Alexander Hall (January 11, 1894 – July 30, 1968) was an American film director, film editor and theatre actor.

Biography

Hall acted in the theatre from the age of 4 through 1914, when he began to work in

silent movie ''Silent Movie'' is a 1976 American satirical comedy film co-written, directed by and starring Mel Brooks, released by 20th Century Fox in the summer of 1976. The ensemble cast includes Dom DeLuise, Marty Feldman, Bernadette Peters, and Sid Cae ...

s. Following his military service in World War I, he returned to Hollywood and pursued a career in film production. He worked as a film editor and assistant director at

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

until 1932, when he directed his first feature film ''Sinners in the Sun''. From 1937 to 1947, he was a contract director at

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...

, where he earned a reputation for sophisticated comedies. He was nominated for the

Academy Award for Best Director The Academy Award for Best Director (officially known as the Academy Award of Merit for Directing) is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given in honor of a film director who has exhibi ...

for ''

Here Comes Mr. Jordan ''Here Comes Mr. Jordan'' is a 1941 American fantasy romantic comedy film directed by Alexander Hall, in which a boxer, mistakenly taken to Heaven before his time, is given a second chance back on Earth. It stars Robert Montgomery, Claude Rains ...

'' (1941). From 1934 to 1936, Hall was married to actress

Lola Lane Lola Lane (born Dorothy Mullican; May 21, 1906 – June 22, 1981) was an American actress and one of the Lane Sisters with her sisters Leota, Rosemary, and Priscilla Lane. She appeared on Broadway and in films from the 1920s to 1940s. Early yea ...

. He was also married to Marjorie Hunter. In 1952, Hall had a home in Palm Springs, California. He was engaged briefly to

Lucille Ball Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American actress, comedienne and producer. She was nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning five times, and was the recipient of several other accolades, such as the Golden ...

, who left him when she met Desi Arnaz. The couple later hired him to direct their 1956 film ''

Forever, Darling ''Forever, Darling'' is a 1956 American fantasy romantic comedy film directed by Alexander Hall, written by Helen Deutsch, and starring Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, and James Mason. In the film, Ball stars as a wife who tries to save her struggling ...

''.''Desilu: The Story of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz'' by Coyne Steven Sanders and Tom Gilbert, William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1993, pp. 102–103 () Hall died of complications from a stroke in San Francisco. He was survived by a son.

Partial filmography

* '' The Leech'' (1921) * ''

A Game of Craft A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes'' ...

'' (1922) * ''

The Heart of a Siren ''Heart of a Siren'' (also titled ''Heart of a Temptress'') is a 1925 silent romantic drama film directed by Phil Rosen and distributed by First National Pictures. Barbara La Marr starred in one of her last movies. It was based on the Broadway p ...

'' (1925) * '' Miss Nobody'' (1926) * '' The Crash'' (1928, editor) * '' Kismet'' (1930, editor) * '' Sinners in the Sun'' (1932) * ''

Madame Racketeer ''Madame Racketeer'' is a 1932 American pre-Code comedy film featuring Alison Skipworth, Richard Bennett and George Raft. The movie was directed by Harry Wagstaff Gribble and Alexander Hall.Everett Aaker, ''The Films of George Raft'', McFarland ...

'' (1932) * ''

The Girl in 419 ''The Girl in 419'' is a 1933 American pre-Code drama film directed by Alexander Hall and George Somnes and written by Allen Rivkin, Manuel Seff and P.J. Wolfson. The film stars James Dunn, Gloria Stuart, David Manners, William Harrigan, Shi ...

'' (1933) * ''Midnight Club'' (1933) * '' Torch Singer'' (1933) * '' Limehouse Blues'' (1934) * ''

Little Miss Marker ''Little Miss Marker'' (also known as ''The Girl in Pawn'') is an American Pre-Code 1934 comedy-drama film directed by Alexander Hall. It was written by William R. Lipman, Sam Hellman, and Gladys Lehman after a 1932 short story of the same name ...

'' (1934) * ''

Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen ''Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen'' is a 1934 pre-Code American comedy-drama film, starring Dorothea Wieck, Alice Brady, and Baby LeRoy, written by Adela Rogers St. Johns and Jane Storm from a novel and story by Rupert Hughes, and directed by Alexa ...

'' (1934) * '' The Pursuit of Happiness'' (1934) * ''

Goin' to Town ''Goin' To Town'' is a 1935 musical comedy film directed by Alexander Hall and written by Mae West. The film stars Mae West, Paul Cavanagh, Gilbert Emery, Marjorie Gateson, Tito Coral and Ivan Lebedeff. The film was released on April 25, 1935, ...

'' (1935) * '' There's Always a Woman'' (1938) * '' I Am the Law'' (1938) * ''

There's That Woman Again ''There's That Woman Again'' is a 1938 American comedy mystery film directed by Alexander Hall. It is the sequel to ''There's Always a Woman'', released the same year. In both films, Melvyn Douglas stars as a private investigator whose wife involv ...

'' (1938) * '' The Lady's from Kentucky'' (1939) * '' Good Girls Go to Paris'' (1939) * ''

The Amazing Mr. Williams ''The Amazing Mr. Williams'' is a 1939 American screwball comedy film produced by Everett Riskin for Columbia Pictures and directed by Alexander Hall. The film stars Melvyn Douglas, Joan Blondell and Clarence Kolb. It was written by Dwight Tayl ...

'' (1939) * '' He Stayed for Breakfast'' (1940) * '' This Thing Called Love'' (1940) * ''

Bedtime Story A bedtime story is a traditional form of storytelling, where a story is told to a child at bedtime to prepare the child for sleep. The bedtime story has long been considered "a definite institution in many families".Dickson, Marguerite Stockma ...

'' (1941) * ''

My Sister Eileen ''My Sister Eileen'' is a series of autobiographical short stories by Ruth McKenney, originally published in ''The New Yorker'', which eventually inspired many other works: her 1938 book ''My Sister Eileen'', a play, a musical, a radio play (a ...

'' (1942) * '' They All Kissed the Bride'' (1942) * ''

She Wouldn't Say Yes ''She Wouldn't Say Yes'' is a 1945 screwball comedy film directed by Alexander Hall and starring Rosalind Russell and Lee Bowman. Plot A psychiatrist, Dr. Susan Lane, is leaving a military hospital after spending two weeks working with patients ...

'' (1945) * ''

Down to Earth (1947 film) ''Down to Earth'' is a 1947 musical comedy film starring Rita Hayworth, Larry Parks, and Marc Platt (dancer), Marc Platt, and directed by Alexander Hall. The film is a sequel to the 1941 film ''Here Comes Mr. Jordan'', also directed by Hall. Whil ...

'' (1947) * '' The Great Lover'' (1949) * '' Louisa'' (1950) * ''

Because You're Mine ''Because You're Mine'' is a 1952 musical comedy film starring Mario Lanza. Directed by Alexander Hall, the film also stars Doretta Morrow, James Whitmore, and Dean Miller. Plot Opera singer superstar Renato Rossano (Mario Lanza) is drafted in ...

'' (1952) * '' Let's Do It Again'' (1953) * ''

'' (1956)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hall, Alexander 1894 births 1968 deaths American film directors American male stage actors Male actors from Boston