Sam Spiegel (11 November 1901 – 31 December 1985) was an independent Academy Award-winning film producer.
Born in Jaroslau, Austria (now Jaroslaw, Poland) as Samuel P. Spiegel to German-Jewish father and Polish mother and educated at the University of Vienna, Spiegel came briefly to Hollywood in 1927 following a stint serving with Hashomer Hatzair in Palestine. He then went to Berlin to produce German and French adaptations of Universal films until 1933 when he fled Germany. As an independent producer, Spiegel was behind a number of European films. In 1935, he immigrated to the United States. Between 1935 and 1954, Spiegel billed himself as S.P. Eagle. After that he used his real name. "...Spiegel a decidedly flawed protagonist, as well as the wit, sophistication, and Old World charm that make him a titanic figure the likes of which the movie industry will not see again."
He won the Academy Award for Best Picture for Elia Kazan's On the Waterfront and a further two times for his two collaborations with British director David Lean, Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) and Lawrence of Arabia (1962). In 1963, he was awarded the prestigious Irving Thalberg Memorial Award at that year's Academy Awards for his many contributions to cinema.
Spiegel maintained a connection with the Israeli nation throughout his life, particularly with such personalities as Golda Meir, Ariel Sharon, Jerusalem Foundation president Ruth Cheshin, and his close friend, then Jerusalem Mayor Teddy Kollek. Spiegel also contributed to various Zionist causes. He spoke seven languages fluently: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Hebrew and Polish.
In his last years, he returned to his Jewish and Zionist roots. He steadfastly met each week with a rabbi, and willed a significant amount of his personal fortune to the city of Jerusalem.
His heirs and the administrators of his estate, son Adam Spiegel, daughter Alisa Freedman, niece Judge Raya Dreben, and Adv. David Bottoms, decided to transfer Spiegel's impressive art collection to the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. From 1996, they have made an annual contribution, through the Jerusalem Foundation, to the film school in Jerusalem bearing his name since that time — the Sam Spiegel Film and Television School, Jerusalem. This annual contribution is the largest in the history of Israeli cinema.
In 2005, the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the Sam Spiegel Film and Television School, the Jerusalem Municipality complied with a request from the school's founder-director Renen Schorr to mark the occasion by declaring the lane in the Talpiot industrial section where the school is located "The Sam Spiegel Alley." The street sign's inscription: "Sam Spiegel – Jewish-American Film Producer and Oscar-winner. Pioneer. Lover of Zion."
Sam Spiegel, also known as Squeak E. Clean, is an American producer/DJ/composer from New York (originally from Bethesda, Maryland).
As a child, Sam studied classical voice, cello, and flute, but by his teens, his new love was hip-hop. Using turntables and an extensive record collection, Sam would combine his knowledge of the old and new to create an expansive, funky sound uniquely his own.
In addition to creating his own material, Spiegel has worked with prominent artists such as Australian singer/songwriter Ben Lee, Maroon 5, Del tha Funkee Homosapien, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. He has also scored commercials for the likes of Converse, Levi's, Reebok, ESPN, T Mobile, Jose Cuervo, Saturn and more.
Sam's family owns the Spiegel Catalog blank">http://www.spiegel.com/ and Spiegel is brother of film director _Spike Jonze and has collaborated with him on the Adidas TV commercial for which he created the Hello Tomorrow score (sung by Jonze's then-girlfriend Karen O), a piece which gained him substantial recognition.
Currently, he is working with Brazilian DJ DJ Zegon under the name N.A.S.A. (North America South America). The album is set to feature a wide variety of artists in rock (Karen O & Nick Zinner of The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Sean Lennon, John Frusciante of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tom Waits, Lovefoxxx of Cansei de Ser Sexy, Nina Persson of The Cardigans etc.), Funk (George Clinton), Techno (Barbie Hatch), World (David Byrne, Seu Jorge, etc.), Reggae (Sizzla) and Hip-Hop (RZA, Method Man & Ol' Dirty Bastard of Wu-Tang Clan, Cee-Lo Green of Goodie Mob/Gnarls Barkley, Kool Keith, Fatlip & Slimkid3 formerly of The Pharcyde, Bushwick Bill of Geto Boys, De La Soul, etc.). As of yet, the album has no date or title. Only one complete track has leaked (Hip-Hop with Slimkid3 & Fatlip formerly of The Pharcyde & KRS-One), while others have been released in snippets:
