Stars who’ve won awards as directors

DAVID Niven, left, with John Huston on the set of “Casino Royale” in London in 1966. AP

Scratch a veteran movie star and, chances are, you’ll find a frustrated film director. Why don’t they meg their own movies? Because it’s infinitely simpler to just act in one rather than take on all of the problems that come with film direction!

Some stars do bite the bullet and express their cinematic vision—a few of them turn out to be so good that they win awards!

The first star to win a Best Director trophy at the Oscars was John Huston, whose 1948 film, “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre,” romped off with the directorial honor that year.

Next came Mike Nichols, a former comedy player who in 1967 megged “The Graduate,” which made a star of Dustin Hoffman. Nichols went on to direct other exceptional films like “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,” “Catch-22,” “Carnal Knowledge,” “Silkwood” and “Postcards from the Edge.”

In 1977, another comedy star, Woody Allen, won the Best Director Oscar for “Annie Hall.” A veritable one-man film industry, Allen has gone on to meg many small but memorable movies, including “Play It Again, Sam,” “Manhattan,” “The Purple Rose of Cairo,” “Love and Death,” Interiors” and “Stardust Memories.”

In 1980, it was Robert Redford’s turn to direct his first masterpiece, “Ordinary People,” which proved that he was much more than just his generation’s Golden Boy. To show that his victory was no fluke, Redford has directed other exceptional productions, like “The Milagro Beanfield War” and “A River Runs Through It.”

Warren Beatty was an even more handsome film hunk than Redford, but his 1981 film, “Reds,” threw all of Hollywood for a loop, because it was an uncompromisingly serious film about pioneering American socialist, revolutionary-journalist John Reed. Beatty’s other directorial credits include “Heaven Can Wait” and “Dick Tracy.”

In 1982, Richard Attenborough’s astounding cinematic achievement was “Gandhi,” about the Indian leader/visionary who was acclaimed as the “saint” of the nonviolence movement. Attenborough later chose to focus on producing and narrating nature documentaries, but “Gandhi” won’t be forgotten.

In 1990, Kevin Costner megged “Dances With Wolves,” which gave him a Best Director Oscar and was hailed Best Picture.

In 1992, it was Clint Eastwood’s turn to “shock” Hollywood with his winning film, “Unforgiven.” It was a singularly eye-opening achievement, because Eastwood began his acting career as the star of some lowbrow “spaghetti” westerns. Eastwood continues to surprise his peers with an exceptional film every couple of years or so. When it comes to filmmaking talent, age really is just a number.

In 1995, it was Mel Gibson’s turn to surprise Hollywood colleagues when the film he directed, “Braveheart,” was honored with the prized Academy Award. It really does pay to set an “impossible” goal—and attain it!