Childhood and Education Journey of Oliver Stone in Timeline

An overview of the childhood and early education of Oliver Stone, highlighting the experiences that shaped the journey.

Oliver Stone is a highly acclaimed American filmmaker known for directing impactful and often controversial films. He frequently explores themes of war, politics, and historical events. Stone has been recognized with numerous awards, including multiple Academy Awards, a BAFTA, an Emmy, and several Golden Globes, solidifying his status as a significant figure in the film industry.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

1920: Family Name Changed to Stone

In the 1920's, Oliver Stone's family changed its surname to Stone due to antisemitism in the United States.

September 15, 1946: Oliver Stone Born

On September 15, 1946, William Oliver Stone was born, marking the birth of the American filmmaker known for directing films on controversial subjects.

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1962: Parents Divorced

In 1962, Oliver Stone's parents divorced while he was at The Hill School, marking him deeply.

November 22, 1963: JFK Assassination Depicted in Film

Oliver Stone co-wrote and directed the film JFK, depicting the assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, and its aftermath. It was a commercial success and earned eight Academy Award nominations.

1964: Graduated from The Hill School

In 1964, Oliver Stone graduated from The Hill School.

June 1965: Left Yale University

In June 1965, Oliver Stone left Yale University at age 18 to teach high school students English in Saigon.

April 1967: Enlisted in the United States Army

In April 1967, Oliver Stone enlisted in the United States Army and requested combat duty in Vietnam.

September 27, 1967: Served in Vietnam with 25th Infantry Division

On September 27, 1967, Oliver Stone began serving in Vietnam with the 2nd Platoon, B Company, 3rd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division.

October 1967: Wounded in Vietnam

In October 1967, Oliver Stone was first wounded and evacuated in Vietnam, when he was shot in the neck during a night ambush.

1967: Enlisted in the United States Army

In 1967, Oliver Stone enlisted in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. He later served in the 25th Infantry and 1st Cavalry Divisions.

January 15, 1968: Wounded Again in Vietnam

On January 15, 1968, Oliver Stone was wounded and evacuated again in Vietnam when a satchel charge detonated, causing a concussion and serious shrapnel wounds.

February 23, 1968: End of service with 25th Infantry Division

On February 23, 1968, Oliver Stone ended his service with 2nd Platoon, B Company, 3rd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division.

August 21, 1968: Killed a North Vietnamese sniper

On August 21, 1968, Oliver Stone killed a North Vietnamese sniper near My Khe beach and was awarded the Bronze Star with "V" Device for "heroism in ground combat."

November 15, 1968: Released from Active Duty

On November 15, 1968, Oliver Stone was released from active duty in the United States Army.

1968: Served in Vietnam War

In 1968, Oliver Stone continued to serve in the Vietnam War with the 25th Infantry and 1st Cavalry Divisions, where he was wounded in action for his service. He received military honors including a Bronze Star with "V" Device for valor, Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster (to denote two wounds), an Air Medal and the Combat Infantryman Badge.

1969: Interviewed about the Vietnam War

In 1969, Oliver Stone was interviewed by the French news program Voila about the war in Central Park, where he discussed his experiences in Vietnam and the impact it had on him and other soldiers.

1969: Experienced a Violent Mugging

In the summer of 1969, Oliver Stone experienced a violent mugging in the East Village, which compounded his post-traumatic stress disorder from the war.

1970: Attended New York University

In 1970, Stone attended New York University on the G.I. Bill, where his teachers included director and fellow NYU alumnus Martin Scorsese.

May 22, 1971: Married Najwa Sarkis Stone

On May 22, 1971, Oliver Stone married Najwa Sarkis Stone, a United Nations protocol attache.

1971: Graduated from New York University

In 1971, Oliver Stone graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in film. In the same year, he had a small acting role in the comedy The Battle of Love's Return. He also made a short, well received 12-minute film about a disabled veteran, Last Year in Viet Nam.

April 1, 1973: Officially Discharged from the Army

On April 1, 1973, Oliver Stone was officially discharged from the Army.

1977: Divorced Najwa Sarkis Stone

In 1977, Oliver Stone divorced his first wife, Najwa Sarkis Stone.

1980: Visited Soviet Union and smuggled goods

In 1980, Oliver Stone visited the Soviet Union to interview anti-Communist dissidents for a screenplay and smuggled Western goods for a French human rights organization. He was briefly detained in Tbilisi before being allowed to leave.

June 7, 1981: Married Elizabeth Burkit Cox

On June 7, 1981, Oliver Stone married Elizabeth Burkit Cox, who worked as an assistant in film production.

1984: Birth of son Sean Stone

In 1984, Oliver Stone's son, Sean Stone, was born to Elizabeth Burkit Cox. Sean later took the middle name Ali after converting to Islam.

1991: Melissa Gilbert accused Stone of sexual harassment

In 1991, Melissa Gilbert accused Oliver Stone of sexual harassment during an audition for 'The Doors', claiming he told her to get on her hands and knees and say, "Do me baby." Stone denied the accusation.

1991: Birth of son Michael Jack Stone

In 1991, Oliver Stone's son, Michael Jack Stone, was born to Elizabeth Burkit Cox.

April 27, 1992: Stone Testifies on JFK Records Act

On April 27, 1992, Oliver Stone testified before the House Government Operations Subcommittee on Legislation and National Affairs in support of the passage of the JFK Records Act.

1993: Started practicing Buddhism

In 1993, Oliver Stone began practicing Buddhism and was given the Dharma name Minh Duc after receiving the five precepts from a Buddhist monk.

1993: Divorced Elizabeth Burkit Cox

In 1993, Oliver Stone divorced his second wife, Elizabeth Burkit Cox.

1995: Met President Bill Clinton at the White House

In 1995, Oliver Stone claimed to have met President Bill Clinton at the White House, but the visit was allegedly kept off the official agenda.

1995: Birth of daughter Tara Stone

In 1995, Oliver Stone's daughter, Tara Stone, was born to Sun-jung Jung.

1996: Married Sun-jung Jung

In 1996, Oliver Stone married Sun-jung Jung from South Korea.

November 1997: Won an episode of Jeopardy!

In November 1997, Oliver Stone won an episode of the game show Jeopardy! during "Power Players" theme week, representing the charity Rock the Vote. Stone later admitted to being high on ecstasy during the game.

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1997: Signed open letter protesting treatment of Scientologists in Germany

In 1997, Oliver Stone was among 34 celebrities who signed an open letter to German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, published in the International Herald Tribune, protesting against the treatment of Scientologists in Germany.

1999: Arrested for DUI and drug possession

In 1999, Oliver Stone was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and possession of drugs, including fenfluramine, phentermine, meprobamate, and a small amount of hashish. He pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated and was ordered into a rehabilitation program.

March 2002: Fled Ramallah during Operation Defensive Shield

In March 2002, while filming a documentary in the West Bank, Oliver Stone and his crew were forced to flee Ramallah during Operation Defensive Shield with assistance from the Representative Office of Canada to the Palestinian Authority.

2003: Signatory of the third Humanist Manifesto

In 2003, Oliver Stone was a signatory of the third Humanist Manifesto.

May 27, 2005: Arrested for marijuana possession

On the night of May 27, 2005, Oliver Stone was arrested in Los Angeles for possession of marijuana and was released the next day on a $15,000 bond.

August 2005: Pleaded no contest to marijuana possession

In August 2005, Oliver Stone pleaded no contest to the charge of marijuana possession and was fined $100.

September 15, 2008: Named Artistic Director of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts Asia

On September 15, 2008, Oliver Stone was appointed the artistic director of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts Asia in Singapore, marking a significant achievement in his educational career.

2008: Voted for Barack Obama

In 2008, according to Entertainment Weekly, Oliver Stone voted for Barack Obama as President of the United States.

July 25, 2010: Controversial comments about Hitler and Jewish people in The Sunday Times

On July 25, 2010, Oliver Stone made controversial comments about Hitler and Jewish people in an interview with The Sunday Times, resulting in criticism from Jewish groups.

2012: Voted for Barack Obama and Endorsed Ron Paul

In 2012, according to Entertainment Weekly, Oliver Stone voted for Barack Obama as President of the United States. Also in 2012, Stone endorsed Ron Paul for the Republican nomination for president.

2015: Sean Stone started working for RT America

In 2015, Sean Stone, Oliver Stone's son, began working for the Russia state media company RT America as a program host.

March 2016: Supported Bernie Sanders for Democratic nomination

In March 2016, Oliver Stone wrote on The Huffington Post indicating his support for Vermont U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders for the 2016 Democratic nomination.

September 2016: Voting for Jill Stein

In September 2016, Oliver Stone said he was voting for Green Party candidate Jill Stein for president.

2016: Criticized what he perceived to be the hypocrisy of the Democratic Party

In 2020, Oliver Stone voted for Joe Biden but criticized what he perceived to be the hypocrisy of the Democratic Party, saying that the Democrats were not as concerned about Russian interference as they had been in 2016 when Trump won.

2017: Carrie Stevens alleged sexual assault in 1991

In 2017, former Playboy model Carrie Stevens alleged that in 1991, Oliver Stone grabbed her breast at a party.

April 2018: Compared Donald Trump to Beelzebub

In April 2018, Oliver Stone likened Donald Trump to "Beelzebub" at a press conference in Tehran.

2020: Semi-Retirement and Memoir Release

In 2020, Oliver Stone announced his semi-retirement from film-making and released his first memoir, Chasing the Light: Writing, Directing, and Surviving Platoon, Midnight Express, Scarface, Salvador, and the Movie Game.

Chasing The Light: Writing, Directing, and Surviving Platoon, Midnight Express, Scarface, Salvador, and the Movie Game

Check it on Amazon

2020: Voted for Joe Biden but criticized the Democratic Party

In 2020, Oliver Stone voted for Joe Biden but criticized what he perceived to be the hypocrisy of the Democratic Party.

2022: Sean Stone stopped working for RT America

In 2022, Sean Stone, Oliver Stone's son, stopped working for the Russia state media company RT America as a program host.

July 2023: Expressed regret for voting for Biden

In July 2023, during an interview with Russell Brand, Oliver Stone stated that he regretted voting for Biden, fearing he could start World War III over the Russo-Ukrainian war.

December 2024: Defined himself as an independent

In a December 2024 podcast interview, Oliver Stone defined himself as an independent opposed to neoconservatism and a "real liberal" influenced by John Stuart Mill.

2024: Follow-up Memoir and Archive Donation

In 2024, Oliver Stone announced he was writing a follow-up memoir and donated his archives to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

2024: Reflected on the 2000 election

In 2024, Oliver Stone reflected that the day the U.S. Supreme Court ended the Florida recount in the 2000 presidential election was "the worst moment, for me, of this century,".

2024: Voted for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

In 2024, Oliver Stone voted for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the general presidential election, who appeared on the ballot as the American Independent Party candidate.