Biography

Michael Wilson

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Michael Wilson was born on July 1, 1914 in McAlester, Oklahoma, USA. He was a writer, known for A Place in the Sun (1951), Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957). He was married to Zelma Wilson. He died on April 9, 1978 in Los Angeles County, California, USA.

Blacklisted in the 1950s.
Writing credit for Lawrence of Arabia (1962) awarded in 1995.
Writing credit and Oscar for The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) awarded posthumously.
Prior to his work in Hollywood, he supplemented his income by teaching English and as a writer of short stories. After writing western screenplays for William 'Hopalong Cassidy' Boyd, did wartime military service. Subsequently back in Hollywood under contract with Liberty Films in 1945, then with 20th Century Fox. Following his Oscar win for 'A Place in the Sun', he was blacklisted by the House Un-American Activities Committee as an 'unfriendly witness', having refused to answer questions about his alleged Communist Party membership. Moved with his family to France and had their passports revoked until allowed to return in 1964.
Graduated from the University of California at Berkely in 1936, majoring in literature and history. Served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a radio analyst during World War II, attaining the rank of first lieutenant by the time of his discharge.

The humanist writer did not meekly deliver what the philistine ordered, but struggled tenaciously to preserve human values in all his work; ... Hollywood writers in particular, dealing like all their kind in the radioactive commodity of ideas, were accountable to the peoples of the world for the effects of their ideas. - Speech delivered at 'A Salue to John Howard Lawson,' November 12, 1955
The cynical screenwriter is finished before he starts. He cannot possibly do his best work if he is convinced it will never be filmed. The good writer pursues the illusory goal of getting his own way. Falling short of one's mark usually produces a better picture than a cop-out.
Most tampering by actors occurs when the producer and/or director are weak and insecure. I have a strange feeling about actors - such respect for the best of them that I expect they'll write better dialogue than my own. They never do.

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