Victor Eugene Heerman (August 27, 1893 – November 3, 1977) was an English-American

film director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, p ...

screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based. ...

, and

film producer A film producer is a person who oversees film production. Either employed by a production company or working independently, producers plan and coordinate various aspects of film production, such as selecting the script, coordinating writing, di ...

.Vazzana, Eugene Michael (2001). ''Silent Film Necrology.'' McFarland, After writing and directing short comedies for Mack Sennett, Heerman teamed with his wife

Sarah Y. Mason Sarah Y. Mason (March 31, 1896 – November 28, 1980) was an American screenwriter and script supervisor.Vazzana, Eugene Michael (2001). ''Silent Film Necrology.'' McFarland, Biography Mason was born Sarah Yeiser Mason in Pima, Arizona. She a ...

to win the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay of

Louisa May Alcott Louisa May Alcott (; November 29, 1832March 6, 1888) was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet best known as the author of the novel ''Little Women'' (1868) and its sequels ''Little Men'' (1871) and ''Jo's Boys'' (1886). Raised in ...

's novel ''

Little Women ''Little Women'' is a coming-of-age novel written by American novelist Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888). Alcott wrote the book, originally published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869, at the request of her publisher. The story follows the lives ...

'' in 1933. He directed the Marx Brothers' second film, ''

Animal Crackers An animal cracker is a particular type of cracker, baked in the shape of an animal, usually an animal either at a zoo or a circus, such as a lion, a tiger, a bear, or an elephant. The most common variety is light-colored and slightly sweet, but ...

'', in 1930. He and Mason were the first screenwriters involved in early, never-produced scripts commissioned for what would become MGM's '' Pride and Prejudice (1940 film)''.

Life and career

As director

*'' She Loved a Sailor'' (1916, short) *''

Are Waitresses Safe? Are Waitresses Safe? is a 1917 silent film short comedy starring Louise Fazenda and Ben Turpin. It was produced by Mack Sennett. The film was possibly rereleased in 1923. The film is preserved in the Library of Congress.''Catalog of Holdings The A ...

'': 1917, short) *''

A Maiden's Trust A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes'' ...

'': (1917, short) *'' Pinched in the Finish'': 1917, short) *'' Stars and Bars'': (1917, short) *''

Watch Your Neighbor ''Watch Your Neighbor'' is a 1918 silent film comedy short directed by Hampton Del Ruth and Victor Heerman. It starred Charles Murray and Mary Thurman. It was produced by Mack Sennett in a distribution deal with Paramount Pictures. Cast *Charles ...

'' (1918, short) *'' His Naughty Wife'' (1919, short) *''

Chicken à la Cabaret The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster or cock is a term for an adult m ...

'' (1920, short) *'' The River's End'' (1920) *''

Don't Ever Marry ''Don't Ever Marry'' is a 1920 American comedy film directed by Marshall Neilan and Victor Heerman and written by Marion Fairfax. The film stars Matt Moore, Marjorie Daw, Thomas Jefferson, Mayme Kelso, Betty Bouton and Christine Mayo. The fi ...

'' (1920) *'' The Poor Simp'' (1920) *''

My Boy "My Boy" is a popular song from the early 1970s. The music was composed by Jean-Pierre Bourtayre and Claude François, and the lyrics were translated from the original version "Parce que je t'aime, mon enfant" (Because I Love You My Child) into E ...

'' (1921) *'' The Chicken in the Case'' (1921) * ''

A Divorce of Convenience ''A Divorce of Convenience'' is a 1921 American silent comedy film directed by Robert Ellis and starring Owen Moore, Katherine Perry and Nita Naldi.Munden p.191 Cast * Owen Moore as Jim Blake * Katherine Perry as Helen Wakefield * George Less ...

'' (1921) *''

John Smith John Smith is a common personal name. It is also commonly used as a placeholder name and pseudonym, and is sometimes used in the United States and the United Kingdom as a term for an average person. It may refer to: People :''In chronological ...

'' (1922) *'' Love Is an Awful Thing'' (1922) *''

Modern Marriage ''Modern Marriage'' is a 1923 American silent crime drama film directed by Lawrence C. Windom and Victor Heerman. It starred Francis X. Bushman and Beverly Bayne in one of their last appearances together. Cast Preservation status A print of ' ...

'' (1923) *'' Rupert of Hentzau'' (1923) *''

The Dangerous Maid The Dangerous Maid is a 1923 American silent film, silent historical film, historical comedy-drama film produced and distributed by Joseph M. Schenck Productions and directed by Victor Heerman. Based upon the novel ''Barbara Winslow, Rebel'' by B ...

'' (1923) *'' The Confidence Man'' (1924) *''

Old Home Week Old Home Week or Old Home Day is a practice that originated in the New England region of the United States similar to a harvest holiday or festival. In its beginning in the 19th–20th century it involved a municipal effort to invite former resid ...

'' (1925) *'' Irish Luck'' (1925) *''

For Wives Only ''For Wives Only'' is a 1926 American silent comedy film directed by Victor Heerman and starring Marie Prevost, Victor Varconi and Charles K. Gerrard.Munden p.265 Cast * Marie Prevost as Laura Rittenhaus * Victor Varconi as Dr. Rittenhaus * ...

'' (1926) *'' Rubber Heels'' (1927) *''

Ladies Must Dress ''Ladies Must Dress'' is a 1927 American silent romantic comedy film directed by Victor Heerman and starring Virginia Valli, Lawrence Gray and Hallam Cooley.Solomon p.306 It marked the screen debut of the future star Nancy Carroll. Cast * Virgi ...

'' (1927) *''

Love Hungry ''Love Hungry'' is a 1928 American comedy film directed by Victor Heerman and written by Randall Faye and Frances Agnew. The film stars Lois Moran, Lawrence Gray, Marjorie Beebe, Edythe Chapman, James Neill and John Patrick. The film was relea ...

'' (1928) *'' Paramount on Parade'': (1930, sequence director) *'' Personality'' (1930) *''

'' (1930) *''

Sea Legs ''Sea Legs'' is an American musical with music by Michael H. Cleary and lyrics by Arthur Swanstrom. The musical book by Swanstrom is based on the play ''The Cat Came Back'' by Laurence E. Johnson, Beula King, and Avery Hopwood. Produced by Albe ...

'' (1930) *''

The Stolen Jools ''The Stolen Jools'' is a 1931 American pre-Code comedy short produced by the Masquers Club of Hollywood, featuring many cameo appearances by film stars of the day. The stars appeared in the film, distributed by Paramount Pictures, to raise fu ...

'': (1931, short)

As writer

*'' Magnificent Obsession'': 1954 (based upon the screenplay by) *''

'': 1949 (screenplay) *'' Meet Me in St. Louis'': 1944 (uncredited) *''

A Girl, a Guy, and a Gob ''A Girl, a Guy and a Gob'' is a 1941 film produced by Harold Lloyd and starring George Murphy, Lucille Ball, and Edmond O'Brien. Plot summary When Stephen Herrick, a sedate, mild-mannered shipping magnate, loses his opera tickets, Mrs. Gran ...

'': 1941 (uncredited) *''

Pride and Prejudice ''Pride and Prejudice'' is an 1813 novel of manners by Jane Austen. The novel follows the character development of Elizabeth Bennet, the dynamic protagonist of the book who learns about the repercussions of hasty judgments and comes to appreci ...

'': 1940 (uncredited) *'' Golden Boy'': 1939 (screenplay) *'' Stella Dallas'': 1937 (screenplay) *'' Magnificent Obsession'': 1935 (screenplay) *''

Break of Hearts ''Break of Hearts'' is a 1935 RKO film starring Katharine Hepburn and Charles Boyer. The screenplay was written by the team of Sarah Y. Mason and Victor Heerman, with Anthony Veiller, from a story by Lester Cohen, specifically for Hepburn. Ori ...

'': 1935 (screenplay) *'' The Little Minister'': 1934 (screenplay) *''

Imitation of Life Imitation (from Latin ''imitatio'', "a copying, imitation") is a behavior whereby an individual observes and replicates another's behavior. Imitation is also a form of that leads to the "development of traditions, and ultimately our culture. I ...

'': 1934 (uncredited) *'' The Age of Innocence'': 1934 (screenplay) *''

'': 1933 (screenplay) *'' Personality'': 1930 *''

'': 1928 (story) *''

'': 1927 (story) *''

Modern Matrimony ''Modern Matrimony'' is a 1923 American silent comedy drama film directed by Victor Heerman and starring Owen Moore, Alice Lake, and Mayme Kelso. Cast Preservation With no prints of ''Modern Matrimony'' having been found in any film archives, ...

'': 1923 (story) *'' Love Is an Awful Thing'': 1922 *''

'': 1922 (story) *''

'': 1921 *''

'':, 1921 (story) *'' The Chicken in the Case'': 1921 (story)

References

External links

* * * 1893 births 1977 deaths English film directors English male screenwriters English film producers Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award winners 20th-century English screenwriters 20th-century English male writers 20th-century English businesspeople {{screenwriter-stub