The character arc of Steven Spielberg

A life drawn by Character Arc from the public record

Born on 18 December 1946 in Cincinnati, Ohio, the eldest of four. Between then and now sit a move to New Jersey in 1952, Hebrew school from 1953, a move to Arizona in 1957, an Eagle Scout badge in 1958, a directorial debut with Duel in 1971, a theatrical debut in 1974, Jaws in 1975, Close Encounters in 1977, E.T. in 1982, Schindler's List and Jurassic Park in 1993, Saving Private Ryan in 1998, a lifetime award in 2009, a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015 and a National Medal of Arts in 2023. The line below draws the story so far, in order.

Tap the line to pluck it. Hover or tap any mark for its card. Drawn from the public record of his life; the sources are at the foot of the page.

Who is Steven Spielberg?

He started in television.

He was born in Cincinnati in 1946, the eldest child and only son of four children. His family moved to Haddon Township, New Jersey in 1952 after his father was hired by RCA, he attended Hebrew school from 1953 to 1957, and in early 1957 the family moved again, to Phoenix, Arizona. He became a Boy Scout in 1958 and attained the rank of Eagle Scout at thirteen.

He started his career in television and made his directorial debut with Duel in 1971. His theatrical debut was The Sugarland Express in 1974, which began a collaboration with the composer John Williams that has lasted decades. He became a household name with Jaws in 1975, and had further success with Close Encounters of the Third Kind in 1977, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in 1982 and the original Indiana Jones trilogy from 1981 to 1989.

He explored drama in The Color Purple in 1985 and Empire of the Sun in 1987, and in 1993 released both Jurassic Park, which became the highest grossing film of its time, and Schindler's List, which has often been listed among the greatest films ever made and won him Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture. He won Best Director again for Saving Private Ryan in 1998. He received a lifetime achievement award in 2009, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015 and the National Medal of Arts in 2023, was named one of Time's 100 most influential people in 2013, and in 2023 received the first Time 100 Impact Award given in the United States.

The moments

Steven Spielberg's timeline.

The 1950s

Jun 1952

The family moved east

Milestone. Two states before he was eleven.

Jun 1958

Eagle Scout at thirteen

Milestone, and it changed his direction. Eagle Scout, which takes years of badges.

The 1970s

13 Nov 1971

Duel

Milestone, and it changed everything. A television film about a lorry, and a career.

5 Apr 1974

The Sugarland Express

Milestone, and it changed everything. A first cinema release, and the composer he has used ever since.

20 Jun 1975

Jaws

Milestone, and it changed everything. The film that made summer a season for cinema.

16 Nov 1977

Close Encounters

Milestone, and it changed his direction. Science fiction, taken seriously.

The 1980s

11 Jun 1982

E.T.

Milestone, and it changed everything. A film about a child and an alien, and everybody went.

18 Dec 1985

The Color Purple

Milestone, and it changed his direction. A turn into drama, from the man who made Jaws.

The 1990s

1 Jun 1992

Make the difficult one

Crossroads, decided.

The paths laid out: make both, the same year, taken, or stay with what worked. Schindler's List won him the Academy Award for Best Director and Best Picture, and he won Best Director again for Saving Private Ryan in 1998.

11 Jun 1993

Jurassic Park

Milestone, and it changed everything. The biggest film in the world, released the same year as the other one.

15 Dec 1993

Schindler's List

Milestone, and it changed everything. The same year as Jurassic Park, and nothing like it.

24 Jul 1998

Saving Private Ryan

Milestone, and it changed everything. A second Best Director award, five years after the first.

The 2010s

24 Nov 2015

The Medal of Freedom

Milestone, and it changed everything. The country's highest civilian honour.

The 2020s

Jun 2023

The first Impact Award

Milestone, and it changed his direction. The first one of its kind, at seventy six.

The line reaches today still adding to itself, which is why it is drawn now rather than at the end. What it has set moving is the range on a single chart: the film that invented the summer blockbuster and the film about the Holocaust are by the same person, eighteen years apart.

Your turn

Every line draws a unique story.

His began with a television film nobody expected anything of. Yours is already further along than you think, and drawing it takes about five minutes.

Step through

Draw my own line Explore Character Arc

Steven Spielberg: frequently asked questions

What people ask about his line.

What is Steven Spielberg's character arc?

A childhood spent moving between states, an Eagle Scout badge at thirteen, and a career begun in television with Duel in 1971. Jaws made him a household name in 1975, and in 1993 he released both Jurassic Park and Schindler's List.

What was Steven Spielberg's first film?

He made his directorial debut with the television film Duel in 1971, having started his career in television. His theatrical debut was The Sugarland Express in 1974, which began his decades-long collaboration with the composer John Williams.

How many Academy Awards has Steven Spielberg won for directing?

Two for Best Director: for Schindler's List in 1993, which also won him Best Picture, and for Saving Private Ryan in 1998. Schindler's List has often been listed as one of the greatest films ever made.

Did Steven Spielberg release two films in 1993?

Yes, and they could hardly be less alike. Jurassic Park became the highest grossing film of its time, and Schindler's List won him Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture. Both were released in the same year.

What made Steven Spielberg famous?

Jaws, in 1975, which made him a household name. He followed it with Close Encounters of the Third Kind in 1977, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in 1982 and the original Indiana Jones trilogy from 1981 to 1989.

What honours has Steven Spielberg received?

A lifetime achievement award in 2009, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015 and the National Medal of Arts in 2023. Time listed him among its 100 most influential people in 2013, and in 2023 he received the first Time 100 Impact Award given in the United States.

Where does this timeline of Steven Spielberg's life come from?

From the public record. Character Arc drew every moment on this line from the sources listed at the foot of the page, and the kind and weight of each moment are our editorial reading. Steven Spielberg isn't a Member of Character Arc and has no connection with it, and no feeling is attributed to him.

More character arcs

Lives that rhyme with his.

Every Character, A to Z

Sources

Steven Spielberg, English Wikipedia biography, filed under living people.
Academy Awards for Schindler's List, 1993, and Saving Private Ryan, 1998.
Presidential Medal of Freedom, 2015, and National Medal of Arts, 2023.