---
name: "Warren Beatty"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/warren-beatty"
fi1m_id: "warren-beatty"
imdb_id: "nm0000886"
tmdb_id: 6449
wikidata_id: "Q95030"
roles: ["Actor","Producer","Director"]
born: "30 March 1937"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 7
average_fi1m_score: 82
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 4
updated: "2026-10-02T22:42:06.534121+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."
---

# Warren Beatty

## Identity

Warren Beatty

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/warren-beatty
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** warren-beatty
- **IMDb ID:** nm0000886
- **TMDB ID:** 6449
- **Wikidata ID:** Q95030
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_Beatty, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q95030, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000886/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/6449

Actor and producer. Born 30 March 1937 in Richmond, Virginia, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor, Producer, Director
- **Born:** 30 March 1937, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- **Active:** 1961–1991
- **Also known as:** 워렌 비티, Уоррен Битти
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 7: 4 acting, 2 directing, 1 other
- **Frequently works with:** [Charles Grodin](https://film.one/person/charles-grodin.md), [Dustin Hoffman](https://film.one/person/dustin-hoffman.md), [Elaine May](https://film.one/person/elaine-may.md), [Julie Christie](https://film.one/person/julie-christie.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 2 Oscars (2 won · 13 nominated)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 82, as actor, over 4 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1960s 88 (1), 1970s 82 (2), 1980s 74 (2), 1990s 76 (1), 2010s 60 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 82 to 76 across 4 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 4 of 4 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 3, Crime 2, Adventure 1, Comedy 1, Mystery 1, Western 1
- **Screen time:** 8 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $142m across 4 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_Beatty, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q95030, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000886/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/6449

## Streaming the US now

- **Tubi:** [*McCabe & Mrs. Miller*](https://film.one/film/mccabe-and-mrs-miller.md) (90), [*Bugsy*](https://film.one/film/bugsy.md) (76)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Reds*](https://film.one/film/reds.md) (77), [*Ishtar*](https://film.one/film/ishtar.md) (72)
- **Pluto TV:** [*Heaven Can Wait*](https://film.one/film/heaven-can-wait.md) (74)

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

## Fi1m on Warren Beatty

> Warren Beatty makes self-confidence entertaining even when the man possessing it is dangerous. His humour and assurance are worth seeking out; *Bugsy* also shows how easily a film can become too forgiving of the man he plays.

In *Bugsy* (1991), Warren Beatty plays Ben Siegel as though agreement is merely taking longer than expected. His confidence makes the man's enthusiasms entertaining, while the threat of force keeps the charm from feeling harmless. We found ourselves warming to him and disliked how little resistance we put up, because the humour belongs to the same man as the violence. Beatty makes it easy to understand why people might enjoy his company despite knowing what he is capable of.

He has often had a say in more than the performance. Producing and starring in *Bonnie and Clyde* (1967) marked the breakthrough; co-writing *Shampoo* (1975) with Robert Towne gave him another means of shaping the leading role. With *Heaven Can Wait* (1978) and *Reds* (1981), he was also directing, a responsibility he kept on *Bulworth* (1998) and *Rules Don't Apply* (2016). But *Bugsy* is a useful reminder of what another director and strong supporting actors can give him.

Barry Levinson gets the confidence right but does not always question it enough. James Toback's screenplay gives Beatty wit to work with, and Beatty's self-belief carries stretches where Siegel's ambitions have begun to wear thin. The difficulty comes when the film treats his plans for Las Vegas as evidence of decency. We recommend the performance without accepting the film's indulgence of its subject.

Annette Bening is essential to keeping that performance in proportion. As Virginia Hill, she gives him someone to engage with rather than another reason to admire himself, and their attraction makes the romance worth following. Ben Kingsley's steadier Meyer Lansky offers a useful check on Siegel's enthusiasms. Beatty benefits from partners who have something to do besides agree with him.

Allen Daviau's glossy photography and Dennis Gassner's production design give that confidence a convincing home in the 1940s settings. Albert Wolsky's costumes make wealth and status readable before anyone explains them, and the polish helps us see why Siegel finds the life attractive. Start with *Bugsy* for Beatty's humour and the exchanges with Bening. Do not take its estimate of Siegel's decency on trust.

## Biography

Warren Beatty is an American actor, producer, director and screenwriter. Born on 30 March 1937 in Richmond, Virginia, he briefly attended Northwestern University before studying with acting teacher Stella Adler in New York.

He made his film debut in *Splendor in the Grass* (1961) and is known for his performances in *Bonnie and Clyde* (1967), *McCabe & Mrs. Miller* (1971), *The Parallax View* (1974), *Heaven Can Wait* (1978) and *Reds* (1981), the last of which he also directed, wrote and produced. He starred as and produced *Bugsy* (1991). He has received fourteen Academy Award nominations and won the award for Best Director for *Reds*.

He is the brother of actress Shirley MacLaine.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, cnn.com, britannica.com.*

## On Fi1m (7)

### Performed in (4) — the average rests on these

- *Bugsy* (1991), Fi1m 76, as Ben 'Bugsy' Siegel — [page](https://film.one/film/bugsy.md)
- *Ishtar* (1987), Fi1m 72, as Lyle Rogers — [page](https://film.one/film/ishtar.md)
- *McCabe & Mrs. Miller* (1971), Fi1m 90, as John McCabe — [page](https://film.one/film/mccabe-and-mrs-miller.md)
- *Bonnie and Clyde* (1967), Fi1m 88, as Clyde Barrow — [page](https://film.one/film/bonnie-and-clyde.md)

### Directed (2)

- *Reds* (1981), Fi1m 77, as John Reed — [page](https://film.one/film/reds.md)
- *Heaven Can Wait* (1978), Fi1m 74, as Joe Pendleton — [page](https://film.one/film/heaven-can-wait.md)

### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *I'm Still Here* (2010), Fi1m 60, Thanks — [page](https://film.one/film/im-still-here-2010.md)

## Complete filmography (39)

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

- *Dick Tracy Special: Tracy Zooms In* (2023), as Dick Tracy / Self · Director, Writer, Producer
- *Rules Don't Apply* (2016), as Howard Hughes · Director, Producer, Story, Screenplay
- *Welcome to the Basement* (2012), series, Screenplay
- *I'm Still Here* (2010), Thanks — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/film/im-still-here-2010.md)
- *Dick Tracy Special* (2009), as Dick Tracy · Director, Writer, Producer
- *Ask the Dust* (2006), Thanks
- *Town & Country* (2001), as Porter Stoddard
- *Down to Earth* (2001), Original Film Writer
- *Playboy: Playmate Pajama Party* (1999), Actor
- *Bulworth* (1998), as Jay Bulworth · Screenplay, Director, Producer, Story
- *Love Affair* (1994), as Mike Gambril · Screenplay, Producer
- *The Larry Sanders Show* (1992), series, as Warren Beatty — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-larry-sanders-show.md)
- *Bugsy* (1991), as Ben 'Bugsy' Siegel · Producer — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/bugsy.md)
- *Dick Tracy* (1990), as Dick Tracy · Producer, Director
- *The Pick-up Artist* (1987), Executive Producer
- *Ishtar* (1987), as Lyle Rogers · Producer — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/ishtar.md)
- *Reds* (1981), as John Reed · Director, Producer, Writer — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/reds.md)
- *Heaven Can Wait* (1978), as Joe Pendleton · Producer, Director, Screenplay — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/heaven-can-wait.md)
- *The Fortune* (1975), as Nicky Wilson
- *Shampoo* (1975), as George Roundy · Writer, Producer
- *The Parallax View* (1974), as Joseph Frady
- *$* (1971), as Joe Collins
- *McCabe & Mrs. Miller* (1971), as John McCabe — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/film/mccabe-and-mrs-miller.md)
- *The Only Game in Town* (1970), as Joe Grady
- *The Movie Orgy* (1968), as Clyde Barrow (archive footage)
- *Bonnie and Clyde* (1967), as Clyde Barrow · Producer — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/bonnie-and-clyde.md)
- *Kaleidoscope* (1966), as Barney Lincoln
- *Promise Her Anything* (1966), as Harley Rummel
- *Mickey One* (1965), as Mickey
- *Lilith* (1964), as Vincent Bruce
- *All Fall Down* (1962), as Berry-Berry Willart
- *The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone* (1961), as Paolo di Leo
- *Splendor in the Grass* (1961), as Bud Stamper
- *The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis* (1959), series, as Milton Armitage
- *One Step Beyond* (1959), series, as Harry Grayson
- *Suspicion* (1957), series, as Boy
- *The Night America Trembled* (1957), as 1st Card Player
- *Studio One* (1948), series, as Card Player #1
- *Ashes to Dust*, Thanks

## Gallery

- ![Warren Beatty](https://film.one/media/person/78768/gallery-fe533382ffd2.jpg) Warren Beatty — Kingkongphoto & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel  Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Warren_Beatty.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![warren beatty (1990)](https://film.one/media/person/78768/gallery-1c8b94c4c2b6.jpg) warren beatty (1990) — Gorup de Besanez, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/1990_Venice_Film_Festival_-_Warren_Beatty.jpg/1280px-1990_Venice_Film_Festival_-_Warren_Beatty.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![2017 24" x 24" An oil painting depicting Warren Beatty from the film Bonnie and Clyde.](https://film.one/media/person/78768/gallery-281ee497a850.jpg) 2017 24" x 24" An oil painting depicting Warren Beatty from the film Bonnie and Clyde. — BlaineWhite, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/Beatty_in_Bonnie_and_Clyde.jpg/1280px-Beatty_in_Bonnie_and_Clyde.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Window card poster to promote showings of the 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde at college campuses.](https://film.one/media/person/78768/gallery-9fc6babe9f4d.jpg) Window card poster to promote showings of the 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde at college campuses. — Distributed by Warner Bros.-Seven Arts., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/Bonnie_and_Clyde_%281967_campus_poster%29.jpg/1280px-Bonnie_and_Clyde_%281967_campus_poster%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Warren Beatty](https://film.one/media/person/78768/gallery-b21709dea7af.jpg) Warren Beatty — Image via TMDB
- ![Warren Beatty](https://film.one/media/person/78768/gallery-9ad46659a470.jpg) Warren Beatty — Image via TMDB
- ![Warren Beatty](https://film.one/media/person/78768/gallery-3e98641d6fa6.jpg) Warren Beatty — Image via TMDB
- ![Main cast photo for the 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde. From left to right: Gene Hackman, Estelle Parsons, Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway, and Michael J. Pollard.](https://film.one/media/person/78768/gallery-178e27fde23f.jpg) Main cast photo for the 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde. From left to right: Gene Hackman, Estelle Parsons, Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway, and Michael J. Pollard. — Distributed by Warner Bros.-Seven Arts., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/88/Bonnie_and_Clyde_%281967_cast_photo%29.jpg/1280px-Bonnie_and_Clyde_%281967_cast_photo%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Promo photo of Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway as the title characters in the 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde. Printed as a color reversal film.](https://film.one/media/person/78768/gallery-70368faedbb7.jpg) Promo photo of Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway as the title characters in the 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde. Printed as a color reversal film. — Distributed by Warner Bros.-Seven Arts., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b1/Bonnie_and_Clyde_%281967_promo_photo_-_Dunaway_%26_Beatty%29.jpg/1280px-Bonnie_and_Clyde_%281967_promo_photo_-_Dunaway_%26_Beatty%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Warren Beatty](https://film.one/media/person/78768/gallery-ac2252806ca7.jpg) Warren Beatty — Image via TMDB
- ![Warren Beatty](https://film.one/media/person/78768/gallery-658f4b449eb3.jpg) Warren Beatty — Image via TMDB
- ![Warren Beatty](https://film.one/media/person/78768/gallery-528cab2554ba.jpg) Warren Beatty — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 2 won, 13 nominated

- 1999: Best Writing, Original Screenplay (nominated), for *Bulworth*
- 1992: Best Actor (nominated), for *Bugsy*
- 1992: Best Picture (nominated), for *Bugsy*
- 1982: Best Director (won), for *Reds*
- 1982: Academy Awards (won)
- 1982: Best Picture (nominated), for *Reds*
- 1982: Best Writing, Original Screenplay (nominated), for *Reds*
- 1982: Best Actor (nominated), for *Reds*
- 1979: Best Director (nominated), for *Heaven Can Wait*
- 1979: Best Picture (nominated), for *Heaven Can Wait*
- 1979: Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (nominated), for *Heaven Can Wait*
- 1979: Best Actor (nominated), for *Heaven Can Wait*
- 1976: Best Writing, Original Screenplay (nominated), for *Shampoo*
- 1968: Best Actor (nominated), for *Bonnie and Clyde*
- 1968: Best Picture (nominated), for *Bonnie and Clyde*

### Golden Globes — 2 won

- 2007: Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award (won)
- 1962: Golden Globe Awards (won)

### Venice Film Festival — 1 won

- 1998: Lifetime Achievement (won)

### Other awards — 5 won, 2 nominated

- California Hall of Fame 2012: California Hall of Fame (won)
- AFI Life Achievement Award 2008: AFI Life Achievement Award (won)
- Donostia Award 2001: Donostia Award (won)
- Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award 2000: Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award (won)
- Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture 1988: Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture (nominated), for *Ishtar*
- Theatre World Award 1960: Theatre World Award (won)
- Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play 1960: Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play (nominated)

*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/warren-beatty