Richard Fleischer

Biography

Richard Fleischer was an American film director and producer born in Brooklyn, New York. He was the son of animator Max Fleischer and graduated from Brown University before studying at Yale School of Drama, where he met his wife, Mary Dickson. Fleischer began his career in 1942 at RKO, directing shorts and documentaries, and won an Academy Award for the 1947 documentary Design for Death. His feature film debut, Child of Divorce, was released in 1947, followed by notable film noir titles like The Narrow Margin and Armored Car Robbery. He gained prominence with the successful adaptation of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea in 1954 and directed a variety of action films, including Soylent Green and the controversial Mandingo. Fleischer was also chairman of Fleischer Studios and published his memoirs in 2005. He passed away at age 89 after a period of declining health.