How They Became Famous It might surprise readers to know Robert Wise had his first taste of success as a B-movie sci-fi director. He was originally best known for making the sci-fi classic The Day the Earth Stood Still, a movie which was a huge hit at drive-ins, revolving around the tale of an alien sent to Earth to warn mankind of his impending doom, due to his danger to other planets in the universe. After this film, Wise branched out, taking in a few film-noirs and a handful of comedies along the way, each receiving a relatively lukewarm reception. What They Did Next In 1961 Wise directed West Side Story, a musical, and a smash international hit. It's not that Wise had become especially known for one type of cinema, it's just that musicals are quite an esoteric genre, and the success of the film was huge. At the 1961 Academy Awards it picked up 10 Oscar's - still the most ever for a musical - including two for Wise as producer and director. He repeated the trick again with The Sound of Music just four years later. Another musical which remains one of the most successful and recognizable films of all time.
