I do like to tout fellow Okies when I can. Lou Antonio, born January 23, 1934 in Oklahoma City, has been nominated for three Primetime Emmys for his directing. I remember him mostly for his role as Lokai on the original Star Trek series episode Let That Be Your Last Battlefield, the fifteenth episode of the third season.
James Young Deer, born April 1, 1876 in Washington, DC as part of the Nanticoke tribe of Delaware, is the first Native American filmmaker/producer in Hollywood. He joined the US Navy in 1898 and fought during the Spanish-American War, but was subject to racism.
He began acting in 1909 in New York in short films such as The Falling Arrow and Young Deer's Bravery. In 1910 he was hired to direct for a French-based studio in Jersey city, whose movies were criticized that their movies were not realistic portrayals of the Old West. Young Deer went to LA to make "Indian-themed" films. It has been noted that his films portrayed the Native Americans in a favorable light, opposed to the "cliches of hostile Indian warriors or wagon train attacks".
Over his career, he acted in, wrote, or directed about 150 silent movies at Pathe's West Coast Studio.
After about a year in England, he returned to the US, but westerns were less popular at that time. He passed away in New York City in April 1946, and is buried as a veteran of the Spanish-American War.
In 2008, the Library of Congress added White Fawn's Devotion, a film Young Deer wrote and directed, to the National Film Registry.
Cinematic powerhouse Jon Favreau, born October 19, 1966 in Queens, New York, is a producer, director and actor. He is the executive producer for all three Iron Man movies, and three of the Avengers movies, Age of Ultron, Infinity War and Endgame.
He directed the first two Iron Man movies.
He has appeared in six movies as Tony Stark's chauffeur Happy Hogan.
Favreau won a Saturn Award (Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films) for Best Director for Iron Man. He has also been recognized for his work on the Disney Star Wars production of The Mandalorian.
The undisputed master of horror Alfred Hitchcock was born August 13, 1899 in London, England. He directed some of the scariest movies in all cinema history, including my favorites Psycho, The Birds and Rebecca.
He was nominated for an Oscar four times for Best Director but never won. He did win an Academy Award for the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award in 1968.
