Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
He’s the most Oscar-nominated director in Hollywood history. From "Ben-Hur" and "Roman Holiday" to "Jezebel," William Wyler didn't just direct classics — he succeeded in every single film genre he touched.
Raised in then-German Alsace-Lorraine, Wyler was a rebellious teenager and had become a young man adrift when a distant cousin — Universal Pictures founder Carl Laemmle — offered him a ticket to America. Carrying film cans across New York, sweeping studio floors in Los Angeles, and grinding through every set job on the lot, Wyler learned the movie business from the ground up.
Discover how a young immigrant who arrived with nothing became Hollywood's legendary "captain of the ship," guiding a record 31 actors to Academy Award nominations. Featuring exclusive family archives, personal transcripts, and rare reflections from his children, THIRTEEN highlights the legacy of a perfectionist filmmaker, cinematic visionary, and WWII veteran.
Subscribe to THIRTEEN newsletters to stay informed: thirteen.org/email-preferences/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=description&utm_id=description
The documentary "William Wyler: Forty Takes Willy" is presented from THIRTEEN Specials.
#WilliamWyler #HollywoodHistory #THIRTEEN #ClassicHollywood #WNET #Oscars #FilmDocumentary #BenHur #RomanHoliday #MovieHistory #CinemaHistory #GoldenAgeOfHollywood #Auteur #FilmHistory #AcademyAwards #Documentary #THIRTEEN #BetteDavis #AudreyHepburn #CharltonHeston
Please SUBSCRIBE if you enjoyed: youtube.com/@ThirteenWNET?sub_confirmation=1
For full episodes, check out thirteen.org
Facebook: facebook.com/thirteenwnet
Instagram: instagram.com/thirteenwnet
TikTok: tiktok.com/@thirteenwnet
-----------------
THIRTEEN is one of America’s most respected and innovative public media providers. Part of The WNET Group, THIRTEEN is a unique cultural and educational institution that harnesses the power of television and electronic media to inform, enlighten, entertain and inspire. The flagship public television station of the New York City tri-state area and the most-watched public television channel in the nation, THIRTEEN reaches millions of people with programming that celebrates arts and culture, offers insightful commentary on the news of the day, explores the worlds of science and nature, and invites people of all ages to have fun while learning.
He’s the most Oscar-nominated director in Hollywood history. From "Ben-Hur" and "Roman Holiday" to "Jezebel," William Wyler didn't just direct classics — he succeeded in every single film genre he touched.
Raised in then-German Alsace-Lorraine, Wyler was a rebellious teenager and had become a young man adrift when a distant cousin — Universal Pictures founder Carl Laemmle — offered him a ticket to America. Carrying film cans across New York, sweeping studio floors in Los Angeles, and grinding through every set job on the lot, Wyler learned the movie business from the ground up.
Discover how a young immigrant who arrived with nothing became Hollywood's legendary "captain of the ship," guiding a record 31 actors to Academy Award nominations. Featuring exclusive family archives, personal transcripts, and rare reflections from his children, THIRTEEN highlights the legacy of a perfectionist filmmaker, cinematic visionary, and WWII veteran.
Subscribe to THIRTEEN newsletters to stay informed: thirteen.org/email-preferences/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=description&utm_id=description
The documentary "William Wyler: Forty Takes Willy" is presented from THIRTEEN Specials.
#WilliamWyler #HollywoodHistory #THIRTEEN #ClassicHollywood #WNET #Oscars #FilmDocumentary #BenHur #RomanHoliday #MovieHistory #CinemaHistory #GoldenAgeOfHollywood #Auteur #FilmHistory #AcademyAwards #Documentary #THIRTEEN #BetteDavis #AudreyHepburn #CharltonHeston
Please SUBSCRIBE if you enjoyed: youtube.com/@ThirteenWNET?sub_confirmation=1
For full episodes, check out thirteen.org
Facebook: facebook.com/thirteenwnet
Instagram: instagram.com/thirteenwnet
TikTok: tiktok.com/@thirteenwnet
-----------------
THIRTEEN is one of America’s most respected and innovative public media providers. Part of The WNET Group, THIRTEEN is a unique cultural and educational institution that harnesses the power of television and electronic media to inform, enlighten, entertain and inspire. The flagship public television station of the New York City tri-state area and the most-watched public television channel in the nation, THIRTEEN reaches millions of people with programming that celebrates arts and culture, offers insightful commentary on the news of the day, explores the worlds of science and nature, and invites people of all ages to have fun while learning.
