Otto Ludwig Preminger (December 5, 1905 – April 23, 1986) was an Austrian American theater and film director. He is known for directing over 35 feature films in a five-decade career after leaving the theater.
Preminger first gained attention for film noir mysteries such as Laura (1944) and Fallen Angel (1945), while in the 1950s and ’60s, he directed a number of high-profile adaptations of popular novels and stage works. Several of these later films pushed the boundaries of censorship by dealing with topics which were then taboo in Hollywood, such as drug addiction (The Man with the Golden Arm, 1955), rape (Anatomy of a Murder, 1959) and homosexuality (Advise & Consent, 1962). He was twice nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director. He also had a few acting roles.