About
Steven Spielberg is one of the most influential filmmakers in cinema history. Born in Cincinnati, he gained recognition with Duel (1971) and then revolutionized Hollywood with Jaws (1975), considered the first summer blockbuster. He followed with successes like Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982). He won the Academy Award for Best Director for Schindler's List (1993) and Saving Private Ryan (1998). In 1994, he co-founded DreamWorks and created the Shoah Foundation, which has collected over 52,000 Holocaust survivor testimonies. He has received numerous honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015 and an EGOT in 2026.
* 1946-12-18
Major works
- Duel (1971)television film
- Jaws (1975)film
- Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)film
- Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)film
- Schindler's List (1993)film
Key milestones
- 1994Co-founded DreamWorks SKG and founded the Shoah Foundation (now USC Shoah Foundation).
- 2015Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama.
- 2026Achieved EGOT status (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony), becoming the 22nd person to do so.
Themes
Encounters with the unknownChildhood and loss of innocenceOrdinary heroismHistorical memory and the HolocaustAdventure and blockbuster
Sources: britannica.com · afi.com · arts.gov
