Samuel Fuller
Actor, Writer, Director, Producer
August 12, 1912 — October 30, 1997 (85 years)
Samuel Michael Fuller (August 12, 1912 – October 30, 1997) was an American screenwriter, novelist and film director known for low-budget genre movies with controversial themes.
He was born Samuel Michael Fuller in Worcester, Massachusetts, the son of Benjamin Rabinovitch, a Jewish immigrant from Russia, and Rebecca Baum, a Jewish immigrant from Poland. After immigrating to America, the family's surname was changed from Rabinovitch to "Fuller" possibly by inspiration of a Doctor who arrived in America on the Mayflower. At the age of 12, he began working in journalism as a newspaper copyboy. He became a crime reporter in New York City at age 17, working for the New York Evening Graphic. He broke the story of Jeanne Eagels' death. He wrote pulp novels and screenplays from the mid-1930s onwards. Fuller also became a screenplay ghostwriter but would never tell interviewers which screenplays that he ghost-wrote explaining "that's what a ghost writer is for".
During World War II, Fuller joined the United States Army infantry. He was assigned to the 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, and saw heavy fighting. He was involved in landings in Africa, Sicily, and Normandy and also saw action in Belgium and Czechoslovakia. In 1945 he was present at the liberation of the German concentration camp at Falkenau and shot 16 mm footage which was used later in the documentary Falkenau: The Impossible. For his service, he was awarded the Bronze Star, the Silver Star, and the Purple Heart. Fuller used his wartime experiences as material in his films, especially in The Big Red One (1980), a nickname of the 1st Infantry Division.
After his controversial film "White Dog" was shelved by Paramount pictures, Fuller moved to France, and never directed another American film. Fuller eventually returned to America. He died of natural causes in his California home. In November 1997, the Directors Guild held a three hour memorial in his honor, hosted by Curtis Hanson, his long time friend and co-writer on White Dog. He was survived by his wife Christa and daughter Samantha.
He was born Samuel Michael Fuller in Worcester, Massachusetts, the son of Benjamin Rabinovitch, a Jewish immigrant from Russia, and Rebecca Baum, a Jewish immigrant from Poland. After immigrating to America, the family's surname was changed from Rabinovitch to "Fuller" possibly by inspiration of a Doctor who arrived in America on the Mayflower. At the age of 12, he began working in journalism as a newspaper copyboy. He became a crime reporter in New York City at age 17, working for the New York Evening Graphic. He broke the story of Jeanne Eagels' death. He wrote pulp novels and screenplays from the mid-1930s onwards. Fuller also became a screenplay ghostwriter but would never tell interviewers which screenplays that he ghost-wrote explaining "that's what a ghost writer is for".
During World War II, Fuller joined the United States Army infantry. He was assigned to the 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, and saw heavy fighting. He was involved in landings in Africa, Sicily, and Normandy and also saw action in Belgium and Czechoslovakia. In 1945 he was present at the liberation of the German concentration camp at Falkenau and shot 16 mm footage which was used later in the documentary Falkenau: The Impossible. For his service, he was awarded the Bronze Star, the Silver Star, and the Purple Heart. Fuller used his wartime experiences as material in his films, especially in The Big Red One (1980), a nickname of the 1st Infantry Division.
After his controversial film "White Dog" was shelved by Paramount pictures, Fuller moved to France, and never directed another American film. Fuller eventually returned to America. He died of natural causes in his California home. In November 1997, the Directors Guild held a three hour memorial in his honor, hosted by Curtis Hanson, his long time friend and co-writer on White Dog. He was survived by his wife Christa and daughter Samantha.
Movies & Shows on Plex
Known For
Filmography
| 2025 | Films to Die For · as (archive Footage) (uncredited) |
| 2009 | |
| 2005 | The Big Red One: The Reconstruction · as War Correspondent (uncredited) |
| 1997 | The End of Violence · as Louis |
| 1994 | Somebody to Love · as Sam Silverman |
| 1994 | Golem, le jardin pétrifié · as Sam |
| 1992 | Golem, the Spirit of the Exile · as Elimelek |
| 1992 | The Bohemian Life · as Gassot |
| 1990 | Tinikling or 'The Madonna and the Dragon' · as Chef De Bureau Newsweek |
| 1989 | Sons · as Father |
| 1989 | Street of No Return · as Police Commissioner |
| 1987 | Helsinki-Naples All Night Long · as Boss |
| 1987 | A Return to Salem's Lot · as Van Meer |
| 1987 | L'étoile de sang · as The Man In The Bar |
| 1984 | The Blood of Others · as Le Vieil Homme Dans Le Petit Café |
| 1984 | Cinématon · as N°602 |
| 1983 | Thieves After Dark · as Zoltan |
| 1982 | Slapstick of Another Kind · as Colonel SharpOn Plex |
| 1982 | The State of Things · as Joe |
| 1982 | White Dog · as Charlie Felton |
| 1982 | Hammett · as Old Man In Pool HallOn Plex |
| 1980 | The Big Red One · as War Correspondent (uncredited) |
| 1979 | 1941 · as Interceptor Commander |
| 1977 | The American Friend · as The American |
| 1977 | Scott Joplin · as Impresario |
| 1973 | The Young Nurses · as Doc Haskell |
| 1971 | The Last Movie · as SamOn Plex |
| 1970 | Tatort · as American Senator |
| 1965 | Pierrot le Fou · as Samuel Fuller (uncredited) |
| 1955 | House of Bamboo · as Japanese Policeman (uncredited) |
| 1932 | The Roadhouse Murder · as Minor Role |
| 2005 | |
| 1994 | |
| 1994 | |
| 1990 | Tinikling or 'The Madonna and the Dragon' · as Screenplay |
| 1990 | ChillersOn Plex |
| 1989 | Street of No Return · as Screenplay |
| 1983 | |
| 1982 | White Dog · as Screenplay |
| 1980 | |
| 1974 | The Klansman · as ScreenplayOn Plex |
| 1974 | Bad Men of the West · as Screenplay |
| 1970 | |
| 1969 | Shark · as ScreenplayOn Plex |
| 1968 | Targets · as Screenplay |
| 1967 | The Cape Town AffairOn Plex |
| 1964 | The Naked KissOn Plex |
| 1963 | Shock Corridor · as ScreenplayOn Plex |
| 1962 | |
| 1962 | Merrill's Marauders · as Screenplay |
| 1961 | |
| 1959 | |
| 1959 | |
| 1957 | Forty Guns · as ScreenplayOn Plex |
| 1957 | |
| 1957 | China Gate · as Screenplay |
| 1955 | |
| 1954 | |
| 1954 | Hell and High Water · as Screenplay |
| 1953 | Pickup on South Street · as ScreenplayOn Plex |
| 1952 | |
| 1952 | Scandal Sheet · as Novel |
| 1951 | Fixed Bayonets! · as Screenplay |
| 1951 | |
| 1950 | |
| 1949 | |
| 1949 | |
| 1949 | |
| 1943 | Margin for Error · as Screenplay |
| 1940 | Gangs of Chicago · as Screenplay |
| 1939 | |
| 1938 | Gangs of New York · as Screenplay |
| 1937 | It Happened in Hollywood · as Screenplay |
| 1936 | Hats Off · as Screenplay |
| 2005 | |
| 1990 | |
| 1990 | ChillersOn Plex |
| 1989 | |
| 1988 | |
| 1983 | |
| 1982 | |
| 1980 | |
| 1974 | |
| 1973 | |
| 1970 | |
| 1969 | SharkOn Plex |
| 1966 | |
| 1964 | The Naked KissOn Plex |
| 1963 | Shock CorridorOn Plex |
| 1962 | |
| 1962 | |
| 1961 | |
| 1961 | |
| 1959 | |
| 1959 | |
| 1957 | Forty GunsOn Plex |
| 1957 | |
| 1957 | |
| 1955 | |
| 1954 | |
| 1953 | Pickup on South StreetOn Plex |
| 1952 | |
| 1951 | |
| 1951 | |
| 1950 | |
| 1949 |
| 1964 | The Naked KissOn Plex |
| 1963 | Shock CorridorOn Plex |
| 1961 | |
| 1959 | |
| 1959 | |
| 1957 | Forty GunsOn Plex |
| 1957 | |
| 1957 | |
| 1952 | |
| 1951 | |
| 1950 | Four Star Revue · as Executive Producer |
| 1950 | The Colgate Comedy Hour · as Executive Producer |
| 2016 | Shoot! Filming the War · as Self |
| 2015 | Mika Kaurismäki, elokuvaohjaaja · as Self |
| 2013 | A Fuller Life · as Self |
| 2010 | Sodankylä Forever · as Self |
| 2006 | Edge of Outside · as Self |
| 2005 | Filmmakers in Action · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2005 | Premio Donostia a Willem Dafoe · as Self |
| 2005 | The Real Glory: Reconstructing 'the Big Red One' · as Himself (archive Footage) |
| 2002 | |
| 1999 | Nina Hagen = Punk + Glory · as Self |
| 1998 | The 70th Annual Academy Awards · as Self (memorial Tribute) |
| 1996 | |
| 1995 | American Cinema · as Self |
| 1994 | Tigrero: A Film That Was Never Made · as Self |
| 1993 | Anything for John · as Self |
| 1991 | Movie Days · as Self |
| 1991 | Where Is Musette? · as Self |
| 1990 | Hollywood Mavericks · as Self |
| 1988 | Falkenau, the Impossible · as Samuel Fuller |
| 1982 | Cinéma cinémas · as Self |
| 1975 | Sunday meetings · as Self |
| 1966 | Brigitte et Brigitte · as Self |
| 1964 | Filmmakers of our time · as Self |
| 2013 | A Fuller Life · as Book |
| 1986 | Let's Get Harry · as Story |
| 1973 | The Deadly Trackers · as Story |
| 1966 | The Iron Horse · as Teleplay |
| 1963 | Shock Corridor · as CinematographerOn Plex |
| 1960 | The Roaring 20's · as Story |
| 1957 | The Story of Esther Costello · as First Screenplay |
| 1955 | House of Bamboo · as Additional Dialogue |
| 1951 | The Racket · as Contract Writer |
| 1951 | The Tanks Are Coming · as Story |
| 1950 | Gambling House · as Contract Writer |
| 1943 | Power of the Press · as Story |
| 1941 | Confirm or Deny · as Story |
| 1938 | Adventure in Sahara · as Story |