Hiller began his show business career in television for the CBC in Toronto in the 1950s, and was a successful television director before moving into films and Hollywood.

(On Open City) “It was all that neorealism; it just caught me at the right time. I can't even remember, but I know there were a few films at that time, neorealist films, that they were doing in Europe that we were not doing here. It just felt so real to me and so good. I didn't jump and say, "Oh, I want to make movies like that," but I guess I was feeling that without realizing it. The same as when I finally woke up and said, "I want to be a director."

In the 1950s Hiller directed an episode of the anthology series Alfred Hitchcock Presents entitled “Disappearing Trick” which starred Betsy von Furstenberg and Robert Horton. He also directed a number of episodes of Thriller.

In an interview with journalist Robert K. Elder for The Film That Changed My Life, Hiller noted the film Rome, Open City to have had a strong influence on his career.

It just felt so real to me and so good. I didn’t jump and say, “Oh, I want to make movies like that,” but I guess I was feeling that without realizing it. The same as when I finally woke up and said, “I want to be a director.”

Hiller served as President of the Directors Guild of America from 1989 to 1993 and President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences from 1993 to 1997. He was the recipient of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the 2002 Academy Awards ceremony in recognition of his humanitarian, charitable and philanthropic efforts.[citation needed]

In 2002, he was honoured with a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame in Toronto, Ontario. In 2006, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. —Wikipedia