Who Is Joseph L. Mankiewicz? Age, Biography and Wiki
Joseph L. Mankiewicz was born on February 11, 1909, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, USA. He became a prominent figure in Hollywood and is best known for his work both as a writer and director. Mankiewicz was instrumental in shaping the golden age of cinema, renowned for films such as All About Eve and A Letter to Three Wives. He passed away on February 5, 1993, just days before his 84th birthday, but his influence on the film industry continues to resonate.
| Occupation | Film Producer |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | February 11, 1909 |
| Age | 83 Years |
| Birth Place | Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Aquarius |
| Country | U.S |
| Date of death | 5 February, 1993 |
| Died Place | Bedford, New York, U.S. |
Popularity
Joseph L. Mankiewicz's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
While there is limited information on Joseph L. Mankiewicz's physical stature, it’s important to note that his talents far surpassed any physical attributes. He was an intellectual powerhouse whose works defined a generation of cinema.
Mankiewicz produced A Christmas Carol (1938). At least four film versions had already existed before Lionel Barrymore, who had played Ebenezer Scrooge on the radio, prompted MGM to have his filmed version. However, Barrymore broke his hip after tripping over a cable while filming Saratoga (1937).
Mankiewicz offered to delay filming for a year, but Barrymore insisted the production continue. Mankiewicz selected Reginald Owen as Scrooge, who had been hired to portray Jacob Marley. Production was completed in November 1938 and the film was screened as a holiday attraction at the Radio City Music Hall.
A review in Variety wrote the film wielded "superb acting, inspired direction and top production values into an intensively interesting exposition of the Dickens story." Since its release, A Christmas Carol has become a perennial television favorite.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Details about Joseph L. Mankiewicz's personal life reveal that he was married to Rose William Mankiewicz, with whom he shared several children. His family lineage includes a number of individuals who have made their mark in the entertainment industry. Mankiewicz's relationships were often kept private, focusing instead on his professional achievements.
MGM general manager Eddie Mannix then handed Lang the Mob Rule treatment, with the subsequent drafts written by Bartlett Cormack.
During filming, Lang had an adversarial relationship with the cast and crew, in which Mankiewicz reflected on years later, calling Lang a "a strange man" and a "terrible tyrant on the set." Released in June 1936, Fury was acclaimed by several film publications and was a box office success, catapulting Mankiewicz with his first major hit as a produc
er.
Net Worth and Salary
As of 2025, Joseph L. Mankiewicz's net worth has undergone substantial revision based on his enduring legacy in filmmaking. During his peak, Mankiewicz was among the highest-paid directors and screenwriters, with earnings enhanced by numerous awards, including two Academy Awards for Best Director. Today, his estate continues to benefit from royalties and rights related to his cinematic work, estimated to be valued significantly posthumously, solidifying his status as a celebrated figure in Hollywood history.
At age 22, Joseph was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for Skippy (1931), which starred Jackie Cooper. Based on the nomination, Herman petitioned to Schulberg to give Joseph a pay raise. Schulberg declined, and Herman threatened to resign.
Eventually, Schulberg relinquished and signed Joseph to a seven-year contract, which earned him a weekly salary of "somewhere between $75 to $100". He co-wrote the screenplay of Sooky (1931), a sequel to Skippy. Meanwhile, Joseph dated actress Frances Dee, who co-starred in June Moon (1931) and This Reckless Age (1932), which he had co-scripted.
Career, Business and Investments
Mankiewicz's career was marked by innovation and critical acclaim. He began as a screenwriter in the late 1930s before transitioning to directing in the 1940s. His ability to blend sharp dialogue with complex narratives set him apart from his peers. Notably, All About Eve won six Academy Awards and remains a touchstone in film studies.
Post his directing career, Mankiewicz remained involved in the film industry, occasionally contributing to projects and mentoring emerging filmmakers. His investments in film rights and production companies further underpinned his status in Hollywood, showcasing his acumen beyond directing.
In 1944, Mankiewicz began working for Twentieth Century-Fox, where he produced The Keys of the Kingdom (1944). He made his directorial debut with Dragonwyck (1946) after Ernst Lubitsch had dropped out due to illness. Mankiewicz remained at Twentieth Century-Fox, directing a broad range of genre films.
Consecutively, in 1950 and 1951, he won two Academy Awards each for writing and directing A Letter to Three Wives (1949) and All About Eve (1950). In 1953, Mankiewicz formed his own production company Figaro, where he independently produced, as well as wrote and directed, The Barefoot Contessa (1954) and The Quiet American (1958).
Social Network
Though Joseph L. Mankiewicz passed away in 1993, his legacy has been preserved through numerous fan pages and social media accounts celebrating his work. His films often spark discussions on platforms like Reddit, Twitter, and Facebook, where film enthusiasts share insights about his contributions to cinema.
Born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Mankiewicz studied at Columbia University and graduated in 1928. He moved overseas to Europe, where he worked as a foreign correspondent for the Chicago Tribune and translated German intertitles into English for UFA.
On the advice of his screenwriter brother Herman, Mankiewicz moved back to the United States, and was hired by Paramount Pictures as a dialogue writer. He then became a screenwriter, writing for numerous films starring Jack Oakie.
He next moved to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) where he served as a producer for several films, including The Philadelphia Story (1940) and Woman of the Year (1942). Mankiewicz left MGM after a dispute with Louis B. Mayer.
Education
Joseph L. Mankiewicz was an alumnus of the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied literature. His academic background heavily influenced his screenwriting and directorial style, reflecting a blend of intellectual rigor and artistic creativity that characterized his films.
Joseph's last Paramount film was Alice in Wonderland (1933), in which he co-authored the screenplay with William Cameron Menzies.
An adaptation of Lewis Carroll's 1865 novel and Alice Through the Looking-Glass (1871) combined into a singular film, Alice in Wonderland featured an ensemble cast of Paramount's contract stars, including Gary Cooper as The White Knight, Cary Grant as the Mock Turtle, W. C. Fields as Humpty Dumpty, and Edward Everett Horton as the Mad Hatter.
Years later, Joseph reflected: "The result was a disaster, but a well-intentioned disaster. The costumes and the headpieces were so heavy that the actors couldn't carry them, so they had doubles walking through all the master or long shots."
