Alexander Korda | |
|---|---|
 Korda in 1936 | |
| Born | Sándor László Kellner 16 September 1893 |
| Died | 23 January 1956 (aged 62) Kensington, London, England |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1914–1955 |
| Spouses | Alexandra Boycun (m. 1953) |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Zoltan Korda (brother) Vincent Korda (brother) Michael Korda (nephew) Chris Korda (great-niece) |
Sir Alexander Korda (/ˈkɔːrdə/; born Sándor László Kellner; Hungarian: Korda Sándor; 16 September 1893 – 23 January 1956)[1][2] was a Hungarian–born British film director, producer, and screenwriter, who founded his own film production studios and film distribution company.[3]
Born in Hungary, where he began his career, he worked briefly in the Austrian and German film industries during the era of silent films, before being based in Hollywood from 1926 to 1930 for the first of his two brief periods there (the other was during World War II). The change led to a divorce from his first wife, the Hungarian film actress María Corda, who was unable to make the transition from silent films to "talkies" because of her Hungarian accent.
From 1930, Korda was active in the British film industry, and soon became one of its leading figures. He was the founder of London Films and, post-war, the owner of British Lion Films, a film distribution company. Korda produced many outstanding classics of the British film industry, including The Private Life of Henry VIII, Rembrandt, Things To Come, The Thief of Baghdad and The Third Man. In 1942, Korda became the first filmmaker to receive a knighthood.[4]
- ^ "Knighthood For Film Man From Hungary". The Barrier Miner. Broken Hill, NSW. 17 June 1942. p. 4. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
- ^ "Korda, Alexander (1893–1956)", BFI Screenonline.
- ^ Obituary Variety, 25 January 1956, p. 63.
- ^ "No. 35719". The London Gazette. 25 September 1942. p. 4175.