Charles Francis Reisner (March 14, 1887 – September 24, 1962) was an American film director and actor of the 1920s and 1930s. The German-American directed over 60 films between 1920 and 1950 and acted in over 20 films between 1916 and 1929. He starred with

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is consider ...

in ''

A Dog's Life ''A Dog's Life'' is a 1918 American Comedy short silent film written, produced and directed by Charlie Chaplin. This was Chaplin's first film for First National Films. Chaplin plays opposite an animal as "co-star". "Scraps" (the dog) was the ...

'' in 1918 and ''

The Kid The Kid or The Kids may refer to: Fictional characters * The kid (''Blood Meridian''), a character in Cormac McCarthy's 1985 novel ''Blood Meridian'' * The Kid (''The Matrix''), a character in the ''Matrix'' film series * The Kid (''The Stand'' ...

'' in 1921. He directed

Buster Keaton Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton (October 4, 1895 – February 1, 1966) was an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He is best known for his silent film work, in which his trademark was physical comedy accompanied by a stoic, deadpan expression ...

(Keaton also co-directed it with him) in '' Steamboat Bill, Jr.'' (1928). During the late 1920s, through the 1940s, Reisner was under contract to

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...

. In 1930, he directed '' Chasing Rainbows'', a musical which starred

Bessie Love Bessie Love (born Juanita Horton; September 10, 1898April 26, 1986) was an American-British actress who achieved prominence playing innocent, young girls and wholesome leading ladies in silent and early sound films. Her acting career spanned e ...

and Charles King. He directed ''

The Big Store ''The Big Store'' is a 1941 American comedy film starring the Marx Brothers (Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx and Chico Marx) that takes place in a large department store. Groucho appears as private detective Wolf J. Flywheel (a character name originatin ...

'' (1941), the

Marx Brothers The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act that was successful in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in motion pictures from 1905 to 1949. Five of the Marx Brothers' thirteen feature films were selected by the American Film Institute (AFI) ...

' last film for MGM. Reisner died of a heart attack in

La Jolla, California La Jolla ( , ) is a hilly, seaside neighborhood within the city of San Diego, California, United States, occupying of curving coastline along the Pacific Ocean. The population reported in the 2010 census was 46,781. La Jolla is surrounded on ...

in 1962 at the age of 75.

Filmography

As Actor

* ''

'' (1918) * ''

'' (1921) * '' The Pilgrim'' (1923) * '' Hollywood'' (1923) * ''

Her Temporary Husband ''Her Temporary Husband'' is a 1923 American silent comedy film directed by John McDermott and starring Owen Moore. Based upon a play of the same name by Edward A. Paulton, it was produced and distributed by Associated First National (later Fi ...

'' (1923) * ''

Breaking Into Society ''Breaking Into Society'' is a 1923 American silent comedy film directed by Hunt Stromberg and starring Carrie Clark Ward, Bull Montana, and Kalla Pasha. Plot As described in a film magazine review, the O'Toole's of Tin Can Alley inherit a gre ...

'' (1923) * '' Fight and Win'' (1924) * ''

A Self-Made Failure ''A Self-Made Failure'' is a 1924 American silent comedy film distributed by Associated First National Pictures, later First National Pictures. It was directed by William Beaudine and starred silent comic Lloyd Hamilton and then child actor ...

'' (1924) * ''

Justice of the Far North ''Justice of the Far North'' is a 1925 American silent adventure film directed by Norman Dawn and starring Arthur Jasmine, Marcia Manon and Laska Winter. Cast *Arthur Jasmine as Umluk *Marcia Manon as Wamba *Laska Winter as Nootka *Charles ...

'' (1925)

As Director

* ''

The Man on the Box ''The Man on the Box'' is a 1914 American silent comedy-drama film directed by Oscar Apfel and co-directed by Cecil B. DeMille. It was based on the 1904 novel of the same name by Harold MacGrath and stars Horace B. Carpenter. Max Figman had ...

'' (1925) * '' Oh! What a Nurse!'' (1926) * ''

The Better 'Ole ''The Better 'Ole'', also called ''The Romance of Old Bill'', is an Edwardian musical comedy with a book by Bruce Bairnsfather and Arthur Elliot, music by Herman Darewski, and lyrics by Percival Knight and James Heard, based on the cartoon chara ...

'' (1926) * '' What Every Girl Should Know'' (1927) * '' The Missing Link'' (1927) * ''

The Fortune Hunter ''The Fortune Hunter'' is a drama in three acts by W. S. Gilbert. The piece concerns an heiress who loses her fortune. Her shallow husband sues to annul the marriage, leaving her pregnant and taking up with a wealthy former lover. The piece wa ...

'' (1927) * '' Steamboat Bill, Jr.'' (1928) * ''

Fools for Luck ''Fools for Luck'' is a 1928 American silent comedy film directed by Charles Reisner and written by Harry Fried, George Marion Jr., Sam Mintz, and J. Walter Ruben. The film stars W.C. Fields, Chester Conklin, Sally Blane, Jack Luden, Mary ...

'' (1928) * '' Brotherly Love'' (1928) * ''

China Bound ''China Bound'' is a 1929 silent film comedy produced and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. A rarely revived comedy due to some of its Asian racial content, a selected scene was shown in Robert Youngson's 1965 ''MGM's Big Parade of Comedy''. P ...

'' (1929) * ''

Noisy Neighbors ''Noisy Neighbors'' is a 1929 American comedy film directed by Charles Reisner and starring Eddie Quillan, Alberta Vaughn and Jane Keckley. Cast * Eddie Quillan as Eddie Van Revel * Alberta Vaughn as Mary Carstairs * Jane Keckley as Mother * Jos ...

'' (1929) * ''

The Hollywood Revue of 1929 ''The Hollywood Revue of 1929'', or simply ''The Hollywood Revue'', is a 1929 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code musical comedy film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was the studio's second feature-length musical, and one of their earliest ...

'' (1929) * '' Chasing Rainbows'' (1930) * ''

Caught Short ''Caught Short'' is a 1930 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Charles Reisner and written by Robert E. Hopkins, Joseph H. Johnson and Willard Mack. The film stars Marie Dressler, Polly Moran, Anita Page, Charles Morton and Thomas Conlin. ...

'' (1930) * '' Love in the Rough'' (1930) * ''

The March of Time ''The March of Time'' is an American newsreel series sponsored by Time Inc. and shown in movie theaters from 1935 to 1951. It was based on a radio news series broadcast from 1931 to 1945. The "voice" of both series was Westbrook Van Voorhis. Pr ...

'' (1930) * '' Reducing'' (1931) * '' Stepping Out'' (1931) * ''

Politics Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that studies ...

'' (1931) * '' Flying High'' (1931) * ''

Divorce in the Family ''Divorce in the Family'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by Charles Reisner and written by Delmer Daves. The film stars Jackie Cooper, Conrad Nagel, Lewis Stone, Lois Wilson and Jean Parker. It was released on August 27, 1932, ...

'' (1932) * '' The Chief'' (1933) * ''

Whistling in the Dark Whistling without the use of an artificial whistle is achieved by creating a small opening with one's lips, usually after applying moisture (licking one's lips or placing water upon them) and then blowing or sucking air through the space. The a ...

'' (1933) * ''

You Can't Buy Everything ''You Can't Buy Everything'' is a 1934 American pre-Code romantic drama film directed by Charles Reisner and Sandy Roth and starring May Robson, Jean Parker and Lewis Stone. It was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Working titles of the film were ...

'' (1934) * ''

The Show-Off ''The Show-Off'' is a 1924 stage play by George Kelly about a working-class North Philadelphian family's reluctance to accept their daughter's suitor Aubrey Piper, an overly confident Socialist buffoon. The play has been revived five times on Bro ...

'' (1934) * '' Student Tour'' (1934) * ''

The Winning Ticket ''The Winning Ticket'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Charles Reisner and starring Leo Carrillo, Louise Fazenda, and Ted Healy. It was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Plot summary Poor Italian-American barber Joe Thomasello (Leo Car ...

'' (1935) * '' It's in the Air'' (1935) * '' Everybody Dance'' (1936) * '' Murder Goes to College'' (1937) * ''

Sophie Lang Goes West ''Sophie Lang Goes West'' is a 1937 American crime film directed by Charles Reisner, written by Frederick Irving Anderson, Doris Anderson, Brian Marlow and Robert Wyler, and starring Gertrude Michael, Lee Bowman, Sandra Storme, Buster Crabbe, B ...

'' (1937) * ''

Manhattan Merry-Go-Round ''Manhattan Merry-Go-Round'' is an NBC musical variety radio program that was broadcast from November 6, 1932, until April 17, 1949. The musical revue was produced by Frank and Anne Hummert. Sponsored by Dr. Lyons Tooth Powder, the radio series wa ...

'' (1937) * ''

Winter Carnival Winter is the coldest season of the year in polar and temperate climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Different cultures d ...

'' (1939) * ''

'' (1941) * ''

This Time for Keeps ''This Time for Keeps'' is a 1947 American romantic musical film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Esther Williams, Jimmy Durante, Johnnie Johnston and opera singer Lauritz Melchior. Produced by MGM, it is about a soldier, returning home ...

'' (1942) * ''

Harrigan's Kid ''Harrigan's Kid'' is a 1943 American drama film directed by Charles Reisner and written by Martin Berkeley, Henry Blankfort and Alan Friedman. The film stars Bobby Readick, Frank Craven, William Gargan, J. Carrol Naish and Jay Ward. The film w ...

'' (1943) * ''

Meet the People ''Meet the People'' (1944) is a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical comedy film made, and set, during World War II, and starring Lucille Ball and Dick Powell and featuring Virginia O'Brien, Bert Lahr, Rags Ragland and June Allyson. The film takes its ...

'' (1943) * ''

Lost in a Harem ''Lost in a Harem'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Charles Reisner and starring the team of Abbott and Costello alongside Marilyn Maxwell. Plot When a traveling vaudeville show becomes stranded in the Middle East, their singer, Haze ...

'' (1944) * '' In This Corner'' (1948) * '' The Cobra Strikes'' (1948) * ''

The Traveling Saleswoman ''The Traveling Saleswoman'' is a 1950 American Western comedy film directed by Charles Reisner and starring Joan Davis, Andy Devine, Adele Jergens, Joe Sawyer, and Dean Riesner. The film was released by Columbia Pictures on February 15, 1950. ...

'' (1950)

External links

* 1887 births 1962 deaths American male film actors American male silent film actors American male screenwriters Male actors from Minneapolis 20th-century American male actors Film directors from Minnesota Screenwriters from Minnesota 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American screenwriters {{US-film-actor-1880s-stub