Robert Wise was born as the youngest of three brothers. Through an odd job at RKO at the age of 19, the avid moviegoer came into film business. A head sound effects editor at the studio recognized Wise's talent, and made Wise his protege.

Around 1941 Orson Welles was in need of an editor for "Citizen Kane", and Wise did a splendid job. Welles really liked his work and ideas. Wise started as a director with some B-Movies and his career went on quickly, and he made MANY classic movies. His last theatrical film, "Rooftops", proved that Wise was a film maker still in full command of his craft in his 80's. The carefully composed images, tight editing and unflagging pace make one wish that Wise had not stayed away from the camera for so long
Is an avid fan of commercial Indian cinema. President of the Directors Guild of America (DGA). [1971-1975] Biography in: John Wakeman, editor. "World Film Directors, Volume One, 1890-1945". Pages 1210-1219. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1987. President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, 1985-1988. Directed 9 different actors in Oscar-nominated performances: Nina Foch, Susan Hayward, Rita Moreno, George Chakiris, Julie Andrews, Peggy Wood, Steve McQueen, Mako and Daniel Massey. Hayward, Moreno and Chakiris won Oscars for a role in one of Wise's movies. In 1987, he accepted the Oscar for "Best Actor in a Leading Role" on behalf of Paul Newman, who wasn't present at the awards ceremony. Society of Operating Cameramen, (SOC) Honorary Memeber (1982) Was the last surviving crew member of Citizen Kane. Received the Irving Thalberg Award. Enjoyed celebrating his 91st birthday the weekend prior to his death in 2005. Received the American Film Institute Life Achievement award in 1998. Agreed to directed "The Sound of Music" after it had been abandoned by William Wyler only after 20th Century-Fox agreed to finance "The Sand Pebbles." Wise, who also produced the musical, won his second Best Director Oscar and the Best Picture Oscar. The next year, "The Sand Pebbles" was nominated for Best Picture and Wise was awarded the Irving Thalberg Award, the highest honor for producers . He was awarded the American National Medal of the Arts in 1992 by the National Endowment of the Arts in Washington D.C.