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W.S. Van Dyke

Popularity

0.6

  • 1889 - 1943

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Woodbridge Strong “W. S.” Van Dyke II (Woody) (March 21, 1889 – February 5, 1943) was an American film director and writer who made several successful early sound films, including Tarzan the Ape Man in 1932, The Thin Man in 1934, San Francisco in 1936, and six popular musicals with Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald. He received two Academy Award nominations for Best Director for The Thin Man and San Francisco, and directed four actors to Oscar nominations: William Powell, Spencer Tracy, Norma Shearer, and Robert Morley. Known as a reliable craftsman who made his films on schedule and under budget, he earned the name "One Take Woody" for his quick and efficient style of filming. Many of his films were huge hits and top box office in any given year. He received Academy Award for Best Director nominations for The Thin Man (1934) and San Francisco (1936). He also directed the Oscar-winning classic Eskimo (also known as Mala the Magnificent), in which he also has a featured acting role. His other films include the island adventure White Shadows in the South Seas (1928); its follow-up, The Pagan (1929); Trader Horn (1931), which was filmed almost entirely in Africa; Tarzan the Ape Man (1932); Manhattan Melodrama (1934); and Marie Antoinette (1938). He is perhaps best remembered, however, for directing Myrna Loy and William Powell in four Thin Man films: The Thin Man (1934), After the Thin Man (1936), Another Thin Man (1939), and Shadow of the Thin Man (1941); and Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy in six of their greatest hits, Naughty Marietta (1935), Rose Marie (1936), Sweethearts (1938), New Moon (1940) (uncredited because halfway through filming Robert Z. Leonard took over), Bitter Sweet (1940), and I Married an Angel (1942). The earthquake sequence in San Francisco is considered one of the best special-effects sequences ever filmed. To help direct, Van Dyke called upon his early mentor, D. W. Griffith, who had fallen on hard times. Van Dyke was also known to hire old-time, out-of-work actors as extras. Because of his loyalty, he was much beloved and admired in the industry. Van Dyke was known for allowing ad-libbing (that remained in the film) and for coaxing natural performances from his actors. He made stars of Nelson Eddy, James Stewart, Myrna Loy, Johnny Weissmuller, Maureen O'Sullivan, Eleanor Powell, Ilona Massey, and Margaret O'Brien. He was often called in to work a few days (or more), uncredited, on a film that was in trouble or had gone over production schedule. Promoted to the rank of major prior to World War II, the patriotic Van Dyke set up a Marine Corps recruiting center in his MGM office. He was one of the first Hollywood bigwigs to advocate early U.S. involvement, and he convinced stars like Clark Gable, James Stewart, Robert Taylor, and Nelson Eddy to become involved in the war effort.

Birthday: 1889-03-21

Born At: San Diego, California, U.S.

Casted In:

Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages
3059
Eskimo
113638
The Miracle of Sound
240481
Oliver Twist
481599

Crewed In:

The Thin Man
3529
After the Thin Man
14588
Another Thin Man
14589
Shadow of the Thin Man
14590
I Love You Again
20643
Tarzan the Ape Man
26845
Manhattan Melodrama
28564
Rage in Heaven
31324
Penthouse
34977
Rosalie
43151
Cairo
43166
I Married an Angel
43523
Journey for Margaret
43526
New Moon
43816
Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever
43826
Marie Antoinette
43847
Sweethearts
43849
Personal Property
43863
The Prisoner of Zenda
43867
Rose Marie
43880
San Francisco
43881
Broadway Melody of 1936
43890
Naughty Marietta
43894
It's a Wonderful World
47156
White Shadows in the South Seas
53161
Love on the Run
61541
Hide-Out
64318
Trader Horn
84296
The Devil Is a Sissy
88031
The Feminine Touch
95137
The Prizefighter and the Lady
95854
The Cuban Love Song
97846
Eskimo
113638
Night Court
117004
Bitter Sweet
121695
The Lady of the Dugout
128514
Stand Up and Fight
147829
Forsaking All Others
150249
They Gave Him a Gun
150712
His Brother's Wife
152988
Dr. Kildare's Victory
153169
Never the Twain Shall Meet
156332
Guilty Hands
162284
The Pagan
168887
Laughing Boy
178936
I Live My Life
179066
I Take This Woman
184955
Under the Black Eagle
204950
Winners Of The Wilderness
347699
The Adventures of Daredevil Jack
358246
Foreign Devils
377441
War Paint
377457
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