Ben Markson (August 6, 1892 – October 20, 1971) was an American screenwriter active from the very beginning of the

sound film A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades passed before ...

era through the end of the 1950s. During his 30-year career he was responsible for the story and/or screenplay of 45 films, as well as writing the scripts for several episodic television shows in the 1950s.

Life and career

Markson was born on August 6, 1892 in Creston, Iowa. Prior to writing screenplays, Markson worked as a journalist, and then was part of the publicity department for

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 ...

. He would break into the film industry as the co-screenwriter on the 1928 film ''The River Pirate'', a silent film with sound sequences starring

Victor McLaglen Victor Andrew de Bier Everleigh McLaglen (10 December 1886 – 7 November 1959) was a British boxer-turned-Hollywood actor.Obituary ''Variety'', 11 November 1959, page 79. He was known as a character actor, particularly in Westerns, and made se ...

. In the

pre-code Pre-Code Hollywood was the brief era in the American film industry between the widespread adoption of sound in film in 1929LaSalle (2002), p. 1. and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorship guidelines, popularly known ...

era of the early 1930s, Markson was known for his racy scripts. Some of his early successes include: ''

The Half-Naked Truth ''The Half-Naked Truth'' is a 1932 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Gregory La Cava. The plot involves Lee Tracy as a carnival pitchman who finagles his girlfriend, a fiery hoochie dancer played by Lupe Vélez, into a major Broadw ...

'', a 1932 comedy directed by

Gregory La Cava Gregory La Cava (March 10, 1892 – March 1, 1952) was an American film director of Italian descent best known for his films of the 1930s, including ''My Man Godfrey'' and ''Stage Door'', which earned him nominations for Academy Award for Best ...

and starring

Lupe Vélez María Guadalupe Villalobos Vélez (July 18, 1908 – December 13, 1944), known professionally as Lupe Vélez, was a Mexican actress, singer and dancer during the Golden Age of Hollywood cinema. Vélez began her career as a performer in Mexican ...

and

Lee Tracy William Lee Tracy (April 14, 1898 – October 18, 1968) was an American stage, film, and television actor. He is known foremost for his portrayals between the late 1920s and 1940s of fast-talking, wisecracking news reporters, press agents, lawye ...

; ''

Is My Face Red? ''Is My Face Red?'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by William A. Seiter and written by Ben Markson and Casey Robinson. The film stars Helen Twelvetrees, Ricardo Cortez, Jill Esmond, Robert Armstrong and Arline Judge. It was ...

'' (1932), which Markson and co-screenwriter

Casey Robinson Kenneth Casey Robinson (October 17, 1903 – December 6, 1979) was an American producer and director of mostly B movies and a screenwriter responsible for some of Bette Davis' most revered films. Film critic Richard Corliss once described him ...

based on Markson's play which he co-wrote with Allen Rivkin; co-wrote the screenplay (with

Jane Murfin Jane Murfin (October 27, 1884 – August 10, 1955) was an American playwright and screenwriter. The author of several successful plays, she wrote some of them with actress Jane Cowl—most notably '' Smilin' Through'' (1919), which was adapted ...

) for ''

What Price Hollywood? ''What Price Hollywood?'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by George Cukor and starring Constance Bennett with Lowell Sherman. The screenplay by Gene Fowler, Rowland Brown, Jane Murfin and Ben Markson is based on a story by A ...

'', also in 1932, directed by

George Cukor George Dewey Cukor (; July 7, 1899 – January 24, 1983) was an American film director and film producer. He mainly concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations. His career flourished at RKO when David O. Selznick, the studio's Head of ...

, and starring

Constance Bennett Constance Campbell Bennett (October 22, 1904 – July 24, 1965) was an American stage, film, radio, and television actress and producer. She was a major Hollywood star during the 1920s and 1930s; during the early 1930s, she was the highest-paid ...

and

Lowell Sherman Lowell J. Sherman (October 11, 1888 – December 28, 1934) was an American actor and film director. In an unusual practice for the time, he served as both actor and director on several films in the early 1930s. He later turned exclusively to d ...

; '' Lady Killer'' (1933), starring

James Cagney James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor, dancer and film director. On stage and in film, Cagney was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He ...

; and 1934's ''

Here Comes the Navy ''Here Comes the Navy'' (also known as ''Hey, Sailor'') is a 1934 American romantic comedy film written by Earl Baldwin and Ben Markson and directed by Lloyd Bacon. The film stars James Cagney, Pat O'Brien, Gloria Stuart and Frank McHugh. Stuar ...

'', a romantic comedy again starring Cagney. Other notable films on which Markson contributed to the script included: 1937's screwball comedy, ''

Danger – Love at Work ''Danger – Love at Work'' is a 1937 American screwball comedy film directed by Otto Preminger. The screenplay by James Edward Grant and Ben Markson focuses on an attorney's frustrating efforts to deal with a wildly eccentric family. Plot Henry ...

'', directed by

Otto Preminger Otto Ludwig Preminger ( , ; 5 December 1905 – 23 April 1986) was an Austrian-American theatre and film director, film producer, and actor. He directed more than 35 feature films in a five-decade career after leaving the theatre. He first gai ...

, for which he co-wrote the screenplay; the 1938 classic ''

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm ''Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm'' is a classic American 1903 children's novel by Kate Douglas Wiggin that tells the story of Rebecca Rowena Randall and her aunts, one stern and one kind, in the fictional village of Riverboro, Maine. Rebecca's joy ...

'', starring

Shirley Temple Shirley Temple Black (born Shirley Jane Temple;While Temple occasionally used "Jane" as a middle name, her birth certificate reads "Shirley Temple". Her birth certificate was altered to prolong her babyhood shortly after she signed with Fox in ...

; and ''Mr. District Attorney'' (1947), starring

Dennis O'Keefe Dennis O'Keefe (born Edward Vanes Flanagan, Jr., March 29, 1908 – August 31, 1968) was an American actor and writer. Early years Born in Fort Madison, Iowa, O'Keefe was the son of Edward Flanagan and Charlotte Flanagan, Irish vaudevill ...

and

Adolphe Menjou Adolphe Jean Menjou (February 18, 1890 – October 29, 1963) was an American actor. His career spanned both silent films and talkies. He appeared in such films as Charlie Chaplin's ''A Woman of Paris'', where he played the lead role; Stanley K ...

. Markson served on the board of directors of the Screen Writers Guild in the latter half of the 1930s. Later in his career, Markson worked on the scripts for several film series, including '' A Close Call for Boston Blackie'' (the Boston Blackie series), and ''

The Falcon in San Francisco ''The Falcon in San Francisco'' is a 1945 American crime and mystery film directed by Joseph H. Lewis and stars Tom Conway, Rita Corday and Edward Brophy, who played the recurring role of "Goldie" Locke. The film was the 11th in The Falcon serie ...

'' in 1945 ( The Falcon series). In the 1950s, Markson wrote the teleplays for several episodic television shows, including ''

The Cisco Kid The Cisco Kid is a fictional character found in numerous film, radio, television and comic book series based on the fictional Western character created by O. Henry in his 1907 short story "The Caballero's Way", published in '' Everybody's Magaz ...

'' and ''

Racket Squad ''Racket Squad'' is an American TV crime drama series that aired from 1951 to 1953. The format was a narrated anthology drama, as each individual episode featured various ordinary citizens getting ensnared in a different confidence scheme. E ...

''. Markson's last contribution to film was the story for the 1959 crime drama, '' Edge of Eternity'', starring

Cornel Wilde Cornel Wilde (born Kornél Lajos Weisz; October 13, 1912 – October 16, 1989) was a Hungarian-American actor and filmmaker. Wilde's acting career began in 1935, when he made his debut on Broadway. In 1936 he began making small, uncredited app ...

and Victoria Shaw. Markson was the brother-in-law of actor George Montgomery. Markson died on October 20, 1971 in Los Angeles County, California.

Filmography

(Per

AFI AFI may refer to: * ''Address-family identifier'', a 16 bit field of the Routing Information Protocol * Ashton Fletcher Irwin, an Australian drummer * AFI (band), an American rock band ** ''AFI'' (2004 album), a retrospective album by AFI rele ...

database) * ''

The River Pirate ''The River Pirate'' is a 1928 American drama film directed by William K. Howard and written by Malcolm Stuart Boylan, Ben Markson and John Reinhardt, based on the 1928 novel by Charles Francis Coe. The film stars Victor McLaglen, Lois Moran, ...

'' (1928) * '' Masked Emotions'' (1929) * ''

'' (1932) * ''

Rackety Rax ''Rackety Rax'' is a 1932 American pre-Code comedy action film directed by Alfred L. Werker and starring Victor McLaglen, Greta Nissen and Nell O'Day. Plot Always looking for an angle, "Knucks" McGloin purchases the mortgage on Canarsie Colle ...

'' (1932) * ''

Gold Diggers of 1933 ''Gold Diggers of 1933'' is a pre-Code Warner Bros. musical film directed by Mervyn LeRoy with songs by Harry Warren (music) and Al Dubin (lyrics), staged and choreographed by Busby Berkeley. It stars Warren William, Joan Blondell, Aline ...

'' (1933) * ''

Girl Missing ''Girl Missing'' is a 1933 American pre-Code mystery film starring Glenda Farrell, Ben Lyon and Mary Brian. It was directed by Robert Florey and released by Warner Bros. on March 4, 1933. Two women stranded in Palm Beach become involved in ...

'' (1933) * ''

Picture Snatcher ''Picture Snatcher'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-code drama film starring James Cagney as a gangster who decides to quit to pursue his dream. Plot After getting out of prison, Danny Kean (James Cagney) shocks the gang he leads by ...

'' (1933) * '' Lady Killer'' (1933) * '' Lucky Devils'' (1933) * ''

The Silk Express ''The Silk Express'' is a 1933 American pre-Code drama film directed by Ray Enright and written by Houston Branch and Ben Markson. The film, starring Neil Hamilton, Sheila Terry, Arthur Byron, Guy Kibbee, Dudley Digges and Arthur Hohl, was r ...

'' (1933) * '' Goodbye Again'' (1933) * ''

Babbitt Babbitt may refer to: Fiction * ''Babbitt'' (novel), a 1922 novel by Sinclair Lewis ** ''Babbitt'' (1924 film), a 1924 silent film based on the novel ** ''Babbitt'' (1934 film), a 1934 film based on the novel *Babbit, the family name of the titl ...

'' (1934) * ''

Upperworld ''Upperworld'' is a 1934 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code drama film directed by Roy Del Ruth and starring Warren William as a wealthy married railroad Business magnate, tycoon whose friendship with a showgirl, played by Ginger Rogers, leads ...

'' (1934) * '' Big Hearted Herbert'' (1934) * ''

'' (1934) * ''

The Case of the Howling Dog ''The Case of the Howling Dog'' is a 1934 American mystery film directed by Alan Crosland, based on the 1934 novel of the same name by Erle Stanley Gardner. The film stars Warren William and Mary Astor. This was the first in a series of four film ...

'' (1934) * ''

The White Cockatoo ''The White Cockatoo'' is a 1935 American mystery film directed by Alan Crosland and starring Jean Muir, Ricardo Cortez and Ruth Donnelly. It was based on the 1933 novel of the same name by Mignon G. Eberhart. A print is preserved in the Library ...

'' (1935) * '' Bright Lights'' (1935) * ''

The Case of the Lucky Legs ''The Case of the Lucky Legs'' is a 1935 mystery film, the third in a series of Perry Mason films starring Warren William as the famed lawyer. Plot Margie Clune wins the "Lucky Legs" beauty contest concocted by Frank Patton, but has trouble ...

'' (1935) * ''

Going Highbrow ''Going Highbrow'' is a 1935 American comedy-musical film directed by Robert Florey. Guy Kibbee and ZaSu Pitts play a newly rich couple, so eager to buy their way into society they hire a waitress to pose as their daughter. Plot summary Cas ...

'' (1935) * '' Brides Are Like That'' (1936) * '' Nobody's Fool'' (1936) * ''

Flying Hostess ''Flying Hostess'' is a 1936 American drama film directed by Murray Roth and starring William Gargan, Judith Barrett and William Hall.Paris p.75 A group of stewardesses undergo their training, and later thwart the hijacking of an airplane. Part ...

'' (1936) * ''

That I May Live ''That I May Live'' is a 1937 American crime film directed by Allan Dwan, written by Ben Markson and William M. Conselman, and starring Rochelle Hudson, Robert Kent, J. Edward Bromberg, Jack La Rue, Frank Conroy and Fred Kelsey. It was releas ...

'' (1937) * ''

Woman-Wise ''Woman-Wise'' is a 1937 American crime film directed by Allan Dwan and written by Ben Markson. The film stars Rochelle Hudson, Michael Whalen, Thomas Beck, Alan Dinehart, Douglas Fowley and George Hassell. The film was released on January 2 ...

'' (1937) * '' Ready, Willing and Able'' (1937) * ''

Sing Me a Love Song ''Sing Me a Love Song'' is a 1936 American musical film directed by Ray Enright and written by Sig Herzig and Jerry Wald. The film stars James Melton, Patricia Ellis, Hugh Herbert, ZaSu Pitts, Allen Jenkins and Nat Pendleton. The Warner Bro ...

'' (1937) * '' Sing and Be Happy'' (1937) * ''

'' (1937) * ''

'' (1938) * ''

Pride of the Navy ''Pride of the Navy'' is a 1939 American action film directed by Charles Lamont and written by Ben Markson and Saul Elkins. The film stars James Dunn, Rochelle Hudson, Gordon Oliver, Horace McMahon, Gordon Jones and Charlotte Wynters. The fil ...

'' (1939) * ''

I Was a Convict ''I Was a Convict'' is a 1939 American crime film directed by Aubrey Scotto and written by Robert Hardy Andrews and Ben Markson. The film stars Barton MacLane, Beverly Roberts, Clarence Kolb, Janet Beecher, Horace McMahon and Ben Welden. The fi ...

'' (1939) * '' The Great Mr. Nobody'' (1941) * ''

The Smiling Ghost ''The Smiling Ghost'' is a 1941 American film directed by Lewis Seiler and starring Wayne Morris, Alexis Smith, and Alan Hale. The film is in the horror comedy genre, which was popular in the 1940s. Plot The elderly Mrs. Bentley (Helen West ...

'' (1941) * ''

Thieves Fall Out ''Thieves Fall Out'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Ray Enright, written by Charles Grayson and Ben Markson, and starring Eddie Albert, Joan Leslie, Jane Darwell, Alan Hale, Sr., William T. Orr and John Litel. It was released by Wa ...

'' (1941) * ''

He Hired the Boss ''He Hired the Boss'' is a 1943 American comedy film directed by Thomas Z. Loring and written by Irving Cummings Jr. and Ben Markson. The film stars Stuart Erwin, Evelyn Venable, Thurston Hall, Vivian Blaine, William T. Orr and Benny Bartlett. T ...

'' (1943) * '' The Beautiful Cheat'' (1945) * ''

'' (1945) * ''

Prison Ship A prison ship, often more accurately described as a prison hulk, is a current or former seagoing vessel that has been modified to become a place of substantive detention for convicts, prisoners of war or civilian internees. While many nat ...

'' (1945) * '' A Close Call for Boston Blackie'' (1946) * '' It Happened on 5th Avenue'' (1947) * ''

Mr. District Attorney ''Mr. District Attorney'' is a radio crime drama produced by Samuel Bischoff that aired on NBC and ABC from April 3, 1939 to June 13, 1952 (and in transcribed syndication through 1953). The series focused on a crusading district attorney initia ...

'' (1947) * '' Edge of Eternity'' (1959)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Markson, Ben 1892 births 1971 deaths American male screenwriters People from Creston, Iowa Screenwriters from Iowa 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American screenwriters