Roman Polanski
Roman Polanski
Biography
Roman Polański (born 18 August 1933) is a Polish-French film director, producer, writer and actor. Born in Paris to Polish parents, Polański relocated with his family to Poland in 1937. After surviving the Holocaust, he continued his education in Poland and became a critically acclaimed director of both art house and commercial films. Polański's first feature-length film, Knife in the Water (1962), made in Poland, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. He has since received five more Oscar nominations, and in 2002 received the Academy Award for Best Director for his film, The Pianist. He has also been the recipient of two Baftas, four Césars, a Golden Globe and the Palme d'Or. He left Poland in 1961 to live in France for several years, then moved to the United Kingdom where he collaborated with Gérard Brach on three films, beginning with Repulsion (1965). In 1968 he moved to the United States, immediately cementing his burgeoning directing status with the 1968 groundbreaking Academy Award winning horror film Rosemary's Baby. In 1969, Polański's pregnant wife, Sharon Tate, was murdered while staying at the Polański's Benedict Canyon home above Los Angeles by members of the Manson Family. Following Tate's death, Polański returned to Europe and spent much of his time in Paris and Gstaad, but did not make another film until he filmed Macbeth (1971) in England. The following year he went to Italy to make What? (1973) and subsequently spent the next five years living near Rome. However, he traveled to Hollywood to direct Chinatown (1974) for Paramount Pictures, with Robert Evans serving as producer. The film was nominated for eleven Academy Awards, and was a critical and box-office success; the script by Robert Towne won for Best Original Screenplay. Polański's next film, The Tenant (1976), was shot in France, and completed the "Apartment Trilogy", following Repulsion and Rosemary's Baby. In 1977, after a photo shoot in Los Angeles, Polański was arrested for the sexual abuse of a 13 year old girl. He was charged with rape but pleaded guilty to unlawful sex with a minor. To avoid sentencing, Polański fled to his home in London, and then moved on to France the following day. He has had a U.S. arrest warrant outstanding since then, and an international arrest warrant since 2005. Polański continued to make films such as The Pianist (2002), a World War II-set adaptation of Jewish-Polish musician Władysław Szpilman's autobiography of the same name, which echoed some of Polański's earlier life experiences. Like Szpilman, Polański escaped the ghetto and the concentration camps while family members were killed. The film won three Academy Awards including Best Director, the Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or, and seven French César Awards including Best Picture and Best Director. He then released the successful films Oliver Twist (2005), To Each His Own Cinema (2007), and The Ghost Writer (2010), completed while under house arrest. In September 2009, Polański was arrested by Swiss police, at the request of U.S. authorities, when he traveled to receive a lifetime achievement award at the Zurich Film Festival. In October 2009, the U.S. requested his extradition; however, on July 12, 2010, the Swiss rejected that request and instead declared him a "free man" after releasing him from custody.
Known For
Personal Info
Known For
Directing
Known Credits
216
Gender
Male
Birthday
1933-08-18 (91 years old)
Place of Birth
Paris, France
Acting

2024

Faye as Self (Archive footage)

2023

The Playboy Murders as Self (archive footage)

2023

The Family as Self

2020

Helter Skelter: An American Myth as Self - Widower of Sharon Tate (archive footage)

2019

An Officer and a Spy as Concertgoer (uncredited)

2019

Manson: Music From an Unsound Mind as Self (archive footage)

2015

Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans as Self (archive footage)

2013

Weekend of a Champion as Himself

2012

28 minutes as Self

2012

Close Up as Self (archive footage)

2012

Roman Polanski: Odd Man Out as Self (archive footage)

2012

A Special Day as Self

2012

Komeda, Komeda... as Self

2011

Carnage as Neighbor

2010

Catherine Deneuve, belle et bien là as Self (archive footage)

2010

Cracow by Polanski as Not available

2009

Memories of a Young Pianist as Man in Tavern (archive footage)

2009

On the Trail of the New Wave as Self (archive footage)

2008

Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired as Self (archive footage)

2008

Quiet Chaos as Steiner

2008

Il falso bugiardo as Self (archive footage)

2008

Bicycle as Boy who wants to buy a bicycle

2007

Rush Hour 3 as Det. Revi

2006

Twist by Polanski as Not available

2004

Leçon de Cinéma as Self

2004

Filming 'Tess' as Self

2002

The Kid Stays in the Picture as Self (archive footage)

2002

The Revenge as Józef Papkin

2002

Sharon Tate: Murdered Innocence as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

2000

Last Pictures as Self

1999

The Last Days of Sharon Tate as Self (archive footage)

1998

Playboy: The Story of X as Self (archive footage)

1997

Scene by Scene as Self

1997

Dracula: The True Story as Himself

1996

E! True Hollywood Story as Not available

1995

Sex, Lies and Jerzy Kosinski as Not available

1994

A Pure Formality as Inspector

1994

Dead Tired as Roman Polanski

1992

Back in the USSR as Kurilov

1989

En attendant Godot as Lucky

1988

Frantic as Taxi Driver (uncredited)

1987

Na siehste! as Self

1986

Wedden, dat..? as Self

1984

Clive James Meets Roman Polanski as Not available

1982

Na sowas! as Self

1982

Wortwechsel as Self

1982

Chassé-croisé as Not available

1981

Wetten, dass..? as Self

1981

7 sur 7 as Self

1978

The Evolution of Snuff as Not available

1976

The Tenant as Trelkovsky

1975

Apostrophes as Self

1974

Spécial cinéma as Self

1974

Chinatown as Man with Knife

1974

Blood for Dracula as Gambler

1972

Le Grand Échiquier as Self

1972

What? as Mosquito

1972

Con bravura as Caroler

1970

Ciao, Federico! as Self (uncredited)

1969

The Magic Christian as Solitary Drinker

1968

The Dick Cavett Show as Self - Guest

1968

The New Cinema as Self

1968

Mia and Roman as Himself

1967

Apropos Film as himself

1967

The Nomad as Self

1965

Repulsion as Spoon Player

1962

Knife in the Water as Young Man (voice)

1961

The Fat and the Lean as the lean

1961

Samson as Partner of Malina's Blackmailer (uncredited)

1961

Ostrożnie yeti as Driver

1960

Bad Luck as Tutor (uncredited)

1960

Innocent Sorcerers as Dudzio

1959

When Angels Fall as Old woman

1959

Lotna as Musician (uncredited)

1959

The Lamp as A passer-by (uncredited)

1958

Two Men and a Wardrobe as Bad Boy

1957

Kanal as Resistance Member pushed into a Sewer (uncredited)

1957

Koniec nocy as Mały

1957

Wraki as Romek

1956

Nikodem Dyzma as Porter (uncredited)

1955

A Generation as Mundek

1955

Godzina bez słońca as Not available

1955

Trzy starty as Basia's Brother

1953

Three Stories as Genek "Mały" (segment 2)

NaN

The Stalking Moon as Fabrice Fournier

1955

Magical Bicycle as Adaś
Crew

2023

The Palace Director

2023

The Palace Writer

2019

An Officer and a Spy Director

2017

Based on a True Story Director

2017

Based on a True Story Screenplay

2013

Venus in Fur Director

2013

Venus in Fur Screenplay

2012

A Therapy Director

2012

A Therapy Screenplay

2011

Carnage Director

2011

Carnage Screenplay

2011

Tower Heist Thanks

2010

The Ghost Writer Director

2010

The Ghost Writer Screenplay

2010

The Ghost Writer Producer

2008

Bicycle Director

2008

Bicycle Writer

2005

Oliver Twist Director

2005

Oliver Twist Producer

2005

Le court des grands Director

2004

Hedda Gabler Stage Director

2002

The Pianist Director

2002

The Pianist Producer

1999

The Ninth Gate Director

1999

The Ninth Gate Screenplay

1999

The Ninth Gate Producer

1994

Death and the Maiden Director

1992

Bitter Moon Director

1992

Bitter Moon Screenplay

1992

Bitter Moon Producer

1991

The King of Ads Director

1988

Frantic Director

1988

Frantic Writer

1986

Pirates Director

1986

Pirates Screenplay

1979

Tess Director

1979

Tess Screenplay

1976

The Tenant Director

1976

The Tenant Screenplay

1974

Chinatown Director

1972

What? Director

1972

What? Screenplay

1972

Weekend of a Champion Producer

1972

Weekend of a Champion Director

1971

Macbeth Director

1971

Macbeth Screenplay

1970

A Day at the Beach Writer

1970

A Day at the Beach Producer

1968

Rosemary's Baby Director

1968

Rosemary's Baby Screenplay

1966

Cul-de-sac Director

1966

G.G. Passion Co-Producer

1966

Cul-de-sac Writer

1965

Repulsion Director

1965

Repulsion Screenplay

1964

A Taste for Women Screenplay

1962

Knife in the Water Screenplay

1962

Knife in the Water Director

1962

Mammals Director

1962

Mammals Writer

1961

The Fat and the Lean Director

1961

The Fat and the Lean Producer

1960

Bad Luck Assistant Director

1959

The Lamp Director

1959

When Angels Fall Director

1959

When Angels Fall Screenplay

1959

The Lamp Screenplay

1957

Murder Director

1957

Break Up the Dance Director

1957

Break Up the Dance Writer

1957

A Toothful Smile Director

1957

Murder Writer

1957

Koniec nocy Assistant Director

1957

A Toothful Smile Screenplay