The Academy’s Most Recognized Directors
Throughout the Academy Awards' long history, the Oscar for best director has been one of the night's top honors. Here's a look at the most nominated men at the helm in the Academy's past.
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Elia Kazan
Kazan was nominated five times and went home with two best director Oscars, for Gentleman's Agreement in 1948 and On the Waterfront in 1955.
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John Ford
John Ford earned five nominations in his career and only lost once. He won the Oscar for best director for The Informer in 1936, The Grapes of Wrath in 1941, How Green Was My Valley in 1942, and The Quiet Man in 1953.
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Frank Capra
The Sicilian-born director received six nominations throughout his career and went home with Oscar gold three times: It Happened One Night in 1935, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town in 1937, and You Can't Take It With You in 1939.
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Woody Allen
Nominated seven times, Allen's only best director win was for Annie Hall in 1978. The film was the last comedy to win best picture and beat out Star Wars for the title.
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Fred Zinnemann
Zinnemann was nominated seven times and directed one of the most nominated films in Academy history, From Here to Eternity, for which he won best director in 1954. He also took home the statue for best director again in 1967 for A Man for All Seasons.
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David Lean
There's nothing 'lean' about the director's Oscar night accomplishments. He was nominated seven times and won twice, for The Bridge on the River Kwai in 1958 and Lawrence of Arabia in 1963.
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Steven Spielberg
The man behind some of the most iconic films in Hollywood history, Spielberg has received seven nominations for best director and taken home the prize twice, for Schindler's List in 1994 and Saving Private Ryan in 1999.
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Billy Wilder
Wilder was nominated for best director eight times and was rewarded with two best director Oscars, for The Lost Weekend in 1946 and The Apartment in 1961.
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Martin Scorsese
The legendary filmmaker has received eight best director nominations over the past three decades, including one at last year's Academy Awards for The Wolf of Wall Street, but has only won once, for The Departed in 2007.
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William Wyler
With more best director nominations than most directors have films, William Wyler leads the pack with an unbelievable 12 nominations. He won the award three times, for Mrs. Miniver in 1943, The Best Years of Our Lives in 1947, and Ben-Hur in 1960.