Steven Spielberg was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on December 18, 1946. In his teenage years Spielberg made many amateur films. He made his first independent film while still in high school. While attending Cal State Long Beach Spielberg got a got an unpaid intern job at Universal studios. He was given a chance to make a short film. The studio Vice President was so impressed he offered Spielberg a seven year directing contract.
Spielberg was 21 at the time and his first job as a director was with Rod Serling on the pilot episode of Night Gallery. Star Joan Crawford was shocked to have a 21 year old direct her, but immediate recognized his abilities.

His first big success came in 1975 with the blockbuster Jaws. Since then Spielberg has provided the public with a steady stream of successful movies, including Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), ET: The Extraterrestrial (1982), Schindler's List (1993), Amistadt (1997) Saving Private Ryan (1998), Catch Me if You Can (2002), War of the Worlds (2005) Munich (2005) Indiana Jones , Flags of Our Fathers(2006) Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)the Kingdom of Crystal Skull(2008), Lincoln (2012) and Bridge of Spies (2016).

Spielberg has also produced and directed for television.

Books

Steven Spielberg: A Biography, Second Edition

Steven Spielberg: A Life in Films (Jewish Lives)