List of Academy Award for Best Director winners by age
List of winners

List of Academy Award for Best Director winners by age

Section Title: List of winners
Table Section Text: None

#	Director	Film	Date of birth	Date of award	Age upon receiving award	Date of death	Lifespan	Notes

1	Frank Borzage	7th Heaven	April 23, 1894	May 16, 1929	35 years, 23 days	June 19, 1962	24,893 days (68 years, 57 days)	Dramatic; 1st of 2 Held record as oldest winner for 1 award ceremony (from the 1st to the 2nd, May 1929–April 1930 [11 months])

2	Lewis Milestone	Two Arabian Knights	September 30, 1895	May 16, 1929	33 years, 228 days	September 25, 1980	31,041 days (84 years, 361 days)	Comedy; 1st of 2 Held record as youngest winner for 3 award ceremonies (from the 1st to the 4th, May 1929–November 1931 [2 years, 6 months])

3	Frank Lloyd	The Divine Lady	February 2, 1886	April 3, 1930	44 years, 60 days	August 10, 1960	27,217 days (74 years, 190 days)	1st of 2 Held record as oldest winner for 10 award ceremonies (from the 2nd to the 12th, April 1930–February 1940)

4	Lewis Milestone	All Quiet on the Western Front	September 30, 1895	November 5, 1930	35 years, 36 days	September 25, 1980	31,041 days (84 years, 361 days)	2nd of 2

5	Norman Taurog	Skippy	February 23, 1899	November 10, 1931	32 years, 260 days	April 7, 1981	29,993 days (82 years, 43 days)	Held record as youngest winner for 85 award ceremonies (from the 4th through the 89th, November 1931–February 2017 [85 years, 3 months])

6	Frank Borzage	Bad Girl	April 23, 1894	November 18, 1932	38 years, 209 days	June 19, 1962	24,893 days (68 years, 57 days)	2nd of 2

7	Frank Lloyd	Cavalcade	February 2, 1886	March 16, 1934	48 years, 42 days	August 10, 1960	27,217 days (74 years, 190 days)	2nd of 2

8	Frank Capra	It Happened One Night	May 18, 1897	February 27, 1935	37 years, 285 days	September 3, 1991	34,440 days (94 years, 108 days)	1st of 3

9	John Ford	The Informer	February 1, 1894	March 5, 1936	42 years, 33 days	August 31, 1973	29,065 days (79 years, 211 days)	1st of 4

10	Frank Capra	Mr. Deeds Goes to Town	May 18, 1897	March 4, 1937	39 years, 290 days	September 3, 1991	34,440 days (94 years, 108 days)	2nd of 3

11	Leo McCarey	The Awful Truth	October 3, 1898	March 10, 1938	39 years, 158 days	July 5, 1969	25,842 days (70 years, 275 days)	1st of 2

12	Frank Capra	You Can't Take It with You	May 18, 1897	February 23, 1939	41 years, 281 days	September 3, 1991	34,440 days (94 years, 108 days)	3rd of 3

13	Victor Fleming	Gone with the Wind	February 23, 1889	February 29, 1940	51 years, 6 days	January 6, 1949	21,866 days (59 years, 318 days)	Held record as oldest winner for 4 award ceremonies (from the 12th to the 16th, February 1940–March 1944)

14	John Ford	The Grapes of Wrath	February 1, 1894	February 27, 1941	47 years, 26 days	August 31, 1973	29,065 days (79 years, 211 days)	2nd of 4

15	John Ford	How Green Was My Valley	February 1, 1894	February 26, 1942	48 years, 25 days	August 31, 1973	29,065 days (79 years, 211 days)	3rd of 4

16	William Wyler	Mrs. Miniver	July 1, 1902	March 4, 1943	40 years, 246 days	July 27, 1981	28,881 days (79 years, 26 days)	1st of 3

17	Michael Curtiz	Casablanca	December 24, 1886	March 2, 1944	57 years, 69 days	April 10, 1962	27,500 days (75 years, 107 days)	Held record as oldest winner for 9 award ceremonies (from the 16th to the 25th, March 1944–March 1953)

18	Leo McCarey	Going My Way	October 3, 1898	March 15, 1945	46 years, 163 days	July 5, 1969	25,842 days (70 years, 275 days)	2nd of 2

19	Billy Wilder	The Lost Weekend	June 22, 1906	March 7, 1946	39 years, 258 days	March 27, 2002	34,977 days (95 years, 278 days)	1st of 2

20	William Wyler	The Best Years of Our Lives	July 1, 1902	March 13, 1947	44 years, 255 days	July 27, 1981	28,881 days (79 years, 26 days)	2nd of 3

21	Elia Kazan	Gentleman's Agreement	September 7, 1909	March 20, 1948	38 years, 195 days	September 28, 2003	34,354 days (94 years, 21 days)	1st of 2

22	John Huston	The Treasure of the Sierra Madre	August 5, 1906	March 24, 1949	42 years, 231 days	August 28, 1987	29,608 days (81 years, 23 days)

23	Joseph L. Mankiewicz	A Letter to Three Wives	February 11, 1909	March 23, 1950	41 years, 40 days	February 5, 1993	30,675 days (83 years, 360 days)	1st of 2

24	Joseph L. Mankiewicz	All About Eve	February 11, 1909	March 29, 1951	42 years, 46 days	February 5, 1993	30,675 days (83 years, 360 days)	2nd of 2

25	George Stevens	A Place in the Sun	December 18, 1904	March 20, 1952	47 years, 93 days	March 8, 1975	25,647 days (70 years, 80 days)	1st of 2

26	John Ford	The Quiet Man	February 1, 1894	March 19, 1953	59 years, 46 days	August 31, 1973	29,065 days (79 years, 211 days)	4th of 4 Held record as oldest winner for 12 award ceremonies (from the 25th to the 37th, March 1953–April 1965)

27	Fred Zinnemann	From Here to Eternity	April 29, 1907	March 25, 1954	46 years, 330 days	March 14, 1997	32,827 days (89 years, 319 days)	1st of 2

28	Elia Kazan	On the Waterfront	September 7, 1909	March 30, 1955	45 years, 204 days	September 28, 2003	34,354 days (94 years, 21 days)	2nd of 2

29	Delbert Mann	Marty	January 30, 1920	March 21, 1956	36 years, 51 days	November 11, 2007	32,062 days (87 years, 285 days)

30	George Stevens	Giant	December 18, 1904	March 27, 1957	52 years, 99 days	March 8, 1975	25,647 days (70 years, 80 days)	2nd of 2

31	David Lean	The Bridge on the River Kwai	March 25, 1908	March 26, 1958	50 years, 1 day	April 16, 1991	30,337 days (83 years, 22 days)	1st of 2

32	Vincente Minnelli	Gigi	February 28, 1903	April 6, 1959	56 years, 37 days	July 25, 1986	30,463 days (83 years, 147 days)

33	William Wyler	Ben-Hur	July 1, 1902	April 4, 1960	57 years, 278 days	July 27, 1981	28,881 days (79 years, 26 days)	3rd of 3

34	Billy Wilder	The Apartment	June 22, 1906	April 17, 1961	54 years, 299 days	March 27, 2002	34,977 days (95 years, 278 days)	2nd of 2

35	Jerome Robbins	West Side Story	October 11, 1918	April 9, 1962	43 years, 180 days	July 29, 1998	29,146 days (79 years, 291 days)	Shared

36	Robert Wise	West Side Story	September 10, 1914	April 9, 1962	47 years, 211 days	September 14, 2005	33,242 days (91 years, 4 days)	Shared; 1st of 2

37	David Lean	Lawrence of Arabia	March 25, 1908	April 8, 1963	55 years, 14 days	April 16, 1991	30,337 days (83 years, 22 days)	2nd of 2

38	Tony Richardson	Tom Jones	June 5, 1928	April 13, 1964	35 years, 313 days	November 14, 1991	23,172 days (63 years, 162 days)

39	George Cukor	My Fair Lady	July 7, 1899	April 5, 1965	65 years, 272 days	January 24, 1983	30,516 days (83 years, 201 days)	Held record as oldest winner for 38 award ceremonies (from the 37th to the 75th, April 1965–March 2003)

40	Robert Wise	The Sound of Music	September 10, 1914	April 18, 1966	51 years, 220 days	September 14, 2005	33,242 days (91 years, 4 days)	2nd of 2

41	Fred Zinnemann	A Man for All Seasons	April 29, 1907	April 10, 1967	59 years, 346 days	March 14, 1997	32,827 days (89 years, 319 days)	2nd of 2

42	Mike Nichols	The Graduate	November 6, 1931	April 10, 1968	36 years, 156 days	November 19, 2014	30,329 days (83 years, 13 days)

43	Carol Reed	Oliver!	December 30, 1906	April 14, 1969	62 years, 105 days	April 25, 1976	25,319 days (69 years, 117 days)

44	John Schlesinger	Midnight Cowboy	February 16, 1926	April 7, 1970	44 years, 50 days	July 25, 2003	28,283 days (77 years, 159 days)

45	Franklin J. Schaffner	Patton	May 30, 1920	April 15, 1971	50 years, 320 days	July 2, 1989	25,235 days (69 years, 33 days)

46	William Friedkin	The French Connection	August 29, 1935	April 10, 1972	36 years, 225 days	30,496 days (83 years, 180 days)

47	Bob Fosse	Cabaret	June 23, 1927	March 27, 1973	45 years, 277 days	September 23, 1987	22,007 days (60 years, 92 days)

48	George Roy Hill	The Sting	December 20, 1921	April 2, 1974	52 years, 103 days	December 27, 2002	29,592 days (81 years, 7 days)

49	Francis Ford Coppola	The Godfather Part II	April 7, 1939	April 8, 1975	36 years, 1 day	29,179 days (79 years, 324 days)

50	Miloš Forman	One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest	February 18, 1932	March 29, 1976	44 years, 40 days	April 14, 2018	31,467 days (86 years, 55 days)	1st of 2

51	John G. Avildsen	Rocky	December 21, 1935	March 28, 1977	41 years, 97 days	June 16, 2017	29,763 days (81 years, 177 days)

52	Woody Allen	Annie Hall	December 1, 1935	April 3, 1978	42 years, 123 days	30,402 days (83 years, 86 days)

53	Michael Cimino	The Deer Hunter	February 3, 1939	April 9, 1979	40 years, 65 days	July 2, 2016	28,274 days (77 years, 150 days)

54	Robert Benton	Kramer vs. Kramer	September 29, 1932	April 14, 1980	47 years, 198 days	31,560 days (86 years, 149 days)

55	Robert Redford	Ordinary People	August 18, 1936	March 31, 1981	44 years, 225 days	30,141 days (82 years, 191 days)

56	Warren Beatty	Reds	March 30, 1937	March 29, 1982	44 years, 364 days	29,917 days (81 years, 332 days)

57	Richard Attenborough	Gandhi	August 29, 1923	April 11, 1983	59 years, 225 days	August 24, 2014	33,233 days (90 years, 360 days)

58	James L. Brooks	Terms of Endearment	May 9, 1940	April 9, 1984	43 years, 336 days	28,781 days (78 years, 292 days)

59	Miloš Forman	Amadeus	February 18, 1932	March 25, 1985	53 years, 35 days	April 14, 2018	31,467 days (86 years, 55 days)	2nd of 2

60	Sydney Pollack	Out of Africa	July 1, 1934	March 24, 1986	51 years, 266 days	May 26, 2008	26,993 days (73 years, 330 days)

61	Oliver Stone	Platoon	September 15, 1946	March 30, 1987	40 years, 196 days	26,461 days (72 years, 163 days)	1st of 2

62	Bernardo Bertolucci	The Last Emperor	March 16, 1940	April 11, 1988	48 years, 26 days	November 26, 2018	28,744 days (78 years, 255 days)

63	Barry Levinson	Rain Man	April 6, 1942	March 27, 1989	46 years, 355 days	28,084 days (76 years, 325 days)

64	Oliver Stone	Born on the Fourth of July	September 15, 1946	March 26, 1990	43 years, 192 days	26,461 days (72 years, 163 days)	2nd of 2

65	Kevin Costner	Dances with Wolves	January 18, 1955	March 25, 1991	36 years, 66 days	23,414 days (64 years, 38 days)

66	Jonathan Demme	The Silence of the Lambs	February 22, 1944	March 30, 1992	48 years, 37 days	April 26, 2017	26,727 days (73 years, 63 days)

67	Clint Eastwood	Unforgiven	May 31, 1930	March 29, 1993	62 years, 302 days	32,412 days (88 years, 270 days)	1st of 2

68	Steven Spielberg	Schindler's List	December 18, 1946	March 21, 1994	47 years, 93 days	26,367 days (72 years, 69 days)	1st of 2

69	Robert Zemeckis	Forrest Gump	May 14, 1951	March 27, 1995	43 years, 317 days	24,759 days (67 years, 287 days)

70	Mel Gibson	Braveheart	January 3, 1956	March 25, 1996	40 years, 82 days	23,064 days (63 years, 53 days)

71	Anthony Minghella	The English Patient	January 6, 1954	March 24, 1997	43 years, 77 days	March 18, 2008	19,795 days (54 years, 72 days)

72	James Cameron	Titanic	August 16, 1954	March 23, 1998	43 years, 219 days	23,569 days (64 years, 193 days)

73	Steven Spielberg	Saving Private Ryan	December 18, 1946	March 21, 1999	52 years, 93 days	26,367 days (72 years, 69 days)	2nd of 2

74	Sam Mendes	American Beauty	August 1, 1965	March 26, 2000	34 years, 238 days	19,566 days (53 years, 208 days)

75	Steven Soderbergh	Traffic	January 14, 1963	March 25, 2001	38 years, 70 days	20,496 days (56 years, 42 days)

76	Ron Howard	A Beautiful Mind	March 1, 1954	March 24, 2002	48 years, 23 days	23,737 days (64 years, 361 days)

77	Roman Polanski	The Pianist	August 18, 1933	March 23, 2003	69 years, 217 days	31,237 days (85 years, 191 days)	Held record as oldest winner for 2 award ceremonies (from the 75th to the 77th, March 2003–February 2005)

78	Peter Jackson	Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King	October 31, 1961	February 29, 2004	42 years, 121 days	20,936 days (57 years, 117 days)

79	Clint Eastwood	Million Dollar Baby	May 31, 1930	February 27, 2005	74 years, 272 days	32,412 days (88 years, 270 days)	2nd of 2 Has held record as oldest winner for 13 award ceremonies (from the 77th through the 90th, February 2005–March 2018)

80	Ang Lee	Brokeback Mountain	October 23, 1954	March 5, 2006	51 years, 133 days	23,501 days (64 years, 125 days)	1st of 2

81	Martin Scorsese	The Departed	November 17, 1942	February 25, 2007	64 years, 100 days	27,859 days (76 years, 100 days)

82	Ethan Coen	No Country for Old Men	September 21, 1957	February 24, 2008	50 years, 156 days	22,437 days (61 years, 157 days)	Shared

83	Joel Coen	No Country for Old Men	November 29, 1954	February 24, 2008	53 years, 87 days	23,464 days (64 years, 88 days)	Shared

84	Danny Boyle	Slumdog Millionaire	October 20, 1956	February 22, 2009	52 years, 125 days	22,773 days (62 years, 128 days)

85	Kathryn Bigelow	The Hurt Locker	November 27, 1951	March 7, 2010	58 years, 100 days	24,562 days (67 years, 90 days)

86	Tom Hooper	The King's Speech	October 1, 1972	February 27, 2011	38 years, 149 days	16,948 days (46 years, 147 days)

87	Michel Hazanavicius	The Artist	March 29, 1967	February 26, 2012	44 years, 334 days	18,961 days (51 years, 333 days)

88	Ang Lee	Life of Pi	October 23, 1954	February 24, 2013	58 years, 124 days	23,501 days (64 years, 125 days)	2nd of 2

89	Alfonso Cuaron	Gravity	November 28, 1961	March 2, 2014	52 years, 94 days	20,908 days (57 years, 89 days)	1st of 2

90	Alejandro González Iñárritu	Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)	August 15, 1963	February 22, 2015	51 years, 191 days	20,283 days (55 years, 194 days)	1st of 2

91	Alejandro González Iñárritu	The Revenant	August 15, 1963	February 28, 2016	52 years, 197 days	20,283 days (55 years, 194 days)	2nd of 2

92	Damien Chazelle	La La Land	January 19, 1985	February 26, 2017	32 years, 38 days	12,455 days (34 years, 37 days)	Holds record for youngest winner

93	Guillermo del Toro	The Shape of Water	October 9, 1964	March 4, 2018	53 years, 146 days	19,862 days (54 years, 139 days)

94	Alfonso Cuaron	Roma	November 28, 1961	February 24, 2019	57 years, 88 days	20,908 days (57 years, 89 days)	2nd of 2

#	Director	Film	Date of birth	Date of award	Age upon receiving award	Date of death	Lifespan	Notes

Sentence(s)

Elia Kazan (lifespan 94 years, 21 days) is one of three directors (alongside Billy Wilder and Frank Capra) to have lived over 55 years after receiving the Academy Award for Best Director.

final_sentence: Elia Kazan (lifespan 94 years, 21 days) is one of three directors (alongside Billy Wilder and Frank Capra) to have lived over 55 years after receiving the Academy Award for Best Director.