Roy Rowland (December 31, 1910 – June 29, 1995) was an American film director. The New York-born director helmed a number of films in the 1950s and 1960s including ''

Our Vines Have Tender Grapes ''Our Vines Have Tender Grapes'' is a 1945 American drama film directed by Roy Rowland and starring Edward G. Robinson and Margaret O'Brien. Background The film is based on the 1940 novel of the same name by George Victor Martin about the Norw ...

'', ''

Meet Me in Las Vegas ''Meet Me in Las Vegas'' (1956) is an MGM musical comedy produced by Joe Pasternak, directed by Roy Rowland (film director), Roy Rowland, filmed in Eastman Color and CinemaScope, and starring Dan Dailey and Cyd Charisse. The screenplay is by Iso ...

'', ''

Rogue Cop ''Rogue Cop'' is a 1954 American film noir directed by Roy Rowland, based on the novel by William P. McGivern, and starring Robert Taylor, Janet Leigh, and George Raft.Everett Aaker, ''The Films of George Raft'', McFarland & Company, 2013 p 159 ...

'', '' The 5000 Fingers of Doctor T'', and '' The Girl Hunters''. Rowland married Ruth Cummings, the niece of

Louis B. Mayer Louis Burt Mayer (; born Lazar Meir; July 12, 1882 or 1884 or 1885 – October 29, 1957) was a Canadian-American film producer and co-founder of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios (MGM) in 1924. Under Mayer's management, MGM became the film industr ...

and sister of Jack Cummings (MGM producer/director). They had one son, Steve Rowland, born in 1932, who later became a music producer in the UK.

Biography

Early life

Roy Rowland was born in Brooklyn, the son of Russian Jewish immigrants. The family moved to Edendale, California, when Roy was ten. He graduated from the

University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in C ...

with a law degree before beginning his career at

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 ...

(MGM) as a script clerk. He then began working as a prop man, grip, and assistant cameraman. In 1927 he met Ruth Cummings at the Santa Monica Beach Club. She was the niece of

and the sister of producer Jack Cummings. Her family disapproved of Rowlands, so they eloped. This resulted in Rowland being blacklisted. But Ruth Cummings arranged a rapprochement with Mayer. He was assistant director on most of the Tarzan films, starring Johnny Weissmuller in the 1930s.

Short films

Rowland made his reputation directing short films, particularly the "How to" series of shorts starring

Robert Benchley Robert Charles Benchley (September 15, 1889 – November 21, 1945) was an American humorist best known for his work as a newspaper columnist and film actor. From his beginnings at ''The Harvard Lampoon'' while attending Harvard University, thro ...

. One of them, ''

How to Sleep ''How to Sleep'' is a short comedy film written by and starring humorist Robert Benchley. Filmed and released by MGM in 1935 (as part of their "Miniatures" series), it features Benchley as a narrator as well as film subject, discussing four parts o ...

'' (1937), won an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

. He also worked with producer Pete Smith as the director of several of the short films in the ''Pete Smith Specialties'' series, and directed several of the short films in the '' Crime Does Not Pay'' series.

Features

Rowland's debut feature was '' A Stranger in Town'' (1943). He made three films with the child actress

Margaret O'Brien Angela Maxine O'Brien (born January 15, 1937) is an American film, radio, television, and stage actress, and is one of the last surviving stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood cinema. Beginning a prolific career as a child actress in feature f ...

: '' Lost Angel'' (1943), ''

'' (1945), and ''

Tenth Avenue Angel ''Tenth Avenue Angel'' is a 1948 American film directed by Roy Rowland and starring Margaret O'Brien, Angela Lansbury, and George Murphy. It chronicles the life and family of Flavia Mills (Margaret O'Brien) in the late 1930s. Filming took place 1 ...

'' (1948). He also directed musicals such as '' Hit the Deck'' (1955), ''

'' (1956), and ''

The Seven Hills of Rome ''Seven Hills of Rome'' (Italian title: ''Arrivederci Roma'') is an Italian-American film international co-production released in January 1958 and shot on location in Rome and at the Titanus studios. It was filmed in Technicolor and Technirama, di ...

'' (1957). He also made '' The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T.'' (1953), from a story by

Dr. Seuss Theodor Seuss Geisel (;"Seuss"
'' Many Rivers to Cross "Many Rivers to Cross" is a song written and recorded in 1969 by Jimmy Cliff. It has since been recorded by many musicians, including Harry Nilsson, John Lennon, Joe Cocker, Percy Sledge, Little Milton, Desmond Dekker, UB40, Cher, The Brand Ne ...

'' with Robert Taylor and ''

Gun Glory ''Gun Glory'' is a 1957 American Metrocolor Western film directed by Roy Rowland starring Stewart Granger and Rhonda Fleming. Plot Tom Early rides into a Wyoming town where he once lived with his wife and son. In the general store, owner Wainsc ...

'' (1957) with

Stewart Granger Stewart Granger (born James Lablache Stewart; 6 May 1913 – 16 August 1993) was a British film actor, mainly associated with heroic and romantic leading roles. He was a popular leading man from the 1940s to the early 1960s, rising to fame thr ...

and Rowland's son Steve. Rowland was survived by his wife Ruth and their son.

Partial filmography

*'' Hollywood Party'' (1934) co-director *''Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs'' (1936) – short *''Cinema Circus'' (1937) – short *''Hollywood Party'' (1937) – short *''Song of Revolt'' (1937) – short *''How to Start the Day'' (1937) – short *'' A Night at the Movies'' (1937) short film with

*''Music Made Simple'' (1938) – short *''An Evening Alone'' (1938) – short *''How to Raise a Baby'' (1938) – short *''The Courtship of the Newt'' (1938) – short *''How to Read'' (1938) – short *''How to Watch Football'' (1938) – short *''Opening Day'' (1938) – short *''Mental Poise'' (1938) – short *''How to Sub-Let'' (1939) – short *''An Hour for Lunch'' (1939) – short *''Dark Magic'' (1939) – short *''Home Early'' (1939) – short *''How to Eat'' (1939) – short *''Think First'' (1939) – short *''Jack Pot'' (1940) – short *''Please Answer'' (1940) – short (documentary) *''You, the People'' (1940) – short *''Sucker List'' (1941) – short *''Changed Identity'' (1941) – short *'' A Stranger in Town'' (1943) *'' Lost Angel'' (1943) *''

'' (1945) *''

Boys' Ranch ''Boys' Ranch'' was a six-issue American comic book series created by the veteran writer-artist team of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby for Harvey Comics in 1950. A Western in the then-prevalent "kid gang" vein popularized by such film series as "Our ...

'' (1946) *''

The Romance of Rosy Ridge ''The Romance of Rosy Ridge'' is a 1947 American Western film directed by Roy Rowland, about a rural community bitterly divided during the aftermath of the American Civil War. It stars Van Johnson, Thomas Mitchell, and Janet Leigh in her film d ...

'' (1947) *''

Killer McCoy ''Killer McCoy'' is a 1947 American drama film about a boxer starring Mickey Rooney. It is a remake of '' The Crowd Roars'' (1938). The picture was directed by Roy Rowland with a supporting cast featuring Brian Donlevy, Ann Blyth, James Dun ...

'' (1947) *''

'' (1948) *'' Scene of the Crime'' (1949) *''

The Outriders ''The Outriders'' is a 1950 American Western film directed by Roy Rowland and starring Joel McCrea. Plot With the Civil War nearing an end, rebel soldiers Will Owen, Jesse Wallace, and Clint Priest escape from a Union stockade in Missouri. ...

'' (1950) *'' Two Weeks with Love'' (1950) *'' Excuse My Dust'' (1951) *''

Bugles in the Afternoon ''Bugles in the Afternoon'' is a 1952 American Western film directed by William Cagney and starring Ray Milland, Helena Carter, Hugh Marlowe and Forrest Tucker, based on the 1943 novel by Ernest Haycox. The story features the Battle of the Lit ...

'' (1952) *'' The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T'' (1953) *''

Affair with a Stranger ''Affair with a Stranger'' is a 1953 American comedy-drama directed by Roy Rowland and starring Jean Simmons and Victor Mature. It was originally to be released as ''Kiss and Run''. The film centres on the rumoured marital troubles of a succes ...

'' (1953) *''

The Moonlighter ''The Moonlighter'' is a 1953 American 3D Western film directed by Roy Rowland and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray. Distributed by Warner Bros., it premiered alongside the 1953 Looney Tunes 3-D Bugs Bunny cartoon, '' Lumber Ja ...

'' (1953) *''

'' (1954) *''

Witness to Murder ''Witness to Murder'' is a 1954 American film noir crime drama directed by Roy Rowland and starring Barbara Stanwyck, George Sanders, and Gary Merrill. While the film received moderately positive reviews, it ended up as an also-ran to Alfred ...

'' (1954) *''

Light's Diamond Jubilee ''Light's Diamond Jubilee'' (1954) is a two-hour TV special that aired on October 24, 1954, on all four U.S. television networks of the time, DuMont, CBS, NBC, and ABC. The special won a Primetime Emmy Award for Victor Young for Best Music for ...

'' (1954, TV special, with 6 other directors) *''

Many Rivers to Cross "Many Rivers to Cross" is a song written and recorded in 1969 by Jimmy Cliff. It has since been recorded by many musicians, including Harry Nilsson, John Lennon, Joe Cocker, Percy Sledge, Little Milton, Desmond Dekker, UB40, Cher, The Brand Ne ...

'' (1955) *'' Hit the Deck'' (1955) *''

'' (1956) *''

These Wilder Years ''These Wilder Years'' is a 1956 American drama film directed by Roy Rowland and starring James Cagney and Barbara Stanwyck. It is the story of a businessman who tries to find the illegitimate son he gave up to an orphanage many years ago. The f ...

'' (1956) *''

Slander Defamation is the act of communicating to a third party false statements about a person, place or thing that results in damage to its reputation. It can be spoken (slander) or written (libel). It constitutes a tort or a crime. The legal defini ...

'' (1956) *''

'' (1957) *''

Seven Hills of Rome The seven hills of Rome ( la, Septem colles/montes Romae, it, Sette colli di Roma ) east of the river Tiber form the geographical heart of Rome, within the walls of the city. Hills The seven hills are: * Aventine Hill (Latin: ''Collis Aventi ...

'' (1957) *''

The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp ''The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp'' is the first Western television series written for adults, premiering four days before ''Gunsmoke'' on September 6, 1955. Two weeks later came the Clint Walker western ''Cheyenne''. The series is loosely base ...

'' (1959–60) (TV series), also producer *'' The Girl Hunters'' (1963) – also writer *''

Gunfighters of Casa Grande ''Gunfighters of Casa Grande'' ( es, Los pistoleros de Casa Grande) is a 1964 Western (genre), Eurowestern film, co-produced by American and Spanish producers. Based on a story by Borden Chase, Borden and Patricia Chase, it was later developed i ...

'' (1964) *''

Sie nannten ihn Gringo ''Man Called Gringo'' ( ger, Sie nannten ihn Gringo) is a 1965 German western film directed by Roy Rowland, written by Clarke Reynolds and Herbert Reinecker and starred by Götz George, Daniel Martín and Alexandra Stewart. Cast * Götz George ...

'' (1965) *''

The Sea Pirate ''The Sea Pirate'' (french: Surcouf, le tigre des sept mers, it, Surcouf, l'eroe dei sette mari, es, El tigre de los siete mares, also known as ''The Fighting Corsair'') is a 1966 French-Italian-Spanish adventure film directed by Sergio Bergonz ...

'' (1966) – also producer *'' Il grande colpo di Surcouf'' (1966) *'' Land Raiders'' (1970) – associate producer only

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Rowland, Roy 1910 births 1995 deaths Film directors from California Film directors from New York City American people of Russian-Jewish descent Burials at Pacific View Memorial Park University of Southern California alumni People from Brooklyn