Michael Wilson (writer)

Michael Wilson ( born July 1, 1914 in McAlester, Oklahoma, † April 9, 1978 in Los Angeles County) was an American screenwriter.

Michael Wilson wrote 1941-1969 the screenplays for 22 films. During the McCarthy era, he was put on the black list of the entertainment industry of Hollywood (entertainment industry blacklist ), which practically amounted to a prohibition. During this time he wrote screenplays for European productions, but also for Hollywood films, but for this only anonymous or under a pseudonym, and for a much lower payment than usual for an author. So The Spy with the two faces he was denied the nomination as a writer for the film and he appeared originally under the name of James O'Donnell, until authorship was credited to him again later. When Oscar nomination for his screenplay movie Persuasion he was disqualified because his name was not to be seen in the credits.

Movies

Awards

Wilson won an Academy Award twice: in 1952 for A Place in the Sun and in 1958 for The Bridge on the River Kwai. Further, he was nominated three times for: 1953 The case for Cicero, 1957 for Persuasion and 1963 for Lawrence of Arabia.