Otto Lang (film Producer)

Otto Lang (21 January 1908 – 30 January 2006), born in Tešanj, Bosnia-Herzegovina, was a skier and pioneer ski instructor in the United States. He founded ski schools on Mount Rainier, Mount Baker and Mount Hood beginning in the 1930s, and as the director of the ski school at Sun Valley became the ski instructor for Hollywood stars. Later he became a movie director and producer, primarily due to his contacts at Sun Valley. He appeared in Jerome Hill's documentary Ski Flight (1938) which premiered at Radio City Music Hall.

Lang was hired by Darryl F. Zanuck to assist with the ski sequences of the 1941 movie Sun Valley Serenade starring Sonja Henie, which ultimately led to his cinematic work. Some of his notable films include Call Northside 777 (1948 - producer), 5 Fingers (1952 - producer), The Search for Paradise (working title The Search for Shangri-La) (1956 - director) and Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970 - associate producer of the Japanese segments).

Otto Lang is also an author. His memoir, A Bird of Passage – The Story of My Life -- From the Alps of Austria to Hollywood, U.S.A., was published in 1994. Around the World in 90 Years – Images From My Life’s Journey, published in 2000, is a collection of photographs taken by Mr. Lang during his lifelong travels. The pages include his anecdotal descriptions of the photographs and his life.