Irwin Winkler (born May 25, 1931) is an American film producer and director. He is the producer or director of over 58 motion pictures, dating back to 1967's '' Double Trouble'', starring

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...

. The fourth film he produced, '' They Shoot Horses, Don't They?'' (1969), starring

Jane Fonda Jane Seymour Fonda (born December 21, 1937) is an American actress and activist. Recognized as a film icon, Jane Fonda filmography, Fonda's work spans several genres and over six decades of film and television. She is the recipient of List of a ...

, was nominated for nine

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in ...

. He won an Oscar for Best Picture for 1976's ''

Rocky ''Rocky'' is a 1976 American independent film, independent sports drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and written by and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the first installment in the Rocky (film series), ''Rocky'' franchise and also star ...

''. As a producer, he has been nominated for Best Picture for four films: ''Rocky'' (1976)'',

Raging Bull ''Raging Bull'' is a 1980 American biographical sports drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Cathy Moriarty, Theresa Saldana, Frank Vincent and Nicholas Colasanto (in his final film role). The film ...

'' (1980), '' The Right Stuff'' (1983), and '' Goodfellas'' (1990).

Early life and education

Winkler was born on May 25, 1931 to a

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

family in New York City, to Sol and Anna Winkler. Growing up in

Coney Island Coney Island is a neighborhood and entertainment area in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is bounded by Brighton Beach to its east, Lower New York Bay to the south and west, and Gravesend to ...

, one of his first jobs was on a bumper ride on the boardwalk. Winkler graduated early from high school and got into

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...

, but felt out of place among the older and more mature students, many of whom were former

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

soldiers that had entered university under the

G.I. Bill The G.I. Bill, formally the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, was a law that provided a range of benefits for some of the returning World War II veterans (commonly referred to as G.I. (military), G.I.s). The original G.I. Bill expired in ...

. At the outbreak of the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

, he volunteered to join the

Army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...

and was stationed in

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

for two years. After completing his service, Winkler returned to New York University and went on to receive a degree in American Literature in 1955.

Early career

Winkler's first job after graduating university was at the William Morris Agency (WMA). Among his first clients as an agent were comedians Sammy Shore and Jackie Vernon, though Winkler says of himself he was a "mediocre" agent. After meeting Robert Chartoff, who managed several comedians, including Jackie Mason, the two set up their own talent management company. One of the "unsuccessful clients" the William Morris Agency allowed him to take with him at the time that he had options on, was the actress

Julie Christie Julie Frances Christie (born 14 April 1940) is a British actress. Christie's accolades include an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. She has appeared in six films ranked in the British Film Institu ...

, whose screentest for '' Doctor Zhivago'' they arranged. Through another of their clients, Winkler and Chartoff brokered the

John Schlesinger John Richard Schlesinger ( ; 16 February 1926 – 25 July 2003) was an English film and stage director, and actor. He emerged in the early 1960s as a leading light of the British New Wave, before embarking on a successful career in Hollywood ...

film '' Darling'' to film producer Joseph E. Levine. This deal led them from talent management to film production.

Career as film producer and director

Forming the production company Chartoff-Winkler Productions, Winkler began producing films with his partner Robert Chartoff in the late 1960s. Their first effort (along with Judd Bernard), was ''Double Trouble'' (1967) starring Elvis Presley . Their next film was John Boorman's thriller '' Point Blank'' (1967) starring Lee Marvin, which is now regarded as a classic. Adding

Sydney Pollack Sydney Irwin Pollack (July 1, 1934 – May 26, 2008) was an American film director, producer, and actor. Pollack is known for directing commercially and critically acclaimed studio films. Over his forty year career he received numerous accolades ...

to their production team for one project, they garnered critical acclaim for '' They Shoot Horses, Don't They?'' (1969). Their next film, '' The Strawberry Statement'' (1970), won the Jury Prize at

Cannes Cannes (, ; , ; ) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions Internatio ...

. Chartoff and Winkler achieved their greatest success yet with ''

'' (1976), which earned the Academy Award as Best Picture. Subsequently, the producing duo picked up Best Picture Oscar nominations for ''

'' (1980) and '' The Right Stuff'' (1983), their last project together before Chartoff-Winkler Productions dissolved in 1985. Winkler produced such noteworthy features as '' The Right Stuff'' (1983) which received eight Academy Award nominations with four wins, '' Round Midnight'' (1986) which garnered two Academy Award nominations. He then produced back-to-back Costa-Gavras films, '' Betrayed'' (1988) and ''

Music Box A music box (American English) or musical box (British English) is an automatic musical instrument in a box that produces Musical note, musical notes by using a set of pins placed on a revolving cylinder (geometry), cylinder or disc to pluck ...

'' (1989), which was nominated and won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, before receiving another Best Picture Oscar nomination for '' Goodfellas'' (1990). ''He also produced

Rocky II ''Rocky II'' is a 1979 American sports drama film written, directed by, and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the direct sequel to ''Rocky'' (1976) and the second installment in the ''Rocky'' franchise. It also stars Talia Shire, Burt Young, ...

'' (1978),

Rocky III ''Rocky III'' is a 1982 American sports drama film written and directed by, and starring Sylvester Stallone. The film is the sequel to ''Rocky II'' (1979) and the third installment in the ''Rocky'' franchise. It also stars Talia Shire, Burt You ...

(1982), ''

Rocky IV ''Rocky IV'' is a 1985 American sports drama film starring, written and directed by Sylvester Stallone. The film is the sequel to '' Rocky III'' (1982) and the fourth installment in the ''Rocky'' franchise. It also stars Talia Shire, Burt You ...

'' (1985) and ''

Rocky V ''Rocky V'' is a 1990 American sports drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and written by and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the sequel to '' Rocky IV'' (1985) and the fifth installment in the ''Rocky'' franchise. It also stars Talia S ...

'' (1990). Winkler moved into the director's chair, debuting with '' Guilty by Suspicion'' (1991), a drama (which he also scripted) about the Hollywood blacklist that starred

Robert De Niro Robert Anthony De Niro ( , ; born August 17, 1943) is an American actor, director, and film producer. He is considered to be one of the greatest and most influential actors of his generation. De Niro is the recipient of List of awards and ...

, which was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival. His second feature, a

remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same s ...

of '' Night and the City'', also starred De Niro and was chosen as the closing feature for the 1992 New York Film Festival. Winkler fared excellently at the box office as the writer-director of the

Sandra Bullock Sandra Annette Bullock (; born July 26, 1964) is an American actress and film producer. The List of highest-paid film actors, highest-paid actress of 2010 and 2014, Sandra Bullock filmography, Bullock's filmography spans both comedy and drama, ...

vehicle '' The Net'' (1995), which spawned a series of the same name debuting on the

USA Network USA Network (or simply USA) is an American basic cable television channel owned by the NBCUniversal Media Group division of Comcast's NBCUniversal. It was launched in 1977 as Madison Square Garden Sports Network, one of the first national sports ...

in 1998. '' Life as a House'' (2001) made its world debut at the 2001 Toronto Film Festival and told the tale of a depressed dying man (

Kevin Kline Kevin Delaney Kline (born October 24, 1947) is an American actor. In a career spanning over five decades, he has become a prominent leading man across both Kevin Kline on screen and stage, stage and screen. List of awards and nominations recei ...

) who funnels his energies into rebuilding the dilapidated beach shack he inherited from his abusive father and, in the process, building bridges between himself and his disaffected son ( Hayden Christensen). After this film received critical praise, Winkler re-teamed with Kline for the follow-up '' De-Lovely'' (2004), casting the actor as the lead in his biographical film about American composer

Cole Porter Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became Standard (music), standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway the ...

, which centered on his unique relationship with his wife and

muse In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, the Muses (, ) were the Artistic inspiration, inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, lyric p ...

(

Ashley Judd Ashley Tyler Ciminella, known professionally as Ashley Judd (born April 19, 1968), is an American actress and activist. She grew up in a family of performing artists, the daughter of country music singer Naomi Judd and the half-sister of country ...

) and was chosen as the closing night film at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival. While his directorial career would last through 2006, Winkler continued to produce his share of films, including '' The Shipping News'' (2001), '' Enough'' (2002), the 2014 remake of '' The Gambler''—he'd also produced James Toback's 1974 original—and his further return to the ''Rocky'' franchise with ''

Rocky Balboa Robert "Rocky" Balboa (also known by his ring name the Italian Stallion) is a fictional character and the titular protagonist of the ''Rocky'' franchise. The character was created by Sylvester Stallone, who has also portrayed him in eight of ...

'' (2006) and the spin-offs ''

Creed A creed, also known as a confession of faith, a symbol, or a statement of faith, is a statement of the shared beliefs of a community (often a religious community) which summarizes its core tenets. Many Christian denominations use three creeds ...

'' (2015), which was nominated for multiple awards including 6 NAACP Image Awards, winning 4, and ''

Creed II ''Creed II'' is a 2018 American sports drama film directed by Steven Caple Jr. from a screenplay by Juel Taylor and Sylvester Stallone. It is the sequel to ''Creed'' (2015), a follow-up to '' Rocky IV'' (1985), and the eighth installment in t ...

'' (2018). His work with Scorsese continued on with '' The Wolf of Wall Street'' (2013), ''

Silence Silence is the absence of ambient hearing, audible sound, the emission of sounds of such low sound intensity, intensity that they do not draw attention to themselves, or the state of having ceased to produce sounds; this latter sense can be exten ...

'' (2016), and '' The Irishman'' (2019) which was Winkler's first collaboration with

Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...

. In 2019, Winkler published his autobiography, ''A Life in Movies: Stories from 50 years in Hollywood''. ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' wrote: "Winkler looks back fondly on a career producing some of the most successful films of the 20th century."

Personal life

Winkler married his wife Margo Winkler in 1959 while still working at WMA in New York. They moved to Los Angeles in 1966. Margo was originally from California and her parents, Irma and Charlie Melson, were former

Vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a drama ...

performers. The couple have three sons, Charles Winkler, David Winkler, and

Adam Winkler Adam Winkler (born July 25, 1967) is the Connell Professor of Law at the UCLA School of Law. He is the author of ''We the Corporations: How American Businesses Won Their Civil Rights'' and ''Gunfight: The Battle over the Right to Bear Arms in Ame ...

. Winkler's youngest son Adam is a professor of

constitutional law Constitutional law is a body of law which defines the role, powers, and structure of different entities within a state, namely, the executive, the parliament or legislature, and the judiciary; as well as the basic rights of citizens and, in ...

at the

UCLA School of Law The University of California, Los Angeles School of Law (commonly known as UCLA School of Law or UCLA Law) is the law school of the University of California, Los Angeles. History Founded in 1949, the UCLA School of Law is the third oldest of t ...

and a published author.

Filmography

Director Producer * '' Double Trouble'' (1967) * '' Point Blank'' (1967) (Uncredited) * ''

Blue Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB color model, RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB color model, RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between Violet (color), violet and cyan on the optical spe ...

'' (1968) * '' The Split'' (1968) * '' They Shoot Horses, Don't They?'' (1969) * '' Leo the Last'' (1970) * '' The Strawberry Statement'' (1970) * '' Believe in Me'' (1971) * '' The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight'' (1971) * '' The New Centurions'' (1972) * '' Thumb Tripping'' (1972) * '' The Mechanic'' (1972) * '' Up the Sandbox'' (1972) * '' Busting'' (1974) * '' S*P*Y*S'' (1974) * '' The Gambler'' (1974) * '' Peeper'' (1974) * '' Breakout'' (1975) * ''

'' (1976) * ''

Nickelodeon Nickelodeon (nicknamed Nick) is an American pay television channel and the flagship property of the Nickelodeon Group, a sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on April 1, 1979, as the first ca ...

'' (1976) * ''

New York, New York New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on New York Harbor, one of the world's largest natural harb ...

'' (1977) * '' Valentino'' (1977) * '' Uncle Joe Shannon'' (1978) * ''

'' (1979) * ''

'' (1980) * '' True Confessions'' (1981) * ''

'' (1982) * '' Author! Author!'' (1982) * '' The Right Stuff'' (1983) * ''

'' (1985) * ''

Revolution In political science, a revolution (, 'a turn around') is a rapid, fundamental transformation of a society's class, state, ethnic or religious structures. According to sociologist Jack Goldstone, all revolutions contain "a common set of elements ...

'' (1985) * ''

Scandal Sheet Tabloid journalism is a popular style of largely sensationalist journalism, which takes its name from the tabloid newspaper format: a small-sized newspaper also known as a half broadsheet. The size became associated with sensationalism, an ...

'' (1985) (TV movie) * '' Round Midnight'' (1986) * '' Betrayed'' (1988) * ''

'' (1989) * '' Goodfellas'' (1990) * ''

'' (1990) * '' The Juror'' (1996) * '' The Shipping News'' (2001) * '' Enough'' (2002) * '' The Net 2.0'' (2006) (Direct-to-video) * ''

Trespass Trespass is an area of tort law broadly divided into three groups: trespass to the person (see below), trespass to chattels, and trespass to land. Trespass to the person historically involved six separate trespasses: threats, assault, battery ...

'' (2011) * '' The Gambler'' (2014) * ''

Survivor Survivor(s) may refer to: * one who survives Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities * Survivors, characters in the 1997 KKnD series#Armies, ''KKnD'' video-game series * ''The Survivors'', or the ''New Survivors Foundation'', a fictional ...

'' (2015) * ''

'' (2016) * ''

'' (2018) * '' The Irishman'' (2019) * ''

Creed III ''Creed III'' is a 2023 American sports drama film starring and directed by Michael B. Jordan in his directorial debut, and produced by Irwin Winkler, Charles Winkler, William Chartoff, David Winkler, Ryan Coogler, Michael B. Jordan, Eliza ...

'' (2023) * '' The Alto Knights'' (2025) Executive producer * '' Comes a Horseman'' (1978) * '' The Net'' (1998−99) (Also writer) * ''

'' (2006) * '' The Mechanic'' (2011) * '' The Wolf of Wall Street'' (2013) ;As an actor ;Thanks

Accolades

Honors

For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Winkler has a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...

at 6801

Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It runs through the Hollywood, East Hollywood, Little Armenia, Thai Town, and Los Feliz districts. Its western terminus is at Sunset Plaza Drive in the Hollyw ...

. He was also the recipient of the 2017 Producers Guild of America's

David O. Selznick David O. Selznick (born David Selznick; May 10, 1902June 22, 1965) was an American film producer, screenwriter and film studio executive who produced ''Gone with the Wind (film), Gone with the Wind'' (1939) and ''Rebecca (1940 film), Rebecca'' (1 ...

Achievement Award for his work in motion pictures and was awarded the Commandeur des Arts et Lettres by France.

References

Sources

* Winkler, Irwin. ''A Life in Movies: Stories from 50 years in Hollywood''. New York, Abrams Press, 2019

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Winkler, Irwin Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Film producers from New York (state) Jewish American military personnel New York University College of Arts & Science alumni Film directors from New York City Filmmakers who won the Best Film BAFTA Award Producers who won the Best Picture Academy Award Golden Globe Award–winning producers United States Army soldiers 21st-century American Jews