In 1998, he directed the World War II epic Saving Private Ryan. Īfter a brief hiatus, he directed two films back to back with the science fiction action, Jurassic Park, and the holocaust drama, Schindler's List (both 1993). Spielberg later explored drama in The Color Purple (1985) and Empire of the Sun (1987). the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), and the Indiana Jones series. He then directed box office successes Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), E.T. The following year he became a household name directing 1975's summer blockbuster Jaws. He then made his directorial film debut with The Sugarland Express (1974). After directing several episodes for television including Night Gallery and Columbo, he directed the television film Duel (1971) which gained him acclaim from critics and audiences. He later moved to California and studied film in college. Spielberg was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. DeMille Award, and an AFI Life Achievement Award. Spielberg is the recipient of various accolades, including three Academy Awards (with two for Best Director), a Kennedy Center honor, a Cecil B.

He began his career in the New Hollywood era and is currently the most commercially successful director of all time. Steven Allan Spielberg ( / ˈ s p iː l b ɜːr ɡ/ born December 18, 1946) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter.