Peckinpah, Sam

Peckinpah, (David) Sam(uel)

(born Feb. 21, 1925, Fresno, Calif., U.S.—died Dec. 28, 1984, Inglewood, Calif.) U.S. film director. He served in the U.S. Marines, studied drama at the University of Southern California, and began working in television in the mid-1950s, writing for and directing programs such as Gunsmoke and The Rifleman. He made his debut as a film director with The Deadly Companions (1961), which was followed by Ride the High Country (1962) and Major Dundee (1965). Among his later films are The Wild Bunch (1969), considered his finest, Straw Dogs (1971), Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973), and Cross of Iron (1977). His films are noted for their magnificent landscapes, embittered characters, and brutal violence.