- Met wife-to-be Julie Andrews after she had heard that he once described her as being, "...so sweet she probably has violets between her legs." Andrews was so entertained by the remark she sent Edwards a bunch of violets accompanied by a note. They began dating and later married.
- He adopted two children from Vietnam with Dame Julie Andrews, Amelia Edwards (born 1974) and Joanna Edwards (born 1975).
- When asked, "If you could work with one actor for the rest of your career, who would it be?" he answered, in a heartbeat, "Jack Lemmon.".
- Directed six actors in Oscar nominated performances: Audrey Hepburn, Jack Lemmon, Lee Remick, Dame Julie Andrews, Robert Preston and Lesley Ann Warren.
- Suffered from CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome).
- Former roommates with Mickey Rooney.
- Was a student of the late martial artist Bruce Lee.
- As of 2007, he is one of six directors who has directed his wife to a Best Actress Oscar nomination (Dame Julie Andrews in Victor/Victoria (1982)). The other five are Joel Coen directing Frances McDormand in Fargo (1996), John Cassavetes directing Gena Rowlands in A Woman Under the Influence (1974) & Gloria (1980), Richard Brooks directing Jean Simmons in The Happy Ending (1969), Paul Czinner directing Elisabeth Bergner in Escape Me Never (1935) and Paul Newman directing Joanne Woodward in Rachel, Rachel (1968). Jules Dassin also directed his future wife Melina Mercouri in an Oscar-nominated performance (Never on Sunday (1960)), but they weren't married yet at the time of the nomination.
- The Honorary Academy Award that he received was presented to him by personal fan Jim Carrey (2004).
- Was one of the first directors to employ video playback of shot film footage on set. He did this with The Party (1968).
- Was the original writer and director on City Heat (1984). He stepped aside as director after creative differences with star Clint Eastwood.
- Has directed three films that have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), Days of Wine and Roses (1962) and The Pink Panther (1963).
- Met actor David Niven, when Edwards was writing and directing films for Four Star Television, a production company partly owned by Niven.
- Grandson of silent screen director J. Gordon Edwards.
- In the short documentary Breakfast at Tiffany's: The Making of a Classic (2006), Blake Edwards said that when he directed Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), he didn't think about the implications of casting a white actor, Mickey Rooney, in a role as a Japanese person, but "looking back, I wish I had never done it... and I would give anything to be able to recast it.".
- Father of Jennifer Edwards and Geoffrey Edwards.
- Named the inaugural distinguished fellow in film writing directing and producing at Arizona State University's film school. (August 2005)
- His grandchildren are: Kayti and Hannah Schneider, from daughter Jennifer Edwards; Isabelle and Hank, from son Geoffrey Edwards; Max Scheff, from daughter Amelia Edwards; and Sam and Hope, from stepdaughter Emma Walton Hamilton.
- Biography in: John Wakeman, editor. "World Film Directors, Volume Two, 1945-1985." Pages 302-310. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company (1988).
- Father-in-law of Sarah Haskins.
- Bill, as he was known then, was in the same graduating class from Beverly Hills High as Jackie Cooper, Summer, 1940.
- He attended Beverly Hills High. In his years there, his name sometimes appeared as McEdward and as McEdwards. When he graduated in Summer, 1940, he was listed as Bill McEdward.
- Had two great-grandchildren, Shaely and Kaden, from granddaughter Kayti.
- He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6908 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on April 3, 1991.
- Stepson of stage director and movie production manager Jack McEdward.
- Daughter, Amelia Edwards, married rock musician Lauren Scheff on October 24, 2004. They are now divorced.
- Had originally signed to direct The Shadow on the Window (1957).
- Stepfather of Emma Walton Hamilton.
- Born on the exact same date as Jason Robards.
- Stepfather-in-law of Steve Hamilton.
- His longtime friend (40 years) and publicist is Gene Schwam.
- He was the primary writer of the radio police drama "The Lineup" (July 6, 1950 - February 20, 1953).
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