Trivia

Fought with the U.S. Army in France during World War I.

Directed six actors to Oscar nominations: Clifton Webb (Best Actor, Bonne à tout faire (1948)), Dan Dailey (Best Actor, When My Baby Smiles at Me (1948)), Susan Hayward (Best Actress, Un refrain dans mon coeur (1952)), Thelma Ritter (Best Supporting Actress, Un refrain dans mon coeur (1952)), Yul Brynner (Best Actor, Le roi et moi (1956)), and Deborah Kerr (Best Actress, Le roi et moi (1956)). Brynner won an Oscar for his performance in Lang's film.

Fritz Lang was his distant uncle.

The only time Fox loaned him out between 1937-61 was to Paramount for La vie à belles dents (1959). He had been friends with Clark Gable for years, and the actor was so insistent on Lang as his director that the film was postponed until Lang, who had been hospitalized with peritonitis and ulcers, had recovered.

According to an interview and article in the summer 1974 edition of "Focus on Film", Darryl F. Zanuck offered Lang La Mélodie du bonheur (1965), but the director opted to retire.

Carole Lombard and he became great friends, and she became the godmother of his son Richard Lang.

Clark Gable was godfather to Lang's son Richard Lang. Gable gave Richard his Oscar to use as a hammer. Years later, Richard had the beat-up Oscar renewed to give to Gable's son.

According to Lang, the gangster picture he made with Leo Carillo, Le damné (1931), became the first independent film to play at Radio City Music Hall.

Father of director Richard Lang.

He loved oil-painting, which was one of the reasons he opted to retire.