Sidney Lumet
Sidney Lumet was an American director born in Philadelphia, celebrated for tense, socially conscious dramas rooted in the moral pressure of institutions and confined spaces. 12 Angry Men, his debut, unfolded almost entirely within a single jury room and remains one of the most acclaimed courtroom dramas ever made, while Network delivered a scathing, prophetic satire of television news that won three acting Academy Awards. Dog Day Afternoon and Serpico, both drawn from real events and both starring Al Pacino, examined institutional failure and individual desperation within the New York City police and criminal justice systems. Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, made when Lumet was in his eighties, showed undiminished command of tension and moral complexity late in a career spanning over fifty years. Lumet's efficient, actor-focused, New York-rooted style made him one of American cinema's most consistently reliable chroniclers of institutional corruption and personal conscience.
Sidney Lumet
44 Directed
14 Series
Sidney Lumet was an American director born in Philadelphia, celebrated for tense, socially conscious dramas rooted in the moral pressure of institutions and confined spaces. 12 Angry Men, his debut, unfolded almost entirely within a single jury room and remains one of the most acclaimed courtroom dramas ever made, while Network delivered a scathing, prophetic satire of television news that won three acting Academy Awards. Dog Day Afternoon and Serpico, both drawn from real events and both starring Al Pacino, examined institutional failure and individual desperation within the New York City police and criminal justice systems. Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, made when Lumet was in his eighties, showed undiminished command of tension and moral complexity late in a career spanning over fifty years. Lumet's efficient, actor-focused, New York-rooted style made him one of American cinema's most consistently reliable chroniclers of institutional corruption and personal conscience.
Movies
Director
12 Angry Men
1957
Director
Murder on the Orient Express
1974
Director
Dog Day Afternoon
1975
Director
Network
1976
Director
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
2007
Director
Serpico
1973
Director
The Wiz
1978
Director
Fail Safe
1964
Director
The Verdict
1982
Director
Q & A
1990
Director
The Hill
1965
Director
Night Falls on Manhattan
1997
Director
Deathtrap
1982
Director
Find Me Guilty
2006
Director
Family Business
1989
Director
Gloria
1999
Director
Long Day's Journey Into Night
1962
Director
Running on Empty
1988
Director
The Offence
1973
Director
Lovin' Molly
1974
Director
The Pawnbroker
1965
Director
The Anderson Tapes
1971
Director
Guilty as Sin
1993
Director
The Deadly Affair
1967
Director
Equus
1977
Director
Critical Care
1997
Director
Daniel
1983
Director
The Morning After
1986
Director
Bye Bye Braverman
1968
Director
Strip Search
2004
Director
Power
1986
Director
Prince of the City
1981
Director
The Group
1966
Director
A Stranger Among Us
1992
Director
The Fugitive Kind
1960
Director
Garbo Talks
1984
Director
The Appointment
1969
Director
Last of the Mobile Hot Shots
1970
Director
Stage Struck
1958
Director
Child's Play
1972
Director
A View from the Bridge
1962
Director
The Sea Gull
1968
Director
Just Tell Me What You Want
1980
Director
That Kind of Woman
1959
TV Shows
Director
You Are There
1953
Director
100 Centre Street
2001
Director
The Alcoa Hour
1955
Director
Kraft Television Theatre
1947
Director
Play of the Week
1959
Director
Goodyear Television Playhouse
1951
Director
The United States Steel Hour
1953
Director
Star Stage
1955
Director
Studio One
1948
Director
DuPont Show of the Month
1957
Director
Playhouse 90
1956
Director
The Iceman Cometh
1960
Director
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
Director
Frontier
1955
Latest Trailers
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Full Filmography
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
Director
2007
Film
Find Me Guilty
Director
2006
Film
Strip Search
Director
2004
Film
100 Centre Street
Director · 10 episodes
2001–
TV
Gloria
Director
1999
Film
Critical Care
Director
1997
Film
Night Falls on Manhattan
Director
1997
Film
Guilty as Sin
Director
1993
Film
A Stranger Among Us
Director
1992
Film
Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sidney Lumet still alive?
Sidney Lumet passed away on April 9, 2011 at age 86.
What are the most famous roles of Sidney Lumet?
Sidney Lumet is best known for directing 12 Angry Men, Dog Day Afternoon, Serpico.
How many movies has Sidney Lumet directed?
Over a 56-year career (since 1955), Sidney Lumet has directed or written 44 films and worked on 14 TV shows.
What was Sidney Lumet's first movie?
The career of Sidney Lumet began with The Challenge (1955).
What is Sidney Lumet's most recent movie or series?
Sidney Lumet's most recent release is Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, which premiered on September 26, 2007.
What TV shows has Sidney Lumet created or directed?
On television, Sidney Lumet has appeared in Studio One, Playhouse 90, Hallmark Hall of Fame, The United States Steel Hour.
Sidney Lumet
1924-06-25 · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Sidney Lumet (June 25, 1924 – April 9, 2011) was an American director, producer and screenwriter with over 50 films to his name. He was nominated for the Academy Award as Best Director for 12 Angry Men (1957), Dog Day Afternoon (1975), Network (1976) and The Verdict (1982). He did not win an individual Academy Award, although he did receive an Academy Honorary Award and 14 of his films were nominated for various Oscars, such as Network, which was nominated for 10, winning 4.
The Encyclopedia of Hollywood states that Lumet was one of the most prolific directors of the modern era, making more than one movie per year on average since his directorial debut in 1957. He was noted by Turner Classic Movies for his "strong direction of actors", "vigorous storytelling" and the "social realism" in his best work. Film critic Roger Ebert described him as having been "one of the finest craftsmen and warmest humanitarians among all film directors." Lumet was also known as an "actor's director," having worked with the best of them during his career, probably more than "any other director."
Lumet began his career as an Off-Broadway director, then became a highly efficient TV director. His first movie was typical of his best work: a well-acted, tightly written, deeply considered "problem picture," 12 Angry Men (1957). From that point on Lumet divided his energies among other idealistic problem pictures along with literate adaptations of plays and novels, big stylish pictures, New York-based black comedies, and realistic crime dramas, including Serpico and Prince of the City. As a result of directing 12 Angry Men, he was also responsible for leading the first wave of directors who made a successful transition from TV to movies. In 2005, Lumet received an Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement for his "brilliant services to screenwriters, performers, and the art of the motion picture." Two years later, he concluded his career with the acclaimed drama Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007).Sidney Lumet, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.