HILLER, ARTHUR

HILLER, ARTHUR (1923– ), Canadian director. Born in Edmonton, Alberta, to Harry Hiller and Rose (née Garfin), Hiller attended the Victoria School for the Performing and Visual Arts, but his studies were cut short due to World War II. Hiller served as a navigator in the Royal Canadian Air Force, fighting the Nazis over Europe. Despite earning a master's degree in psychology from the University of Toronto, he took a job in programming with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in 1949. After moving to Los Angeles, he directed numerous television shows, including Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955), Playhouse 90 (1956), The Naked City (1958), Gunsmoke (1959), Route 66 (1960), and the pilot episode of The Addams Family (1964). His first feature film was The Careless Years (1957) and his first big-budget film was The Americanization of Emily (1964). Hiller is best known for directing the 1970 film Love Story, which garnered him his only Oscar nomination and the Golden Globe for best director. In the early 1970s, Hiller and his wife smuggled clothing and books about Judaism to Russian refuseniks. Hiller went on to direct a variety of well-received films, including Silver Streak (1974), The In-Laws (1979), Making Love (1982), Author\! Author\! (1982), The Lonely Guy (1984), Teachers (1984), and The Babe (1992). From 1989 to 1993, Hiller served as president of the Directors Guild of America, and from 1993 to 1996 he was president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Hiller was given the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the 74th annual Academy Awards in honor of his charity work. (Adam Wills (2nd ed.)