Erle C. Kenton

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Erle C. Kenton
Kenton in 1921
Born(1896-08-01)August 1, 1896
Norborne, Missouri, U.S.
DiedJanuary 28, 1980(1980-01-28) (aged 83)
Glendale, California, U.S.
OccupationFilm director
Years active1916-1957

Erle C. Kenton (August 1, 1896 – January 28, 1980) was an American film director. Kenton was director of B films,[1] with his most famous film being Island of Lost Souls starring Charles Laughton.[2]

Biography[edit]

Before filmwork, Kenton was a school teacher and later decided to become an animal exhibitor.[3] After working with various dog, pony and other animal shows, he entered the vaudeville circuit as a comedian. This led to him entering the film industry working on the Keystone Cops series of films making various short comedies.[3]

Kenton began as a writer for Mack Sennett in 1914, and he directed feature films for Columbia Pictures, Tiffany Pictures, Paramount Pictures, RKO Pictures, Republic Pictures.[2] He worked for Universal Pictures between 1941 and 1946 making films such as The Ghost of Frankenstein, House of Frankenstein, House of Dracula and The Cat Creeps and several films featuring comedians Abbott & Costello.[2] Kenton was replaced by Charles Lamont on Hit the Ice after problems with Lou Costello.[4]

Producer Paul Malvern stated later that Kenton and him "got along beautifully" and that "He was one director who thought everything out and made sure that he came in on budget and on time. He wasn't real fond of directing the Abbott and Costello films so he got a kick out of the monster films."[5] Kenton spoke about directing horror films in a 1944 interview, stating "They give us a chance to let our imagination run wild. The art department can go to town on creep sets. Prop men have fun with cobwebs. The cameraman has fun with trick lighting and shadows. The director has fun. We have more fun making a horror picture than a comedy."[6]

Kenton and Edward Ludwig were the principal directors of the 1958–1960 television series The Texan. Kenton died on January 28, 1980, of Parkinson's disease in Glendale, California.[2][7] Malvern recalled that when he visited Kenton before his death, Kenton did not recognize him.[7]

Selected filmography[edit]

Title Year Credited as Notes Ref(s)
Director Other
Down on the Farm 1920 Yes [8]
Love, Honor and Behave 1920 Yes [9]
A Small Town Idol 1921 Yes [10]
Tea – With a Kick 1921 Yes [10][11]
The Haunted House 1922 Yes [12]
A Fool and His Money 1925 Yes [10]
Red Hot Tires 1925 Yes [13]
The Love Toy 1926 Yes [14]
Other Women's Husbands 1926 Yes [15]
The Palm Beach Girl 1926 Yes [16]
The Sap 1926 Yes [17]
Wedding Bill$ 1927 Yes [18]
The Rejuvenation of Aunt Mary 1927 Yes [19]
The Girl in the Pullman 1927 Yes [20]
Bare Knees 1928 Yes [21]
The Sporting Age 1928 Yes [22]
Golf Widows 1928 Yes [23]
Name the Woman 1928 Yes Yes Screenwriter [24]
The Street of Illusion 1928 Yes [25]
Companionate Marriage 1928 Yes [26]
Nothing to Wear 1928 Yes [27]
The Sideshow 1928 Yes [28]
Father and Son 1929 Yes [29]
Trial Marriage 1929 Yes [30]
Song of Love 1929 Yes [31]
Mexicali Rose 1929 Yes [32]
A Royal Romance 1930 Yes [33]
The Last Parade 1931 Yes [34]
Lover Come Back 1931 Yes [35]
Left Over Ladies 1931 Yes [36]
X Marks the Spot 1931 Yes [37]
Guilty as Hell 1932 Yes [38]
Stranger in Town 1932 Yes [39]
Island of Lost Souls 1932 Yes [40]
From Hell to Heaven 1933 Yes [41]
Disgraced 1933 Yes [42]
Big Executive 1933 Yes [43]
Search for Beauty 1934 Yes [44]
You're Telling Me! 1934 Yes [45]
The Best Man Wins 1935 Yes [46]
Party Wire 1935 Yes [47]
The Public Menace 1935 Yes [48]
Devil's Squadron 1936 Yes [49]
Counterfeit 1936 Yes [50]
End of the Trail 1936 Yes Yes Actor, as Theodore Roosevelt [51]
The Devil's Playground 1937 Yes [52]
Racketeers in Exile 1937 Yes [53]
She Asked for It 1937 Yes [53]
The Lady Objects 1938 Yes [54]
Little Tough Guys in Society 1938 Yes [55]
Everything's on Ice 1939 Yes [56]
Escape to Paradise 1939 Yes [57]
South of Pago Pago 1940 Yes Associate producer [58]
Remedy for Riches 1940 Yes [59]
Petticoat Politics 1941 Yes [60]
Melody for Three 1941 Yes [61]
Naval Academy 1941 Yes [62]
They Meet Again 1941 Yes [63]
Flying Cadets 1941 Yes [64]
North to the Klondike 1942 Yes [65]
The Ghost of Frankenstein 1942 Yes [66]
Frisco Lil 1942 Yes [67]
Pardon My Sarong 1942 Yes [68]
Who Done It? 1942 Yes [69]
How's About It 1943 Yes [70]
It Ain't Hay 1943 Yes [71]
Always a Bridesmaid 1943 Yes [72]
Crazy House 1943 Yes Associate producer [71]
House of Frankenstein 1944 Yes [73][74]
She Gets Her Man 1945 Yes [75]
House of Dracula 1945 Yes [76]
The Cat Creeps 1946 Yes [77]
Little Miss Big 1946 Yes [78]
Bob and Sally 1948 Yes [79]
One Too Many 1951 Yes [80]
Secrets of Beauty 1951 Yes [81]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Wilson, Scott (2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons (3 ed.). McFarland. p. 402. ISBN 978-1476625997.
  2. ^ a b c d "Obituaries". The Muscatine Journal. April 30, 1980. p. 48.
  3. ^ a b Brosnan 1976, p. 273.
  4. ^ Furmanek, Bob and Ron Palumbo (1991). Abbott and Costello in Hollywood. New York: Perigee Books. ISBN 0-399-51605-0)
  5. ^ Malvern 2020, p. 26.
  6. ^ Mank 2022, p. 337.
  7. ^ a b Malvern 2020, p. 27.
  8. ^ "Down on the Farm". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  9. ^ "Love, Honor and Behave". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  10. ^ a b c "A Small Town Idol". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  11. ^ Rhodes 2006, p. 295.
  12. ^ Workman & Howarth 2016, p. 250.
  13. ^ "Red Hot Tires". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  14. ^ "The Love Toy". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  15. ^ "Other Women's Husbands". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  16. ^ "The Palm Beach Girl". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  17. ^ "The Sap". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  18. ^ "Wedding Bill$". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  19. ^ "The Rejuvenation of Aunt Mary". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  20. ^ "The Girl in the Pullman". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  21. ^ "Bare Knees". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  22. ^ "The Sporting Age". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  23. ^ "Golf Widows". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  24. ^ "Name the Woman". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  25. ^ "The Street of Illusion". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  26. ^ "The Companionate Marriage". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  27. ^ "Nothing to Wear". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  28. ^ "The Sideshow". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  29. ^ "Father and Son". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  30. ^ "Trial Marriage". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  31. ^ "Song of Love". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  32. ^ "Mexicali Rose". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  33. ^ "A Royal Romance". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  34. ^ "The Last Parade". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  35. ^ "Lover Come Back". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  36. ^ "Leftover Ladies". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  37. ^ "X Marks the Spot". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  38. ^ "Guilty as Hell". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  39. ^ "Stranger in Town". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  40. ^ "Island of Lost Souls". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  41. ^ "From Hell to Heaven". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  42. ^ "Disgraced". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  43. ^ "Big Executive". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  44. ^ "Search for Beauty". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  45. ^ "You're Telling Me!". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  46. ^ "The Best Man Wins". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  47. ^ "Party Wire". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  48. ^ "The Public Menace". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  49. ^ "Devil's Squadron". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  50. ^ "Counterfeit". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  51. ^ "End of the Trail". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  52. ^ "The Devil's Playground". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  53. ^ a b "Racketeers in Exile". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  54. ^ "The Lady Objects". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  55. ^ "Little Tough Guys in Society". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  56. ^ "Everything's on Ice". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  57. ^ "Escape to Paradise". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  58. ^ "South of Pago Pago". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  59. ^ "Remedy for Riches". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  60. ^ "Petticoat Politics". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  61. ^ "Melody for Three". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  62. ^ "Naval Academy". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  63. ^ "They Meet Again". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  64. ^ "Flying Cadets". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  65. ^ "North to the Klondike". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  66. ^ "The Ghost of Frankenstein". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  67. ^ "Frisco Lil". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  68. ^ "Pardon My Sarong". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  69. ^ "Who Done It?". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  70. ^ "How's About It". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  71. ^ a b "It Ain't Hay". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  72. ^ "Always a Bridesmaid". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  73. ^ "House of Frankenstein". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  74. ^ Mank, Coughlin & Frye 2003, p. 188.
  75. ^ "She Gets Her Man". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  76. ^ "House of Dracula". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  77. ^ "The Cat Creeps". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  78. ^ "Little Miss Big". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  79. ^ "The Story of Bob and Sally". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  80. ^ "One Too Many". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  81. ^ "Secrets of Beauty". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.

Sources[edit]

  • Brosnan, John (1976). The Horror People. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0356083942.
  • Malvern, Paul (2020) [1993]. "Forward". In Riley, Philip J. (ed.). House of Dracula. BearManor Media. ISBN 978-1629336169.
  • Mank, Gregory William; Coughlin, James T.; Frye, Dwight D. (2003) [1997]. Dwight Frye's Last Laugh. Midnight Marquee Press, Inc. ISBN 1-887664-11-4.
  • Mank, Gregory William (2022). Angels and Ministers of Grace Defend Us!. McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-1-4766-6553-5.
  • Rhodes, Gary D. (2006). White Zombie: Anatomy of a Horror Film. McFarland. ISBN 0786427620.
  • Workman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era. Midnight Marquee Press, Inc. ISBN 978-1936168682.

External links[edit]

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