Britannica Sources used in this answer

When did Billy Wilder begin directing his own films?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Billy Wilder poses in a suit and hat, leaning against a streetlamp with a sign reading Sunset Blvd. in a promotional photo for the film Sunset Boulevard. — Billy Wilder Billy Wilder in a promotional photograph for *Sunset Boulevard* (1950), which he directed.

Billy Wilder began his directing career in France, where he co-directed the film Mauvaise Graine in 1934. After moving to the United States, he transitioned to directing his own projects in Hollywood starting in 1942 with the film The Major and the Minor.12