William Wyler Accepts the AFI Life Achievement Award in 1976

In 1976, director, producer and writer William Wyler accepted the 4th AFI Life Achievement Award. Some of his most well known films include BEN-HUR, THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES, ROMAN HOLIDAY and FUNNY GIRL. In this video clip from the 1976 televised award ceremony Wyler discusses his career in his acceptance speech.
#afilifeachievementaward #afi #williamwyler #movies

[@talliwyler101]

My grandfather. ❤️

[@bianca66porter]

Talli Wyler amazing director. 😍

[@williamsnyder5616]

You are lucky.

[@michaelskibitiansky8773]

RIP✡

[@person-du8dj]

Lucky

[@AuntieMamie]

He had always been my hero. I read any book I can and have seen all his films. He is an icon, treasure and legend. I am among a huge fan club. He always had such dignity and humility. And your grandmother was special indeed! And I love your name!!! There isn’t a film he made that I don’t love because you can always find so much in them. Perhaps I’m just an audience member but I’m not in agreement with the critics. You must be special too. Congratulations for a beautiful family.

[@MrImiller07]

His direction was not showy or pretentious, but his work has, in the truest sense, stood the test of time. When one watches Wuthering Heights with Olivier, Jezebel and The Little Foxes with Davis, The Best Years Of Our Lives with March, Loy and Harold Russell, Roman Holiday with Hepburn and Peck, and Bun Hur with Heston, his directorial gifts are clearly evident.His body of work is extraordinary.

[@Lee_Forre]

Could not agree more. Just saw Dead End for the first time and was spellbound. Incredible film, almost 100 years old, and still standing tall.

[@supermahmoud]

Ben-Hur amazed me, this guy is brilliant

[@josecandal9412]

The most versatile of Hollywood directors, a true master.

[@benmcgrath1925]

One of the greatest directors and probably the best director of actors. He made everyone better and helped John Huston get started in Hollywood

[@jslasher1]

'The Best Years of Our Lives' says it all. One of the all-time greatest American directors. Great speech by Mr Wyler.

[@johnchipol7716]

Bette davis agreed with you

[@Lahoreumar]

William Wyler's contribution to Motion Picture Industry is far above the prestigious AFI Lifetime Achievement Award.He was an invaluable asset of motion pictures and ranked above John Ford, Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, James Cameron and many others. He nurtured an ingenious imagination and used academic deep focus of emotional expression that outwitted the actors and writers. He effectively mesmerized the audience more times with his excellently crafted movies than anyone else.

[@cesarzpontu8886]

above Hitchcock and Ford? I don't think so.

[@bobbyjosson4663]

@@cesarzpontu8886 The equal of, in the top pantheon, with Wilder and Lubitsch and Capra.

[@juanuceda401]

Above Ford and Hitchcock???? No way...

[@5andup]

Mr. Wyler had an illustrious career in Hollywood, and this speech illustrates his humility and gratitude for his family and mentors as well as the people that worked with him over the decades. William Wyler is a cinema legend. 👏👏👏👏👏

[@mattcohen261]

Clearly one of the five greatest directors along with Ford, Wilder, Spielberg and David Lean.

[@pmajudge]

R.I.P. TO THE GREAT DIRECTOR- MR WILLIAM WYLER.WHAT TALENT!!ALL HIS MOVIES WERE SUPERBLY MADE AND HAD MEANING WITH IT!!LOVED "BEN-HUR"!!! ( seen it millions of times).ALL HIS MOVIES WERE THE WOW!! FACTOR!!THANKS TO A GREAT DIRECTOR INDEED!!FROM(U.K.).

[@Rozetulja]

I am Russian, and I can not judge all films Wyler. But I think one of the best among them (a deep, serious, timeless) - is "The Children's Hour". This movie not only entertains us, but also teaches, helps to understand people and life. Many thanks to William Wyler - in his past from our future.

[@TheSwampShinobi]

i love wyler, he is the best

[@johnchipol7716]

For me the best director he did so many great films bette davis favourite director

[@miguelrivera9599]

The best director of actors.

[@moviecowboy2012]

What a legend

[@Cleon29Warrior]

Great speech.

[@tophe6611]

Heya, im Becky Wyler and I can't believe that this is my great great uncle

[@buffilms]

great guy, great films, funny man

[@cornel1801com]

04:45 I would like to say that I'm particularly pleased that this honor comes from the American Film Institute very worthy organization which preserves the achievements of films of the past and present and it's contributing significantly to the education of those who will make the films of the future.

[@Pixiemaniac]

The kids part was very sweet

[@bonzoforlife]

@TheLordMilton Wyler was born Wilhelm Weiller to a Jewish family, a Swiss father and a German mother, in Mulhouse in the French region of Alsace (then part of the German Empire)

[@gulmerton2758]

My very favorite movies of all time happen to be HIS movies. What a coincidence. The word “legend “ is so overused nowadays but he is a real one.

[@emilywilson6692]

One of His Granddaughters is I a good friend of mine

[@lynnturman8157]

Does she have any idea how great her grandfather was?

[@lepetitchat123]

Totally irrelevant

[@shahidshafi8718]

Just one word after watching Ben Hur, Fantastic,

[@DelightLovesMovies]

Wow such an amazing and humble man.

[@eugene680]

First of all, I never seen any of Wyler's films. Way before my time. But I read he was a bonefide perfectionist. Which probably helped him make some of the best films in cinematic history.

[@williamsnyder5616]

Heythere, Eugene. If you're a film student, take a week off. Instead of going on vacation, do what you can to get hold of the following films: "The Best Years of Our Lives," "Ben-Hur," "Wuthering Heights," "Mrs.Miniver," "The Letter," "The Heiress," "Roman Holiday," "Friendly Persuasion, "The Little Foxes," "Dodsworth" and "Funny Girl." Hell, you better take TWO weeks off. You'll probably gain five pounds from too much buttered popcorn, Coke and ice cream, but when it's over, I guarantee you, you'll say, "Wow! Did another director EVER show the variety of William Wyler." Then, go to Weight Watchers.

[@larryeagleson3182]

The Big Country

[@x3Sora]

great cut of jimmy stewart

[@georgekokoris6035]

The best, of course. Loved his sly reference to his imfamous practice of doing endless takes until the crew- and poor actors!- went on to the next scene. I wonder how much his work contributed to the famed "Goldwyn touch" that was said to stamp every successful film that came out of that studio. Talent, humor, personality- Life's trifecta.

[@JohnSmith-qu3qt]

Just watched best years of or lives, great to watch, took me to a good place. Five came back got me here. Thank god for William wyler.

[@polyannamoonbeam]

great funny fabulous acceptance.....love his self defined later life occupation as 'auteur'.

[@amangoyal923]

Only filmmaker who didn't make crowdpleasers intentionally, but his films turned out to be so

[@ANOMALY1ate]

marvelous

[@SharonAFox]

@thistleinfotech I agree... totally. He was my mentor's mentor.

[@pedjanedeljkovic7021]

The greatest.

[@eugene680]

I'm a perfectionist myself. Very hard living with it because I always think my work is never good enough no matter how good it is to other people. I wonder how Wyler lived with it?

[@rr7firefly]

I congratulate you for stating that without any apology. Very few people strive for excellence in creative endeavors. I always admire them because without certain people setting high standards we would live in a cultural wasteland of multi-layered mediocrity.

[@ap42869]

great things happen is US god bless you.

[@KelipeoGaming]

He was my great great uncle I’m Bryce grandson of grace Wyler

[@Largo3point0]

No mention yet of The Heiress in the comments? Well, allow me: It is a jewel among his many.

[@brandedtotroll9153]

I think Wyler is better than John Ford and is the greatest American director. I don't know if Spielberg or Scorsese can catch him. PTA has a chance though I think.

[@davidliddellthorpe]

@thistleinfotech that's a pretty bold statement...

[@stephencampbell2115]

A genius a true one off

[@andrewsharisky7259]

Why was Bette Davis not there that evening?

[@johnchipol7716]

Once he told vivien leigh to play wuthering heights as 2and to merge oberon she refuse and he told vivien you will not get a better offer than this one 6 months later she got gone with the wind that's funny

[@roedalacket]

I must Say I loved his speech. But according to Charlton Heston (and judging by the shot of him in this clip) the night was a disaster. He wrote this in his diaries: "The AFI Wyler dinner, which should've been a triumph, was something like a disaster. The taped version for TV will work, of course, but in trying to serve the TV show, we failed Willy and all the friends who came to honor him. Mostly it was just technical fuck-ups... God, I'd like this to have gone perfectly!"

[@kingsurya3215]

The heiress ❤

[@josephfanella724]

Every morning, before breakfast, he climbed into his biplane and strafted the German lines during WW1 ! Fact!

[@srinivassc6281]

The movie he made evangalised the world with Jesus.

[@Alexander-tj2dn]

It's a pitty he retired so early.

[@alfredodistefanolaulhe2212]

4:42 Charles Bronson

[@jslasher1]

2 'thumb's down'! How dare they.

[@alvaropelayo8084]

When was this Life Achievement Award was given to John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, Charlie Chaplin?. Never!!. Then it means nothing.

[@winterstellar]

second

[@lynnturman8157]

When are they gonna give one of these to Beyonce?

[@Kinopanorama1]

+Lynn Turman Hopefully, never.

[@sagrai2564]

This is film. She probably will get Kennedy centers honours though

[@thomasbarrientos6234]

Your kidding right?

[@neelabhraroy4238]

She'll get one when sanity disappears from the planet

[@judekelly8324]

Thank God, Never

[@sun131089]

Peerless