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.
2013A Fuller Life as Self
2012Scene Missing as Self
2011Nuits transparentes as Unknown
2010Sodankylä Forever as Self
2009Carmel as Unknown
2006Filmmakers in Action as Self (archive footage)
2005The Big Red One: The Reconstruction as War Correspondent (uncredited)
2005The Real Glory: Reconstructing 'The Big Red One' as Himself (archive footage)
2003Necro not(to b)e as Sé stesso
2002The Men Who Made the Movies: Samuel Fuller as Self
1997The End of Violence as Louis
1996The Typewriter, the Rifle & the Movie Camera as Self
1994Somebody to Love as Sam Silverman
1994Tigrero: A Film That Was Never Made as Self
1994Un Américain en Normandie as Himself
1993Anything for John as Self
1993Golem: The Petrified Garden as Sam
1992Golem, the Spirit of Exile as Elimelek
1992La Vie de Bohème as Gassot
1992Where Is Musette? as self
1992Shock Corridor as himself
1990The Madonna and the Dragon as Chef de bureau Newsweek
1990Motion and Emotion: The Films of Wim Wenders as Self
1990Sons as Father
1989Street of No Return as Police Commissioner
1989David Lansky (1 Episode) as Unknown
1989Tell me Sam - Encounters with Sam Fuller as Himself
1988Falkenau, the Impossible as Samuel Fuller
1988Mer de Chine: Le pays pour mémoire as Le capitaine américain
1987Helsinki Napoli All Night Long as Boss
1987A Return to Salem's Lot as Van Meer
1987Midnight Sun Film Festival as Unknown
1987The Bleeding Star as Unknown
1986Hooray For Holyrood as Self
1986A Travelling is a Moral Affair as Himself
1985Report from Hollywood as Unknown
1984Thieves After Dark as Zoltan
1984Sam Fuller & the Big Red One as Self
1982Slapstick of Another Kind as Colonel Sharp
1982White Dog as Charlie Felton
1982Hammett as Old Man in Pool Hall
1982The State of Things as Joe
1980The Big Red One as War Correspondent (uncredited)
19791941 as Interceptor Commander
1978Cinématon as N°602
1977The American Friend as The American
1977Scott Joplin as Impresario
1975Les Rendez-vous du dimanche (1 Episode) as Self
1973The Young Nurses as Doc Haskell
1971The Last Movie as Sam
1967Cinéastes de notre temps : Samuel Fuller as Interviewee
1966Brigitte and Brigitte as Self
1965Pierrot le Fou as Samuel Fuller (uncredited)
1955House of Bamboo as Japanese policeman (uncredited)
2013A Fuller Life ... Book
2005The Big Red One: The Reconstruction ... Writer
1994Girls in Prison ... Writer
1990The Madonna and the Dragon ... Screenplay
1990The Day of Reckoning ... Screenplay
1990Chillers (1 Episode) ... Writer
1989Street of No Return ... Screenplay, Dialogue
1986Let's Get Harry ... Story
1984Thieves After Dark ... Writer
1982White Dog ... Screenplay
1980The Big Red One ... Writer
1978The Meanest Men in the West ... Screenplay
1974The Klansman ... Screenplay
1973The Deadly Trackers ... Story
1972Dead Pigeon on Beethoven Street ... Writer
1970Scene of the Crime (1 Episode) ... Writer
1969Shark ... Screenplay
1968Targets ... Screenplay
1967The Cape Town Affair ... Writer
1964The Naked Kiss ... Writer
1963Shock Corridor ... Screenplay
1962The Virginian (1 Episode) ... Writer
1962Merrill's Marauders ... Screenplay
1961Underworld U.S.A. ... Writer
1959The Crimson Kimono ... Writer
1959Verboten! ... Writer
1959Dogface ... Writer
1957Forty Guns ... Screenplay
1957Run of the Arrow ... Writer
1957China Gate ... Screenplay
1954The Command ... Writer
1954Hell and High Water ... Screenplay
1953Pickup on South Street ... Screenplay
1952Park Row ... Writer
1952Scandal Sheet ... Novel
1951Fixed Bayonets! ... Screenplay
1951The Tanks Are Coming ... Story
1951The Steel Helmet ... Writer
1950The Baron of Arizona ... Writer
1949I Shot Jesse James ... Writer
1949Shockproof ... Writer
1945Gangs of the Waterfront ... Story
1943Margin for Error ... Screenplay
1943Power of the Press ... Story
1941Confirm or Deny ... Story
1940Bowery Boy ... Original Story
1940Gangs of Chicago ... Screenplay
1939She Married a Cop ... Writer
1938Federal Man-Hunt ... Story
1938Adventure in Sahara ... Story
1938Gangs of New York ... Story, Screenplay
1937It Happened in Hollywood ... Screenplay
1936Hats Off ... Screenplay, Story
2005The Big Red One: The Reconstruction ... Director
1990The Madonna and the Dragon ... Director
1990The Day of Reckoning ... Director
1990Chillers (1 Episode) ... Director
1989Street of No Return ... Director
1984Thieves After Dark ... Director
1982White Dog ... Director
1980The Big Red One ... Director
1978The Meanest Men in the West ... Director
1972Dead Pigeon on Beethoven Street ... Director
1970Scene of the Crime (1 Episode) ... Director
1969Shark ... Director
1964The Naked Kiss ... Director
1963Shock Corridor ... Director
1962The Virginian (1 Episode) ... Director
1962Merrill's Marauders ... Director
1961The Dick Powell Show (1 Episode) ... Director
1961Underworld U.S.A. ... Director
1959The Crimson Kimono ... Director
1959Verboten! ... Director
1959Dogface ... Director
1957Forty Guns ... Director
1957Run of the Arrow ... Director
1957China Gate ... Director
1955House of Bamboo ... Director
1954Hell and High Water ... Director
1953Pickup on South Street ... Director
1952Park Row ... Director
1951Fixed Bayonets! ... Director
1951The Steel Helmet ... Director
1950The Baron of Arizona ... Director
1949I Shot Jesse James ... Director
1945V-E +1 ... Director
1964The Naked Kiss ... Producer
1963Shock Corridor ... Producer
1961Underworld U.S.A. ... Producer
1959The Crimson Kimono ... Producer
1959Dogface ... Producer
1957Forty Guns ... Producer
1957Run of the Arrow ... Producer
1957China Gate ... Producer
1952Park Row ... Producer
1951The Steel Helmet ... Producer