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Elia Kazan

Elias Kazanjoglou known as 'Elia Cazan' born on 7th of September, 1909 in Kayseri, Ottoman Empire (Turkey) and died in New York City (US) on 28th of September, 2003.
Elia Kazan was a film-maker, theatre director, screenwriter, novelist and co-founder of the influential Actors Studio in New York in 1947.
His family emigrated to the United States in 1913 and settled in New York City. Kazan attended public schools in New York City and New Rochelle, after graduating from William College, Masachusetts, Kazan studied at Yale University's School of Drama. In the 1930s, he acted with New York's group Theatre. During this period was known for 'Gadg' short for Gadget- he never felt fulfilled with this name. For about 19 months in 1934-36 he was a member of a secret communist cell.
Kazan's history as a film director is as noteworthy as an impressive work. He won two Academy Awards ( among others) for the best director for the film 'Gentlman's Agreement' 1947, and 'On The Waterfront' 1954.
He was elicited from actors such as Marlon Brando in 'A Streetcar Named Desire' 1951.
Others impressive films: 'A Tree Grows In Brooklyn' 1945. 'Baby Doll' 1956. 'Wild River' 1960. 'Splendor in the Grass' 1961. 'The Visitors' 1972. etc.


What members say | Filmography

Elia Kazan - what members say


  • Viva Zapata
  • Viva Zapata review by Zamy from LONDON
    Rated - 2 stars 27 September 2004
    ...ing Mexican heat, but most of time the actors look quite cool. The direction by Elia Kazan is of the journeyman variety; he does get the story across and the ending is we...  
  • A Streetcar Named Desire
  • A Streetcar Named Desire review by from England, Reading
    Rated - 5 stars Brando in his spectacular role as the dashing and brutal Stanley Kowalski 2 December 2004
    ...tch, or even come close to Brando's performance in this masterpiece directed by Elia Kazan. What I mainly love about this film is Brando's peformance. He is amazing. H...  
  • The Last Tycoon
  • The Last Tycoon review by littleraindrops from Glasgow
    Rated - 3 stars Action Is Character 15 May 2008
    ...e potential classic and of the writer's mind at work. The film, made in 1976 by Elia Kazan (the last film he made), was scripted by Harold Pinter and sticks very closely ...  

Elia Kazan - filmography


  • Wild River
  • Wild River on DVD (1960)
    Starring: Montgomery Clift,  Lee Remick,  Jo Van Fleet
    Director: Elia Kazan
    Certificate: Certificate: PG
    Chuck Glover is a field administrator who comes to Alabama to oversee the building of a dam on the Tennessee River. He has to deal with opposition from the local people who object to him employing black labourers. Also an elderly woman has to be evicted from her home and Chuck's relationship with ..read more »
    Rate this: 3.5 stars out of 5 65% from 144 members
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  • On The Waterfront
  • On The Waterfront on DVD (1954)
    Starring: Marlon Brando,  Karl Malden,  Lee J. Cobb
    Director: Elia Kazan
    Certificate: Certificate: PG
    Elia Kazan's compelling social drama was the winner of eight Academy Awards and marks one of Marlon Brando's finest screen performances. Brando is Terry Malloy, a handsome but inarticulate longshoreman, who gets involved in a labor scandal when a fellow dock worker is murdered. He knows that the ..read more »
    Rate this: 3.5 stars out of 5 73% from 12,403 members
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  • On The Waterfront - BLU-RAY Version
  • On The Waterfront - BLU-RAY Version (1954)
    Starring: Marlon Brando,  Karl Malden,  Lee J. Cobb
    Director: Elia Kazan
    Certificate: Certificate: 15
    Elia Kazan's compelling social drama was the winner of eight Academy Awards and marks one of Marlon Brando's finest screen performances. Brando is Terry Malloy, a handsome but inarticulate longshoreman, who gets involved in a labor scandal when a fellow dock worker is murdered. He knows that the ..read more »
    Rate this: 4 stars out of 5 78% from 15 members
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  • Viva Zapata
  • Viva Zapata on DVD (1952)
    Starring: Marlon Brando,  Jean Peters,  Anthony Quinn
    Director: Elia Kazan
    Certificate: Certificate: PG
    Set in the early 1900s, VIVA ZAPATA! tells the story of Mexican rebel Emiliano Zapata (Marlon Brando), who rallies the countryside against the government and eventually assumes the role of president. John Steinbeck wrote the film's screenplay.
    Rate this: 3 stars out of 5 59% from 353 members
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  • A Streetcar Named Desire
  • A Streetcar Named Desire on DVD (1951)
    Starring: Vivien Leigh,  Marlon Brando,  Kim Hunter
    Director: Elia Kazan
    Certificate: Certificate: 15
    Tennessee Williams based his screenplay on Oscar Saul's adaptation of Williams' Pulitzer Prize-winning play set in a grimy New Orleans project. The story of the fragile sentimentalism of a former prostitute who visits her sister only to be taunted mercilessly by her childish brother-in-law. Academy ..read more »
    Rate this: 4 stars out of 5 75% from 2,912 members
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  • Gentleman's Agreement
  • Gentleman's Agreement on DVD (1947)
    Starring: Gregory Peck,  Dorothy McGuire,  John Garfield
    Director: Elia Kazan
    Certificate: Certificate: U
    GENTLEMAN'S AGREEMENT is an excellent film that addresses anti-Semitism. Gregory Peck gives the right gravity to his role of a magazine reporter who comes to understand the barriers imposed by prejudice when, to add depth to his magazine feature, he takes on a Jewish identity. Moss Hart wrote the ..read more »
    Rate this: 3 stars out of 5 62% from 602 members
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Elia Kazan facts

5 most recent films

The Last Tycoon - 2.5 stars
Natalie Wood Collection - Splendour In The Grass - 3.5 stars
Wild River - 3.5 stars
Baby Doll - 3.5 stars
East Of Eden - 3.5 stars

5 highest-rated films

A Streetcar Named Desire - 4.0 stars
On The Waterfront - 3.5 stars
East Of Eden - 3.5 stars
A Tree Grows In Brooklyn - 3.5 stars
Natalie Wood Collection - 3.5 stars

5 lowest-rated films

Gregory Peck Collection - The Man In The Gray Flannel Suit/Twel - 2.5 stars
Boomerang - 3.0 stars
Baby Doll - 3.5 stars
Natalie Wood Collection - Splendour In The Grass - 3.5 stars
On The Waterfront - BLU-RAY Version - 4.0 stars

Most frequent co-stars

Karl Malden - 7 times - show films
Marlon Brando - 6 times - show films
Rudy Bond - 5 times - show films
Pat Hingle - 4 times - show films
Vivien Leigh - 3 times - show films

Most frequent directors

Henry King - 1 times - show films
Nunnally Johnson - 1 times - show films
Mervyn LeRoy - 1 times - show films
Elia Ka - 1 times - show films
Mervyn Le - 1 times - show films