Samuel Fuller
Known for Directing · 56 credits
- Born
- 1912-08-12
- Died
- 1997-10-30
- Place of birth
- Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
- Also known as
- Sam Fuller · 사무엘 풀러 · 새뮤얼 풀러 · Samuel Michael Fuller
Biography
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.
Known For
TV Shows (3)
Movies (53)
1941
1979
as Interceptor Commander
Pierrot le Fou
1965
as Samuel Fuller (uncredited)
The American Friend
1977
as The American
The Big Red One
1980
as War Correspondent (uncredited)
A Return to Salem's Lot
1987
as Van Meer
Cinématon
1978
as N°602
White Dog
1982
as Charlie Felton
The Last Movie
1971
as Sam
Hammett
1982
as Old Man in Pool Hall
The End of Violence
1997
as Louis
The Men Who Made the Movies: Samuel Fuller
2002
as Self
La Vie de Bohème
1992
as Gassot
House of Bamboo
1955
as Japanese policeman (uncredited)
Slapstick of Another Kind
1982
as Colonel Sharp
Somebody to Love
1994
as Sam Silverman
Sons
1990
as Father
The Typewriter, the Rifle & the Movie Camera
1996
as Self
The Big Red One: The Reconstruction
2005
as War Correspondent (uncredited)
A Fuller Life
2013
as Self
Helsinki Napoli All Night Long
1987
as Boss
Carmel
2009
The State of Things
1982
as Joe
Where Is Musette?
1992
as Self
Golem: The Petrified Garden
1993
as Sam
Scene Missing
2012
as Self
Sam Fuller & the Big Red One
1984
as Self
The Young Nurses
1973
as Doc Haskell
Scott Joplin
1977
as Impresario
Filmmakers in Action
2006
as Self (archive footage)
Motion and Emotion: The Films of Wim Wenders
1990
as Self
Anything for John
1993
as Self
Films to Die For
2025
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
Golem, the Spirit of Exile
1992
as Elimelek
The Real Glory: Reconstructing 'The Big Red One'
2005
as Himself (archive footage)
Street of No Return
1989
as Police Commissioner
The Madonna and the Dragon
1990
as Chef de bureau Newsweek
Thieves After Dark
1984
as Zoltan
Mer de Chine: Le pays pour mémoire
1988
as Le capitaine américain
Hooray For Holyrood
1986
as Self
A Travelling is a Moral Affair
1986
as Himself
Tigrero: A Film That Was Never Made
1994
as Self
Brigitte and Brigitte
1966
as Self
Nuits transparentes
2011
Sam Fuller: Writings with a Camera
1981
as Himself
The Bleeding Star
1987
as The Man in the Bar
Report from Hollywood
1985
Midnight Sun Film Festival
1987
Falkenau, the Impossible
1988
as Samuel Fuller
Un Américain en Normandie
1994
as Himself
Shock Corridor
1992
as himself
Necro not(to b)e
2003
as Sé stesso
Cinéastes de notre temps : Samuel Fuller
1967
as Interviewee
Tell me Sam - Encounters with Sam Fuller
1989
as Himself
About Samuel Fuller
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 bega… With 56 credits spanning from 1955 to 2025, Samuel Fuller has appeared in 53 films and 3 TV shows.
Fans searching for Samuel Fuller movies, Samuel Fuller filmography, or the latest projects starring Samuel Fuller can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Samuel Fuller Movies
- 1941 (1979) — as Interceptor Commander
- Pierrot le Fou (1965) — as Samuel Fuller (uncredited)
- The American Friend (1977) — as The American
- The Big Red One (1980) — as War Correspondent (uncredited)
- A Return to Salem's Lot (1987) — as Van Meer
Where to Watch Samuel Fuller Films
Most Samuel Fuller movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Samuel Fuller, check our movies catalogue and browse page.