heart failure | newspaper =Connersville News Examiner | location =Connersville, Indiana | page =A1 and A9 | date =September 16, 2005}}
* {{cite book | last =Smith | first =David L | title =Hoosiers in Hollywood | publisher =Indiana Historical Society Press | year =2006 | location =Indianapolis | isbn =9780871951946}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Robert Wise}}
* {{cite web| title = Lifetime Honors–National Medal of Arts| publisher = National Endowment for the Arts| url = http://www.nea.gov/honors/medals/medalists_year.html#92| access-date = October 31, 2012| url-status=dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110721054307/http://www.nea.gov/honors/medals/medalists_year.html#92| archive-date = July 21, 2011| df = mdy-all}}
* {{cite web| title =Robert Wise Obituary| publisher =Chicago Sun Times, Associated Press | date =September 15, 2005 |url=http://legacy.suntimes.com/obituaries/chicagosuntimes/obituary.aspx?n=robert-wise&pid=15095453| access-date = November 1, 2012}}
* {{IMDb name}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-npo}}
{{succession box
| title = [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences#Presidents of the Academy|President of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences]]
| before= [[Gene Allen (art director)|Gene Allen]]
| years = 1985–1988
| after = Richard Kahn
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Robert Wise}}
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for Robert Wise
|list =
{{Academy Award Best Picture Producers}}
{{Academy Award Best Director}}
{{AFI Life Achievement Award}}
{{DirectorsGuildofAmericaAwardFeatureFilm 1960-1979}}
{{DirectorsGuildofAmericaAwardLifetimeFilm}}
{{Thalberg Award}}
{{National Medal of Arts recipients 1990s}}
{{The President's Memorial Award}}
{{Producers Guild of America Milestone Award}}
}}
{{DGA Presidents}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wise, Robert}}
[[Category:1914 births]]
[[Category:2005 deaths]]
[[Category:American Cinema Editors]]
[[Category:American film editors]]
[[Category:Best Directing Academy Award winners]]
[[Category:Golden Globe Award–winning producers]]
[[Category:Producers who won the Best Picture Academy Award]]
[[Category:Presidents of the Directors Guild of America]]
[[Category:Presidents of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]]
[[Category:Film directors from Indiana]]
[[Category:Franklin College (Indiana) alumni]]
[[Category:Hugo Award winners]]
[[Category:United States National Medal of Arts recipients]]
[[Category:People from Winchester, Indiana]]
[[Category:20th Century Studios people]]
[[Category:American science fiction film directors]]
[[Category:American sound editors]]
[[Category:Directors Guild of America Award winners]]
[[Category:People from Connersville, Indiana]]
[[Category:English-language film directors]]
[[Category:AFI Life Achievement Award recipients]]
[[Category:Film producers from Indiana]]
[[Category:Directors of Best Picture Academy Award winners]]
[[Category:Phi Delta Theta members]]
[[Category:Order of Leopold (Belgium)]]