Elia Kazan was an American filmmaker, actor, and theatre director. He is best known for directing films such as A Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront, and East of Eden. He was also a recipient of the Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1999. Kazan was born in Istanbul, Turkey, and immigrated to the United States with his family in 1923. He began his career in the theatre, and later moved into film directing. His films often explored themes of social realism, and he was known for his ability to elicit powerful performances from his actors.