Elia Kazan was an American film director, producer, writer and actor who is best known for directing the 1961 film 'Splendor in the Grass'. He was a two-time Academy Award winner and a three-time Tony Award winner. Kazan was also a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors in 1999. He was born in Istanbul, Turkey in 1909 and immigrated to the United States in 1923. He began his career as an actor in the 1930s and eventually moved into directing in the 1940s. His films often explored social issues such as racism, poverty, and class divisions.