Andrew Marton

Andrew Marton (1904-1992) was a Hungarian-American film director. Born Endre Marton in Budapest, he moved to Vienna at 18 to work as an assistant editor at the production company Sascha-Film. There, he attracted the attention of legendary director Ernst Lubitsch, who advised him to try his luck in Hollywood. He went, returned to Europe in 1927, but moved back to America shortly after the outbreak of World War II, one of the many talented Jewish filmmakers to do so.

In the 1940s he worked mostly for MGM, and in 1954 founded his own production company in company with Ivan Tors, Louis Meyer and László Benedek. He directed 39 films and television programs and worked on 16 as a second unit director, his work including the now-iconic chariot race of 1959’s Ben Hur. He won the Golden Globe Special Achievement Award, for Ben Hur, in 1960.

He was married twice, to actress Jamila Marton, who died in 1972; and to Lacerta Weiss, who survived him. He had one daughter, Tonda.

He died of pneumonia on January 7 1992.