Stanley Kubrick Biography

- Was born under the astrological star sign of Leo.

- His favourite cartoon character was Woody Woodpecker.

- He loved American sitcoms, such as Roseanne and The Simpsons.

- Was a huge fan of the New York Yankees.

- Is ranked No. 4 in Empire Magazine’s list of “The Greatest Directors Ever!” (2005).

- Was rumoured to consider The Godfather the best film ever made.

- Considered Elia Kazan the best American director of all time.

- Was a huge cat lover, and at one point, owned 16 cats! He also allowed them free run of his editing room after filming had been completed.

- Suffered from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

- From 1961 onwards, produced all his films independently from his home in England.

- His favourite directors included Federico Fellini, David Lean, Ingmar Bergman, Francois Truffaut, Max Ophuls and Elia Kazan.

- Directed two actors in Oscar-nominated roles: Peter Sellers in Dr Strangelove, and Peter Ustinov in Spartacus.

- Used his favourite piece of music, “Thus Spake Zarathustra” by Richard Strauss on the soundtrack of his film, 2001: A Space Odyssey.

- Teamed up with fellow directors Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen, Robert Redford, Sydney Pollack and George Lucas in 1990, to form the Film Foundation, to promote the restoration and preservation of film.

- Had a chronic fear of flying.