Howard Higgin (February 15, 1891 - December 16, 1938) was an American

writer A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles and techniques to communicate ideas. Writers produce different forms of literary art and creative writing such as novels, short stories, books, poetry, travelogues, p ...

and

director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...

of motion pictures in the 1920s and 1930s.

Biography

After graduating from the

Pratt Institute Pratt Institute is a private university with its main campus in Brooklyn, New York (state), New York. It has a satellite campus in Manhattan and an extension campus in Utica, New York at the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute. The school was ...

, Higgin began working at the architectural firm

McKim, Mead & White McKim, Mead & White was an American architectural firm that came to define architectural practice, urbanism, and the ideals of the American Renaissance in fin de siècle New York. The firm's founding partners Charles Follen McKim (1847–1909), Wil ...

, but his interest in the theater resulted in his designing stages for John Cort and then at the

First National Pictures First National Pictures was an American motion picture production and distribution company. It was founded in 1917 as First National Exhibitors' Circuit, Inc., an association of independent theatre owners in the United States, and became the count ...

film studio as a property boy. Higgin was production manager on Cecil De Mille's ''

Forbidden Fruit Forbidden fruit is a name given to the fruit growing in the Garden of Eden which God commands mankind not to eat. In the biblical story, Adam and Eve eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and are exiled from Eden. As a ...

'' (1921). Higgin's first directing job was a 1922 comedy for legendary

Wallace Reid William Wallace Halleck Reid (April 15, 1891 – January 18, 1923) was an American actor in silent film, referred to as "the screen's most perfect lover". He also had a brief career as a racing driver. Early life Reid was born in St. Louis, M ...

, '' Rent Free''. His later films include ''

High Voltage High voltage electricity refers to electrical potential large enough to cause injury or damage. In certain industries, ''high voltage'' refers to voltage above a certain threshold. Equipment and conductors that carry high voltage warrant spec ...

'' and ''

Skyscraper A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable building having multiple floors. Modern sources currently define skyscrapers as being at least or in height, though there is no universally accepted definition. Skyscrapers are very tall high-ris ...

'', and he worked with

Wallace Beery Wallace Fitzgerald Beery (April 1, 1885 – April 15, 1949) was an American film and stage actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Bill in ''Min and Bill'' (1930) opposite Marie Dressler, as General Director Preysing in ''Grand Hotel'' (193 ...

Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American film actor, often referred to as "The King of Hollywood". He had roles in more than 60 motion pictures in multiple genres during a career that lasted 37 years, three decades ...

(as writer/director of Gable's screen breakthrough role as the unshaven villain in ''

The Painted Desert ''The Painted Desert'' is a 1931 American pre-Code Western film released by Pathé Exchange. Produced by E. B. Derr, it was directed by Howard Higgin, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Tom Buckingham. The picture stars low-budget Western ...

''),

Carole Lombard Carole Lombard (born Jane Alice Peters; October 6, 1908 – January 16, 1942) was an American actress, particularly noted for her energetic, often off-beat roles in screwball comedies. In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked Lombard 2 ...

Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress with a career spanning more than 50 years and 100 acting credits. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and was famous for her pe ...

(in ''

Hell's House ''Hell's House'' is a 1932 American Pre-Code drama film starring Junior Durkin, featuring Bette Davis and directed by Howard Higgin. The screenplay by Paul Gangelin and B. Harrison Orkow, set during the waning days of the Prohibition era, is ba ...

''),

Pat O'Brien Pat O'Brien may refer to: Politicians * Pat O'Brien (Canadian politician) (born 1948), member of the Canadian House of Commons *Pat O'Brien (Irish politician) (c. 1847–1917), Irish Nationalist MP in the United Kingdom Parliament Others *Pat O'Br ...

Alan Hale, Sr. Alan Hale Sr. (born Rufus Edward Mackahan; February 10, 1892 – January 22, 1950) was an American actor and director. He is best remembered for his many character roles, in particular as a frequent sidekick of Errol Flynn, as well as f ...

Blanche Sweet Sarah Blanche Sweet (June 18, 1896 – September 6, 1986) was an American silent film actress who began her career in the earliest days of the Hollywood motion picture film industry. Early life Born Sarah Blanche Sweet (though her first na ...

Basil Rathbone Philip St. John Basil Rathbone MC (13 June 1892 – 21 July 1967) was a South African-born English actor. He rose to prominence in the United Kingdom as a Shakespearean stage actor and went on to appear in more than 70 films, primarily costume ...

, Robert Armstrong and

Mae Clarke Mae Clarke (born Violet Mary Klotz; August 16, 1910 – April 29, 1992) was an American actress. She is widely remembered for playing Henry Frankenstein's bride Elizabeth, who is chased by Boris Karloff in ''Frankenstein'', and for being o ...

, among many others. Higgins' movie career spanned 18 years, having begun working on film crews in 1919. He died in Los Angeles at age 47.Howard Higgin; allmovie bio
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Partial filmography

*'' Rent Free'' (1922) *''

Fashion Row ''Fashion Row'' is a 1923 American silent drama film directed by Robert Z. Leonard and starring Mae Murray in a dual role, Earle Foxe, and Freeman Wood. The film involves two Russian sisters emigrate to America. One tries to hide her peasant ori ...

'' (1923) (screenplay) *''

Don't Doubt Your Husband ''Don't Doubt Your Husband'' is a 1924 American silent comedy film directed by Harry Beaumont and starring Viola Dana, Allan Forrest and Winifred Bryson.Parish & Pitts p.22 Cast * Viola Dana as Helen Blake * Allan Forrest as Richard Blake * W ...

'' (1924) (screenplay) *''

Changing Husbands ''Changing Husbands'' is a 1924 American silent comedy film starring Leatrice Joy and Victor Varconi, directed by Paul Iribe and Frank Urson, and written by Sada Cowan and Howard Higgin. The runtime of the film is 70 minutes. Cast Preservati ...

'' (1924) (screenplay) *'' Broken Barriers'' (1924) (scenario) *''

The Trouble with Wives ''The Trouble with Wives'' is a 1925 American silent comedy film directed by Malcolm St. Clair, written by Sada Cowan and Howard Higgin, and starring Florence Vidor, Tom Moore, Esther Ralston, Ford Sterling, Lucy Beaumont, and Edgar Kennedy. ...

'' (1925) (screenplay) *''

The New Commandment The New Commandment is a term used in Christianity to describe Jesus's commandment to "love one another" which, according to the Bible, was given as part of the final instructions to his disciples after the Last Supper had ended, and after Judas ...

'' (1925) (screenplay and direction) *'' In the Name of Love'' (1925) (screenplay and direction) *''

The Reckless Lady ''The Reckless Lady'' is a 1926 American silent drama film directed by Howard Higgin and starring Belle Bennett, Lois Moran, James Kirkwood, and Lowell Sherman. Plot As described in a film magazine review, the attentions of Feodor, a Russian ...

'' (1926) (direction) *'' The Wilderness Woman'' (1926) *''

The Great Deception ''The Great Deception'' is a 1926 American silent drama film starring Basil Rathbone, Ben Lyon, and Aileen Pringle. It is based on the 1915 novel ''The Yellow Dove'' by George Gibbs about World War I era espionage, previously adapted as the ...

'' (1926) *''

The Perfect Sap ''The Perfect Sap'' is a 1927 American silent comedy film directed by Howard Higgin. It is based on the 1926 play ''Not Herbert'' by Howard Irving Young. The film stars Ben Lyon, Pauline Starke, Virginia Lee Corbin, Lloyd Whitlock, Diana Kane ...

'' (1927) *''

'' (1928) *''

Sal of Singapore ''Sal of Singapore'' is a 1928 American silent drama film directed by Howard Higgin. At the 2nd Academy Awards in 1930, Elliott J. Clawson was nominated for an Academy Award in the category Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay). Complete prints o ...

'' (1928) *''

Power Power most often refers to: * Power (physics), meaning "rate of doing work" ** Engine power, the power put out by an engine ** Electric power * Power (social and political), the ability to influence people or events ** Abusive power Power may a ...

'' (1928) *'' The Leatherneck'' (1929) *''

'' (1929) *''

The Racketeer ''The Racketeer'' is a 1929 American Pre-Code drama film. Directed by Howard Higgin, the film is also known as ''Love's Conquest'' in the United Kingdom. It tells the tale of some members of the criminal class in 1920s America, and in particular ...

'' (1929) *'' Her Man'' (1930) (screenplay) *''

'' (1931) (screenplay and direction) *''

'' (1932) * ''

The Last Man ''The Last Man'' is an apocalyptic, dystopian science fiction novel by Mary Shelley, first published in 1826. The narrative concerns Europe in the late 21st century, ravaged by a mysterious plague pandemic that rapidly sweeps across the entire ...

'' (1932) *''

The Final Edition ''The Final Edition'' is a 1932 American crime drama film directed by Howard Higgin and starring Pat O'Brien, Mae Clark and Morgan Wallace. Made by Columbia Pictures, it is based on a story by Roy Chanslor.Langman p.127 Synopsis The squabblin ...

'' (1932) *''

Carnival Lady ''Carnival Lady'' is a 1933 American drama film directed by Howard Higgin and starring Boots Mallory, Allen Vincent and Donald Kerr.Pitts p.166 The film's sets were designed by the art director Lewis J. Rachmil. Cast * Boots Mallory as Penny ...

'' (1933) *''

Marriage on Approval ''Marriage on Approval'' is a 1933 pre-Code American drama film directed by Howard Higgin and starring Barbara Kent, Don Dillaway and William Farnum.Pitts p.162 It was released in the United Kingdom by British Lion under the alternative title of ...

'' (1933) (screenplay and direction) *''

The Line-Up ''The Line-Up'' is a 1934 American crime film directed by Howard Higgin and starring William Gargan, Marian Nixon and Paul Hurst.Langman & Finn p.144 Synopsis A young police officer is assigned to the detective squad investigating a series o ...

'' (1934) *'' I Conquer the Sea!'' (1936) (screenplay) *'' The Invisible Ray'' (1936) (screenplay) *''

Revolt of the Zombies ''Revolt of the Zombies'' is a 1936 American horror film directed by Victor Halperin, produced by Edward Halperin, and stars Dean Jagger and Dorothy Stone (actress), Dorothy Stone. One of the earliest zombie films, it was initially conceived as a ...

'' (1936) (screenplay) *'' Raw Timber'' (1937) *''

Cafe Hostess ''Cafe Hostess'' is a 1940 American crime film directed by Sidney Salkow and starring Preston Foster and Ann Dvorak. The screenplay was written by Harold Shumate, based on a story by Tay Garnett and Howard Higgin. Prior to filming the studio had ...

'' (1940) (screenplay)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Higgin, Howard American male screenwriters American film directors 1891 births 1938 deaths 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American screenwriters