Special Report
Who Won the Oscar for Best Director Every Year Since the Oscars Began
August 12, 2021 12:00 pm
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
1929
> Director: Lewis Milestone (for Comedy)
> Movie: Two Arabian Knights
> All Best Director Oscars for Milestone: 1 win, 3 nominations
> Avg. IMDb score for Milestone-helmed films: 7.0/10
> Total number of films directed by Milestone: 15
In the first year the golden statue was presented, two directors were honored in separate categories, the only time this has happened. Lewis Milestone won the first of his two Oscars as Best Director for the comedy film “Two Arabian Knights,” about the misadventures of two escaped American prisoners of war during World War I, starring William Boyd and Mary Astor.
Source: Courtesy of Fox Film Corporation
1929
> Director: Frank Borzage (for Dramatic Picture)
> Movie: 7th Heaven
> All Best Director Oscars for Borzage: 2 wins, 2 nominations
> Avg. IMDb score for Borzage-helmed films: 7.0/10
> Total number of films directed by Borzage: 15
Also in 1929, Frank Borzage won the Best Director Oscar for dramatic picture for the silent film “7th Heaven,” a romantic drama in which a Parisian sewer worker helps a homeless woman. It was the first of his two Best Director Academy Awards. Janet Gaynor won the Best Actress award for the film.
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
1930
> Director: Frank Lloyd
> Movie: The Divine Lady
> All Best Director Oscars for Lloyd: 2 wins, 5 nominations
> Avg. IMDb score for Lloyd-helmed films: 6.5/10
> Total number of films directed by Lloyd: 4
Scottish-born director Frank Lloyd won the first of his two Best Director Oscars for “The Divine Lady.” Lloyd was nominated five times. The last of the four nominations was for “Mutiny on the Bounty” in 1936.
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
1931
> Director: Lewis Milestone
> Movie: All Quiet on the Western Front (also won Best Picture)
> All Best Director Oscars for Milestone: 1 win, 3 nominations
> Avg. IMDb score for Milestone-helmed films: 7.0/10
> Total number of films directed by Milestone: 15
In “All Quiet on the Western Front, a young man enlists to fight for Germany during World War One. The movie tells a story about the horrors of battle and blind fealty to one’s country.
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Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
1932
> Director: Norman Taurog
> Movie: Skippy
> All Best Director Oscars for Taurog: 1 win, 2 nominations
> Avg. IMDb score for Taurog-helmed films: 6.4/10
> Total number of films directed by Taurog: 25
Former child actor Norman Taurog found success on the other side of the camera by winning Best Director for “Skippy.” He would later be nominated for “Boys Town” in 1939.
Source: Courtesy of Fox Film Corporation
1933
> Director: Frank Borzage
> Movie: Bad Girl
> All Best Director Oscars for Borzage: 2 wins, 2 nominations
> Avg. IMDb score for Borzage-helmed films: 7.0/10
> Total number of films directed by Borzage: 15
Frank Borzage won his second Best Director Oscar for “Bad Girl,” a film that depicted how the working class lived during the Great Depression.
Source: Courtesy of Fox Film Corporation
1934
> Director: Frank Lloyd
> Movie: Cavalcade (also won Best Picture)
> All Best Director Oscars for Lloyd: 2 wins, 5 nominations
> Avg. IMDb score for Lloyd-helmed films: 6.5/10
> Total number of films directed by Lloyd: 4
Frank Lloyd took home the Oscar in 1934 for “Cavalcade.” The film about two English families from different economic classes also won the awards for Best Picture and Best Art Direction.
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures Corporation
1935
> Director: Frank Capra
> Movie: It Happened One Night (also won Best Picture)
> All Best Director Oscars for Capra: 3 wins, 6 nominations
> Avg. IMDb score for Capra-helmed films: 7.4/10
> Total number of films directed by Capra: 20
Frank Capra, an immigrant from Sicily, won the first of his three Best Director Oscars for the screwball comedy that starred Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert. “It Happened One Night” was the first film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay.
Source: Courtesy of RKO Radio Pictures
1936
> Director: John Ford
> Movie: The Informer (also won Best Picture)
> All Best Director Oscars for Ford: 4 wins, 5 nominations
> Avg. IMDb score for Ford-helmed films: 7.1/10
> Total number of films directed by Ford: 46
John Ford won his first of four Academy Awards in 1936 for “The Informer.” The film about an Irish rebel who must face the repercussions of double crossing an associate won a total of four Oscars, including Best Actor for British star Victor McLaglen.
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures Corporation
1937
> Director: Frank Capra
> Movie: Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (also won Best Picture)
> All Best Director Oscars for Capra: 3 wins, 6 nominations
> Avg. IMDb score for Capra-helmed films: 7.4/10
> Total number of films directed by Capra: 20
Frank Capra captured his second Oscar for “Mr. Deeds Goes to Town” — starring Gary Cooper and Jean Arthur — one of his paeans to small-town America.
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