FILM DIRECTOR
William Wyler
1902 - 1981
William Wyler
William Wyler (; born Willi Wyler (German: [ˈvɪli ˈvi:lɐ]); July 1, 1902 – July 27, 1981) was a German-born film director and producer. Known for his work in numerous genres over five decades, he received numerous awards and accolades, including three Academy Awards. He holds the record of twelve nominations for the Academy Award for Best Director. For his oeuvre of work, Wyler was awarded the Irving G. Read more on Wikipedia
Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of William Wyler has received more than 1,967,085 page views. His biography is available in 63 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 62 in 2019). William Wyler is the 77th most popular film director (down from 52nd in 2019), the 608th most popular biography from France (down from 455th in 2019) and the 12th most popular French Film Director.
William Wyler is most famous for directing and producing the film "Ben-Hur" in 1959. He also directed "Mrs. Miniver" in 1942, which won him the Academy Award for Best Director.
Memorability Metrics
2.0M
Page Views (PV)
66.55
Historical Popularity Index (HPI)
63
Languages Editions (L)
6.42
Effective Languages (L*)
4.25
Coefficient of Variation (CV)
Among FILM DIRECTORS
Among film directors, William Wyler ranks 77 out of 2,041. Before him are Frank Capra, Christopher Nolan, Ernst Lubitsch, Jean-Jacques Annaud, Alain Resnais, and Sydney Pollack. After him are Elia Kazan, Terry Gilliam, Franco Zeffirelli, Costa-Gavras, Dario Argento, and Carlos Saura.
Most Popular Film Directors in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsFrank Capra
1897 - 1991
HPI: 66.94
Rank: 71
Christopher Nolan
1970 - Present
HPI: 66.86
Rank: 72
Ernst Lubitsch
1892 - 1947
HPI: 66.80
Rank: 73
Jean-Jacques Annaud
1943 - Present
HPI: 66.72
Rank: 74
Alain Resnais
1922 - 2014
HPI: 66.66
Rank: 75
Sydney Pollack
1934 - 2008
HPI: 66.63
Rank: 76
William Wyler
1902 - 1981
HPI: 66.55
Rank: 77
Elia Kazan
1909 - 2003
HPI: 66.41
Rank: 78
Terry Gilliam
1940 - Present
HPI: 66.29
Rank: 79
Franco Zeffirelli
1923 - 2019
HPI: 66.29
Rank: 80
Costa-Gavras
1933 - Present
HPI: 66.17
Rank: 81
Dario Argento
1940 - Present
HPI: 66.15
Rank: 82
Carlos Saura
1932 - 2023
HPI: 66.14
Rank: 83
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1902, William Wyler ranks 23. Before him are Alfred Kastler, Kurt Alder, Barbara McClintock, Walter Houser Brattain, Arne Tiselius, and Ray Kroc. After him are Josemaría Escrivá, Arne Jacobsen, Meyer Lansky, Mikhail Suslov, Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque, and Fritz Strassmann. Among people deceased in 1981, William Wyler ranks 12. Before him are Soong Ching-ling, Max Euwe, Natalie Wood, Frederica of Hanover, Hideki Yukawa, and William Holden. After him are Hans Adolf Krebs, Odd Hassel, Eugenio Montale, Béla Guttmann, René Clair, and Joe Louis.
Others Born in 1902
Go to all RankingsAlfred Kastler
PHYSICIST
1902 - 1984
HPI: 68.28
Rank: 17
Kurt Alder
CHEMIST
1902 - 1958
HPI: 68.26
Rank: 18
Barbara McClintock
BIOLOGIST
1902 - 1992
HPI: 68.10
Rank: 19
Walter Houser Brattain
PHYSICIST
1902 - 1987
HPI: 68.10
Rank: 20
Arne Tiselius
CHEMIST
1902 - 1971
HPI: 67.67
Rank: 21
Ray Kroc
BUSINESSPERSON
1902 - 1984
HPI: 66.95
Rank: 22
William Wyler
FILM DIRECTOR
1902 - 1981
HPI: 66.55
Rank: 23
Josemaría Escrivá
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1902 - 1975
HPI: 66.53
Rank: 24
Arne Jacobsen
ARCHITECT
1902 - 1971
HPI: 66.20
Rank: 25
Meyer Lansky
MAFIOSO
1902 - 1983
HPI: 66.19
Rank: 26
Mikhail Suslov
POLITICIAN
1902 - 1982
HPI: 65.13
Rank: 27
Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1902 - 1947
HPI: 64.87
Rank: 28
Fritz Strassmann
CHEMIST
1902 - 1980
HPI: 64.85
Rank: 29
Others Deceased in 1981
Go to all RankingsSoong Ching-ling
POLITICIAN
1893 - 1981
HPI: 68.78
Rank: 6
Max Euwe
CHESS PLAYER
1901 - 1981
HPI: 67.92
Rank: 7
Natalie Wood
ACTOR
1938 - 1981
HPI: 67.78
Rank: 8
Frederica of Hanover
COMPANION
1917 - 1981
HPI: 67.64
Rank: 9
Hideki Yukawa
PHYSICIST
1907 - 1981
HPI: 66.99
Rank: 10
William Holden
ACTOR
1918 - 1981
HPI: 66.68
Rank: 11
William Wyler
FILM DIRECTOR
1902 - 1981
HPI: 66.55
Rank: 12
Hans Adolf Krebs
CHEMIST
1900 - 1981
HPI: 66.29
Rank: 13
Odd Hassel
CHEMIST
1897 - 1981
HPI: 66.26
Rank: 14
Eugenio Montale
WRITER
1896 - 1981
HPI: 66.21
Rank: 15
Béla Guttmann
SOCCER PLAYER
1899 - 1981
HPI: 65.83
Rank: 16
René Clair
FILM DIRECTOR
1898 - 1981
HPI: 65.31
Rank: 17
Joe Louis
BOXER
1914 - 1981
HPI: 65.05
Rank: 18
In France
Among people born in France, William Wyler ranks 608 out of 6,770. Before him are Jacques Charles (1763), Maurice de Vlaminck (1876), Fulk, King of Jerusalem (1092), Camille Flammarion (1842), Emmanuel de Grouchy, marquis de Grouchy (1766), and William IX, Duke of Aquitaine (1071). After him are Sophie Marceau (1966), Syagrius (430), Léon Blum (1872), Marie-Antoine Carême (1784), Félix Faure (1841), and Albert Uderzo (1927).
Others born in France
Go to all RankingsJacques Charles
PHYSICIST
1763 - 1823
HPI: 66.60
Rank: 602
Maurice de Vlaminck
PAINTER
1876 - 1958
HPI: 66.59
Rank: 603
Fulk, King of Jerusalem
POLITICIAN
1092 - 1143
HPI: 66.58
Rank: 604
Camille Flammarion
WRITER
1842 - 1925
HPI: 66.57
Rank: 605
Emmanuel de Grouchy, marquis de Grouchy
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1766 - 1847
HPI: 66.57
Rank: 606
William IX, Duke of Aquitaine
NOBLEMAN
1071 - 1127
HPI: 66.56
Rank: 607
William Wyler
FILM DIRECTOR
1902 - 1981
HPI: 66.55
Rank: 608
Sophie Marceau
ACTOR
1966 - Present
HPI: 66.52
Rank: 609
Syagrius
MILITARY PERSONNEL
430 - 487
HPI: 66.52
Rank: 610
Léon Blum
POLITICIAN
1872 - 1950
HPI: 66.51
Rank: 611
Marie-Antoine Carême
WRITER
1784 - 1833
HPI: 66.50
Rank: 612
Félix Faure
POLITICIAN
1841 - 1899
HPI: 66.50
Rank: 613
Albert Uderzo
COMIC ARTIST
1927 - 2020
HPI: 66.50
Rank: 614
Among FILM DIRECTORS In France
Among film directors born in France, William Wyler ranks 12. Before him are Luc Besson (1959), Jacques Tati (1907), Claude Chabrol (1930), Éric Rohmer (1920), Jean-Jacques Annaud (1943), and Alain Resnais (1922). After him are Robert Bresson (1901), René Clair (1898), Marcel Carné (1906), Jean-Pierre Melville (1917), Claude Lelouch (1937), and René Clément (1913).
Luc Besson
1959 - Present
HPI: 68.46
Rank: 6
Jacques Tati
1907 - 1982
HPI: 67.55
Rank: 7
Claude Chabrol
1930 - 2010
HPI: 67.51
Rank: 8
Éric Rohmer
1920 - 2010
HPI: 67.41
Rank: 9
Jean-Jacques Annaud
1943 - Present
HPI: 66.72
Rank: 10
Alain Resnais
1922 - 2014
HPI: 66.66
Rank: 11
William Wyler
1902 - 1981
HPI: 66.55
Rank: 12
Robert Bresson
1901 - 1999
HPI: 65.36
Rank: 13
René Clair
1898 - 1981
HPI: 65.31
Rank: 14
Marcel Carné
1906 - 1996
HPI: 64.58
Rank: 15
Jean-Pierre Melville
1917 - 1973
HPI: 64.57
Rank: 16
Claude Lelouch
1937 - Present
HPI: 63.69
Rank: 17
René Clément
1913 - 1996
HPI: 63.67
Rank: 18