"If Bush, as I believe, has reliable information on the fact that Saddam Hussein is making weapons of mass destruction, I cannot support the policies of his government. "

Steven Spilberg is an American movie director whose work includes Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T. and Schindler's List.

Spielberg is part of the "film-school generation" that emerged from the 1970s. His fellow film makers include George Lucas, Martin Scorsese and Brain De Palma, all of whom grew up making movies. As a teenager he began making 8mm "adventure" movies with his friends during his teenage years. He made his first short film, Amblin, at 1968 when he was twenty one. He directed various television shows, as well as a "movie-of-the-week," Duel, during these early years. Much of his early success was due to Sidney Sheinberg who mentored him, and is credited with his discovery.

His successes with theatrical films began with The Sugarland Express, which won him critical praise. His film, Jaws, secured his place in motion pictures. And in 1976 he was asked to direct Superman, which he turned down to continue his personal project on Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).

The 1980s are said to contain some of Spielberg's greatest film work. Films include Indiana Jones, E.T., and The Color Purple. The 1990s included Hook, a story of Peter Pan returning to Neverland to counter Captain Hook. The film pulled in $70 million, which was huge amount at this time. Still enjoying the adventure genre, he also directed Jurassic Park in 1993. That same year he released Schindler's List, the movie that earned him critical acclaim; he earned his first Academy Award for Best Director.

More recently, Spilberg's movie have had a more mainstream fare. War of the Worlds, for example, features Tom Cruise and included special effects using Industrial Light and Magic. His film Munich, based upon Vengeance: The True Story of an Israeli Counter-Terrorist Team.

Abraham Lincoln Bio-Pic starring Laim Neeson and the 4th Indiana Jones film are scheduled for a 2007 release. He is the executive producer of Memoirs of a Geisha, Into the West, and NBC television's ER. He also works with Electronic Arts on video game projects, is one of the co-founders of DreamWorks Pictures, and founder of the Shoah Project, a non-profit organization.

Spielberg is married to Kate Capshaw. He has seven children-four biological: Max, Sasha, Sawyer, and Destroy; two adopted: Theo and Mikaela, and one, Jessica Capshaw, is Spielberg's stepdaughter. Max and Sasha were both born out of wedlock. Spielberg was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome as an adult, which explains his social tendencies and childhood obsessiveness about filmaking.

According to a 2005 Forbes magazine report, he is one of the "400 Richest People in America." His net worth estimated at $2.7 billion.