Edward Buzzell (November 13, 1895 – January 11, 1985) was an American film actor and director whose credits include '' Child of Manhattan'' (1933); ''

Honolulu Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...

'' (1939); 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) ...

films ''

At the Circus ''At the Circus'' is a 1939 comedy film starring the Marx Brothers (Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx and Chico Marx) released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in which they help save a circus from bankruptcy. The film contains Groucho Marx's classic rendition of ...

'' (1939) and '' Go West'' (1940); the musicals '' Best Foot Forward'' (1943), ''

Song of the Thin Man ''Song of the Thin Man'' is a 1947 murder mystery-comedy directed by Edward Buzzell. The sixth and final film in MGM's '' Thin Man'' series, starring William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles, characters created by Dashiell Hammett ...

'' (1947), and '' Neptune's Daughter'' (1949); and ''

Easy to Wed ''Easy to Wed'' is a 1946 Technicolor American musical comedy film directed by Edward Buzzell, and starring Van Johnson, Esther Williams, Lucille Ball, and Keenan Wynn. The screenplay by Dorothy Kingsley is an adaptation of the screenplay of ...

'' (1946). Born in Brooklyn, Buzzell appeared in vaudeville and on Broadway, and he was hired to star in the 1929 film version of

George M. Cohan George Michael Cohan (July 3, 1878November 5, 1942) was an American entertainer, playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, singer, dancer and theatrical producer. Cohan began his career as a child, performing with his parents and sister in a vaudev ...

's ''

Little Johnny Jones ''Little Johnny Jones'' is a musical by George M. Cohan. The show introduced Cohan's tunes " Give My Regards to Broadway" and " The Yankee Doodle Boy." The "Yankee Doodle" character was inspired by real-life Hall of Fame jockey Tod Sloan. Bac ...

'' with

Alice Day Jacqueline Alice Irene Newlin (November 7, 1906 – May 25, 1995), professionally known as Alice Day, was an American film actress who began her career as one of the Sennett Bathing Beauties. Early years Day was born in Colorado Springs, Co ...

. Buzzell appeared in a few

Vitaphone Vitaphone was a sound film system used for feature films and nearly 1,000 short subjects made by Warner Bros. and its sister studio First National from 1926 to 1931. Vitaphone was the last major analog sound-on-disc system and the only one th ...

shorts and the two-strip

Technicolor Technicolor is a series of Color motion picture film, color motion picture processes, the first version dating back to 1916, and followed by improved versions over several decades. Definitive Technicolor movies using three black and white films ...

short ''The Devil's Cabaret'' (1930) as Satan's assistant. He wrote screenplays in the early 1930s and later produced the popular ''

The Milton Berle Show ''Texaco Star Theater'' was an American comedy-variety show, broadcast on radio from 1938 to 1949 and telecast from 1948 to 1956. It was one of the first successful examples of American television broadcasting, remembered as the show that gave Mi ...

'', which premiered on television in 1948. In 1926, Buzzell married actress

Ona Munson Ona Munson (born Owena Elizabeth Wolcott; June 16, 1903 – February 11, 1955) was an American film and stage actress. She starred in nine Broadway productions and 20 feature films in her career, which spanned over 30 years. Born and raised in ...

, who later played Belle Watling in ''

Gone with the Wind Gone with the Wind most often refers to: * ''Gone with the Wind'' (novel), a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell * ''Gone with the Wind'' (film), the 1939 adaptation of the novel Gone with the Wind may also refer to: Music * ''Gone with the Wind'' ...

''. They divorced in 1931. He married socialite Sara Clark on August 11, 1934, but the marriage only lasted five weeks. He married actress

Lorraine Miller Lorraine C. Miller (born May 6, 1948) is an American political administrator who served as the 35th Clerk of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011. Along with James Roosevelt, she is also the co-chair of Democratic Nationa ...

on December 10, 1949. He died in Los Angeles in 1985 at the age of 89. Buzzell's brother, Samuel Jesse Buzzell, was a music patent attorney in New York City; his daughter (Edward's niece) Gloria Joyce Buzzell was married to Academy Award-winning film producer

Harold Hecht Harold Adolphe Hecht (June 1, 1907 – May 26, 1985) was an American film producer, dance director and talent agent. He was also, though less noted for, a literary agent, a theatrical producer, a theatre director and a Broadway actor. He was a m ...

, and his son (Edward's nephew)

Loring Buzzell Loring Bruce Buzzell (October 3, 1927 – October 20, 1959) was an American music publisher and record label executive. Together with film producer Harold Hecht and actor Burt Lancaster, he formed a series of music publishing imprints in the m ...

was a music publisher and partner in the firm

Hecht-Lancaster & Buzzell Music Hecht-Lancaster & Buzzell Music, Inc. (sometimes referred to as Hecht-Lancaster-Buzzell Music Publishing, and later known as Hecht & Buzzell Music, Inc. and Colby Music, Inc.) was an American music publishing company founded by film producer H ...

, and was married to singer

Lu Ann Simms Lu Ann Simms (born Lucille Anne Ciminelli; July 11, 1932 – September 21, 2003)Original data: Social Security Applications and Claims, 1936-2007. was an American singer well-known in the 1950s. A performer since the age of three, she became an ...

. Digitized by William and Mary Libraries Special Collections Research Center.

Filmography

As Actor * '' Midnight Life'' (1928) * ''

'' (1929) * ''

Hello Thar ''Hello'' is a salutation or greeting in the English language. It is first attested in writing from 1826. Early uses ''Hello'', with that spelling, was used in publications in the U.S. as early as the 18 October 1826 edition of the ''Norwich C ...

'' (short, 1930) * ''

The Royal Four-Flusher This is a list of the 122 cartoons of the ''Popeye the Sailor'' film series produced by Paramount Pictures' Famous Studios (later known as Paramount Cartoon Studios) from 1942 to 1957, with 14 in black and white and 108 in color. These cartoons ...

'' (short, 1930) * ''

The Devil's Cabaret ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' (short, 1930) * ''

The Lone Star Stranger ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' (short, 1931) * ''

Check and Rubber Check Check or cheque, may refer to: Places * Check, Virginia Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Check'' (film), a 2021 Indian Telugu-language film * ''The Checks'' (episode), a 1996 TV episode of ''Seinfeld'' Games and sports * Check (chess), a thr ...

'' (short, 1931) * '' She Served Him Right'' (short, 1931) * ''

The Youngest Profession ''The Youngest Profession'' is a 1943 film directed by Edward Buzzell, and starring Virginia Weidler, Edward Arnold, John Carroll, Scotty Beckett, and Agnes Moorehead. Based on a short story series and book written by Lillian Day, it contains c ...

'' (1943) as Director * ''

'' (short, 1931) * ''

'' (short, 1931) * '' She Served Him Right'' (short, 1931) * ''

The Big Timer ''The Big Timer'' is a 1932 American Pre-Code sports drama film directed by Edward Buzzell and starring Ben Lyon, Constance Cummings and Thelma Todd.Scott p.42 Produced and distributed by Columbia Pictures, it is about a boxer whose success goe ...

'' (1932) * ''

Hollywood Speaks ''Hollywood Speaks'' is a 1932 American Pre-Code comedy film. Cast *Genevieve Tobin as Gertrude Smith, later known as Greta Swan * Pat O'Brien as Jimmy Reed * Lucien Prival as Frederick Landau * Ralf Harolde as Carp *Rita La Roy as Millie Core ...

'' (1932) * ''

Virtue Virtue ( la, virtus) is moral excellence. A virtue is a trait or quality that is deemed to be morally good and thus is valued as a foundation of principle and good moral being. In other words, it is a behavior that shows high moral standard ...

'' (1932) * ''

Ann Carver's Profession ''Ann Carver's Profession'' is an American pre-Code 1933 film directed by Edward Buzzell. It focuses on the relationship of a female lawyer and her husband, and on the strain that her financial success places on their marriage. The film stars ac ...

'' (1933) * ''

Love, Honor, and Oh Baby! ''Love, Honor, and Oh Baby!'' is a 1933 American pre-Code comedy film, starring Slim Summerville, ZaSu Pitts, and George Barbier. The 1940 Universal Pictures film with the same title is not a remake. Adapted from the stage play, ''"Oh, Promise ...

'' (1933) * '' Child of Manhattan'' (1933) * '' Cross Country Cruise'' (1934) * ''

The Human Side ''The Human Side'' is a 1934 American drama film directed by Edward Buzzell and written by Edward Buzzell, Frank Craven and Ernest Pascal. The film stars Adolphe Menjou, Doris Kenyon, Charlotte Henry, Reginald Owen, Joseph Cawthorn and Betty Law ...

'' (1934) * ''

The Girl Friend ''The Girl Friend'' is a musical comedy with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Lorenz Hart and book by Herbert Fields. This was the longest running show for the trio to that date.Secrest, Meryle. ''Somewhere for me:a biography of Richard Rodge ...

'' (1935) * ''

Transient Lady ''Transient Lady'' is a 1935 American drama film directed by Edward Buzzell, written by Edward Buzzell, Arthur Caesar and Harvey F. Thew, and starring Gene Raymond, Henry Hull, Frances Drake, June Clayworth, Clark Williams and Edward Ellis. It ...

'' (1935) * ''

The Luckiest Girl in the World ''The Luckiest Girl in the World'' is a 1936 American comedy film directed Edward Buzzell and written by Herbert Fields and Henry Myers. The film stars Jane Wyatt, Louis Hayward, Nat Pendleton, Eugene Pallette, Catherine Doucet and Phillip Reed. ...

'' (1936) * ''

Three Married Men ''Three Married Men'' is a 1936 American comedy film directed by Edward Buzzell, written by Alan Campbell and Dorothy Parker, and starring Lynne Overman, William Frawley, Roscoe Karns, Mary Brian, George Barbier and Marjorie Gateson. It was rel ...

'' (1936) * ''

As Good as Married ''As Good as Married'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by Edward Buzzell and starring John Boles, Doris Nolan and Walter Pidgeon. The film was distributed by Universal Pictures. Filming started in December 1936.Of Local Origin New York ...

'' (1937) * ''

Paradise for Three ''Paradise for Three'', titled ''Romance for Three'' in the United Kingdom, is a 1938 romantic comedy film starring Frank Morgan as a wealthy industrialist who decides to find out about his German workers by temporarily living among them incognit ...

'' (1938) * ''

Fast Company ''Fast Company'' is a monthly American business magazine published in print and online that focuses on technology, business, and design. It publishes six print issues per year. History ''Fast Company'' was launched in November 1995 by Alan Web ...

'' (1938) * ''

'' (1939) * ''

'' (1939) * '' Go West'' (1940) * ''

The Get-Away ''The Get-Away'' is a 1941 film directed by Edward Buzzell. It stars Robert Sterling, Charles Winninger and Donna Reed. It is a remake of '' Public Hero No. 1''. Plot Cast *Robert Sterling as Jeff Crane *Charles Winninger as Doctor Josiah Glas ...

'' (1941) * ''

Married Bachelor ''Married Bachelor'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Edward Buzzell. It stars actors Robert Young and Ruth Hussey. Plot summary Cast * Robert Young as Randolph 'Randy' Haven * Ruth Hussey as Norma Haven, aka Norma Winters * Felix ...

'' (1941) * ''

The Omaha Trail ''The Omaha Trail'' is a 1942 American Western film directed by Edward Buzzell. It stars James Craig and Pamela Blake. Cast * James Craig as Pat Candel * Pamela Blake as Julie Santley * Dean Jagger as Pipsestone Ross * Edward Ellis as Mr. V ...

'' (1942) * ''

Ship Ahoy ''Ship Ahoy'' is a 1942 American musical-comedy film directed by Edward Buzzell and starring Eleanor Powell and Red Skelton. It was produced by MGM. Background ''Ship Ahoy'' was the first of two films in which Powell and Skelton co-starred. It ...

'' (1942) * ''

'' (1943) * '' Best Foot Forward'' (1943) * ''

Keep Your Powder Dry ''Keep Your Powder Dry'' is a 1945 American drama film directed by Edward Buzzell and starring Lana Turner, Susan Peters, and Laraine Day. Its plot follows three women who join the Women's Army Corps during World War II. The screenplay was writ ...

'' (1945) * '' Three Wise Fools'' (1946) * ''

'' (1946) * ''

'' (1947) * '' Neptune's Daughter'' (1949) * ''

Emergency Wedding ''Emergency Wedding'' (titled ''Jealousy'' in the UK) is a 1950 American comedy film directed by Edward Buzzell and starring Larry Parks, Barbara Hale and Willard Parker. It is a remake of '' You Belong to Me'', a film in which Parks appeared in ...

'' (1950) * ''

A Woman of Distinction ''A Woman of Distinction'' is a 1950 American romantic comedy film directed by Edward Buzzell and starring Rosalind Russell and Ray Milland. Plot Susan Manning Middlecott is dean of a New England school called Benton College and it is her whole ...

'' (1950) * '' Confidentially Connie'' (1953) * '' Ain't Misbehavin''' (1955) * '' Mary Had a Little...'' (1961)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Buzzell, Edward 1895 births 1985 deaths American film directors Burials at Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery