Every Best Director Winner In Oscar History
The ’20s and ’30s
In the first year that the Oscars were handed out, two directors actually won: one for a drama and one for a comedy, kind of like how the Golden Globes still divides its best picture and best actor and actress in a leading role categories into two. However, that soon changed, and by 1930 there could only be one Best Director.
Ultimately, Frank Capra emerged as the big winner of the ’30s as a whole, taking home the big prize three separate times. However, another Frank, Frank Lloyd, snagged two Oscars in the first ten years of the ceremonies. Additionally, one director by the name of John Ford started making his mark.
The ’30s in particular saw the Academy avoid giving directors of Best Picture winners the Oscar as well.
1927-1928: Frank Borzage — Seventh Heaven (Drama) and Lewis Milestone — Two Arabian Nights (Comedy)
- Neither film won Best Picture, but Borzage went on to direct movies like A Farewell to Arms and also win his second Oscar.
1928-1929: Frank Lloyd — The Divine Lady
- The Divine Lady also didn’t win Best Picture; Lloyd also directed Mutiny on the Bounty.
1929-1930: Lewis Milestone — All Quiet on the Western Front
- All Quiet Milestone won Best Picture; Milestone also directed Ocean’s 11 with Frank Sinatra.
1930-1931: Norman Taurog — Skippy
- Taurog actually started as an actor, and would later direct some of Elvis Presley’s movies like Blue Hawaii.
1931-1932: Frank Borzage — Bad Girl
- Borzage’s career as a director spanned from about 1913 all the way to the early ’60s.
1932-1933: Frank Lloyd — Cavalcade
- Lloyd also worked with actors like Cary Grant in films like The Howards of Virginia.
1934: Frank Capra — It Happened One Night
- If you don’t know Capra for this film, you almost certainly know his name. He directed It’s a Wonderful Life.
1935: John Ford — The Informer
- Yes, John Ford directed movies that don’t have John Wayne in them. The Informer didn’t win Best Picture, though.
1936: Frank Capra — Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
- Mr. Deeds Goes to Town wasn’t the Best Picture of the Year, though it was nominated.
1937: Leo McCarey — The Awful Truth
- McCarey directed the Marx Brothers on Duck Soup.
1938: Frank Capra — You Can’t Take it With You
- Capra also adapted Arsenic and Old Lace as a director.
1939: Victor Fleming — Gone with the Wind
- Fleming was also behind none other than The Wizard of Oz. Talk about directing two major classics.