Selznick, David O.

Selznick, David O., 1902–65, American film producer, b. Pittsburgh. He worked for studios in Hollywood before founding Selznick International Pictures in 1936. Selznick's most famous movie is Gone with the Wind (1939). His other important films include A Star Is Born (1937), The Prisoner of Zenda (1937), Rebecca (1940), Spellbound (1945), Duel in the Sun (1946), The Third Man (1949), and Tender Is the Night (1962). His second wife was the actress Jennifer Jones.

Bibliography

See R. Haver, Selznick's Hollywood (1980); B. Thomas, Selznick (1985); D. Thomson, Showman (1992).

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Selznick, David O. (Oliver) (1902–65) movie executive; born in Pittsburgh, Pa. Starting as an assistant to his father, Lewis Selznick, an early film producer, he worked for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1926–27), then Paramount (1927–31), and then RKO (1931–36) before forming his own company, Selznick International. He produced many successful films, the most famous being Gone With the Wind (1939), and later joined in European coproduction. His first wife, Irene Mayer, was the daughter of Louis B. Mayer of MGM; his second wife was Jennifer Jones, star of several of his films. He was renowned for intruding in his productions either through long detailed memos or, in the case of Gone With the Wind, actually directing a few scenes.