William Dozier

The illustrious de Havilland family is a distinguished dynasty of Hollywood royalty. Olivia Mary de Havilland, born on July 1, 1916 in Tokyo, Japan, was the daughter of former actress Lilian Augusta Ruse and English professor Walter Augustus de Havilland, who hailed from Guernsey in the Channel Islands. Her younger sister, Joan de Beauvoir de Havilland, later to become famous as Joan Fontaine, was born the following year. After their parents' divorce, the sisters moved with their mother to Saratoga, California. After graduating high school, Olivia developed an affinity for acting, while Joan pursued a career in the same industry. Both sisters went on to win Academy Awards for their work in the film industry. Lilian Fontaine, their mother, was a British actress known for her roles in The Lost Weekend (1945) and Ivy (1947). William Dozier, born on February 13, 1908 in Omaha, Nebraska, was a celebrated TV and movie producer who achieved fame with Batman (1966). He was married twice, first to Oscar-winner Joan Fontaine from 1946 to 1951 and to movie star Ann Rutherford from 1953 to his death on April 23, 1991. William and Joan launched Rampart Productions in 1948, producing classics such as Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948) and You Gotta Stay Happy (1948). Robert Dozier, William's son from his first marriage, was a writer and producer known for Harry O (1973) and Batman (1966). Rounding out the family was Ann Rutherford, who was born in Vancouver, Canada to a former Metropolitan Opera singer, John Rutherford, and actress Lillian Mansfield. Ann made her stage debut in 1925 and appeared in many plays and on radio before making her first screen appearance in Waterfront Lady (1935). She was signed to three films in 1935 and went on to star in numerous productions, including Gone with the Wind (1939). This illustrious family of actors and producers have made their mark in Hollywood with their immense talent and undeniable charisma.