---
name: "Michael Wilson"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/michael-wilson"
fi1m_id: "michael-wilson"
imdb_id: "nm0933858"
tmdb_id: 13267
wikidata_id: "Q25871"
roles: ["Writer"]
born: "1 July 1914"
died: "9 April 1978"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 7
average_fi1m_score: 82
average_as: "writer"
average_over: 6
updated: "2026-09-25T06:52:15.582574+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Michael Wilson

## Identity

Michael Wilson

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/michael-wilson
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** michael-wilson
- **IMDb ID:** nm0933858
- **TMDB ID:** 13267
- **Wikidata ID:** Q25871
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Wilson_(writer), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q25871, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0933858/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/13267

Writer. Born 1 July 1914 in McAlester. Died 9 April 1978.

## Details

- **Work:** Writer
- **Born:** 1 July 1914, McAlester
- **Died:** 9 April 1978
- **Active:** 1946–1968
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 7: 6 writing, 1 crew
- **Frequently works with:** [Alec Guinness](https://film.one/person/alec-guinness.md), [David Lean](https://film.one/person/david-lean.md), [Jack Hawkins](https://film.one/person/jack-hawkins.md), [Sam Spiegel](https://film.one/person/sam-spiegel.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 2 Oscars (2 won · 3 nominated)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 82, as writer, over 6 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1940s 91 (1), 1950s 79 (4), 1960s 87 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 86 to 85 across 4 titles
- **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 5, History 3, War 3, Adventure 2, Action 1, Crime 1
- **Screen time:** 14 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $162m across 5 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Wilson_(writer), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q25871, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0933858/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/13267

## Streaming the US now

- **Netflix:** [*Lawrence of Arabia*](https://film.one/film/lawrence-of-arabia.md) (90)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Salt of the Earth*](https://film.one/film/salt-of-the-earth.md) (76)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Michael Wilson was an American screenwriter. Born in McAlester, Oklahoma, he graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a bachelor's degree in philosophy in 1936. He began his screenwriting career in 1941 and wrote or co-wrote 22 screenplays.

Wilson received an Academy Award for his work on *A Place in the Sun* (1951). He was blacklisted after refusing to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee and worked uncredited on several films, including *The Bridge on the River Kwai* (1957) and *Lawrence of Arabia* (1962). His later credited screenplays include *Planet of the Apes* (1968).

Wilson's contributions to *Lawrence of Arabia* received official credit restoration in 1995. He died in 1978.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (7)

### Wrote (6) — the average rests on these

- *Planet of the Apes* (1968), Fi1m 84, Screenplay — [page](https://film.one/film/planet-of-the-apes.md)
- *Lawrence of Arabia* (1962), Fi1m 90, Screenplay — [page](https://film.one/film/lawrence-of-arabia.md)
- *The Bridge on the River Kwai* (1957), Fi1m 88, Screenplay — [page](https://film.one/film/the-bridge-on-the-river-kwai.md)
- *Friendly Persuasion* (1956), Fi1m 72, Screenplay — [page](https://film.one/film/friendly-persuasion.md)
- *Salt of the Earth* (1954), Fi1m 76, Writer — [page](https://film.one/film/salt-of-the-earth.md)
- *A Place in the Sun* (1951), Fi1m 81, Screenplay — [page](https://film.one/film/a-place-in-the-sun.md)

### Crew (1)

- *It's a Wonderful Life* (1946), Fi1m 91, Additional Writing — [page](https://film.one/film/its-a-wonderful-life.md)

## Complete filmography (19)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *A Crime to Fit the Punishment* (1982), as (Voice)
- *Che!* (1969), Screenplay
- *Planet of the Apes* (1968), Screenplay — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/planet-of-the-apes.md)
- *The Sandpiper* (1965), Screenplay
- *Lawrence of Arabia* (1962), Screenplay — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/film/lawrence-of-arabia.md)
- *Five Branded Women* (1960), Writer
- *Tempest* (1958), Writer
- *The Two-Headed Spy* (1958), Screenplay
- *The Bridge on the River Kwai* (1957), Screenplay — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/the-bridge-on-the-river-kwai.md)
- *Friendly Persuasion* (1956), Screenplay — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/friendly-persuasion.md)
- *Salt of the Earth* (1954), Writer — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/salt-of-the-earth.md)
- *5 Fingers* (1952), Screenplay
- *A Place in the Sun* (1951), Screenplay — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/a-place-in-the-sun.md)
- *It's a Wonderful Life* (1946), as Additional Writing — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/film/its-a-wonderful-life.md)
- *Forty Thieves* (1944), Screenplay
- *Bar 20* (1943), Screenplay
- *Colt Comrades* (1943), Screenplay
- *Border Patrol* (1943), Screenplay
- *The Men in Her Life* (1941), Screenplay

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 2 won, 3 nominated

- 1963: Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (nominated), for *Lawrence of Arabia*
- 1958: Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (won), for *The Bridge on the River Kwai*
- 1957: Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (nominated), for *Friendly Persuasion*
- 1953: Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (nominated), for *5 Fingers*
- 1952: Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (won), for *A Place in the Sun*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/michael-wilson