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 Mack Sennett (born Michael Sinnott; January 17, 1880 – November 5, 1960) was a Canadian-American film actor, director, and producer, and studio head, known as the 'King of Comedy'. Born in Danville, Quebec, in 1880, he started in films in the ...

, 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 The Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay is the Academy Award for the best screenplay adapted from previously established material. The most frequently adapted media are novels, but other adapted narrative formats include stage plays, musica ...

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 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) ...

' 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) ''Pride and Prejudice'' is a 1940 American film adaptation of Jane Austen's 1813 novel ''Pride and Prejudice'', starring Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier. Directed by Robert Z. Leonard, the screenplay was written by Aldous Huxley and Jane Murfin ...

''.

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'': (1917, short) *''

Pinched in the Finish ''Pinched'' is a 1917 American short comedy film starring Harold Lloyd. A print of the film is held by the Museum of Modern Art, and it has been released on DVD. Like many American films of the time, ''Pinched'' was subject to cuts by city and ...

'': 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 ''The Poor Simp'' is a 1920 American silent comedy film directed by Victor Heerman and starring Owen Moore, Nell Craig Nell Craig (June 13, 1891 – January 5, 1965) was an American actress. Partial filmography * '' The Triflers'' (1920) ...

'' (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 ''The Chicken in the Case'' is a 1921 American silent comedy film directed by Victor Heerman and starring Owen Moore, Vivia Ogden and Teddy Sampson. Plot As described in a film magazine review, Steve Perkins decides to borrow Winnie, the new ...

'' (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'' (1922) *''

Love Is an Awful Thing Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of meanings is that the love o ...

'' (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 ''Rupert of Hentzau'' is a sequel by Anthony Hope to ''The Prisoner of Zenda'', written in 1895 but not published in book form until 1898. The novel was serialized in ''The Pall Mall Magazine'' and ''McClure's Magazine'' from December 1897 thr ...

'' (1923) *''

The Dangerous Maid The Dangerous Maid is a 1923 American silent 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 Elizabeth Ellis, it was dis ...

'' (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 ''Rubber Heels'' is a 1927 American silent comedy film produced by Famous Players-Lasky and distributed through Paramount Pictures. It stars stage comedian Ed Wynn in his first motion picture.''The American Film Institute Catalog Feature Films: ...

'' (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'' (1928) *''

Paramount on Parade ''Paramount on Parade'' is a 1930 all-star American pre-Code revue released by Paramount Pictures, directed by several directors including Edmund Goulding, Dorothy Arzner, Ernst Lubitsch, Rowland V. Lee, A. Edward Sutherland, Lothar Mendes, Ot ...

'': (1930, sequence director) *''

Personality Personality is the characteristic sets of behaviors, cognitions, and emotional patterns that are formed from biological and environmental factors, and which change over time. While there is no generally agreed-upon definition of personality, mos ...

'' (1930) *''

'' (1930) *'' Sea Legs'' (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 ''Magnificent Obsession'' is a 1929 novel by American author Lloyd C. Douglas. It was one of four of his books that were eventually made into blockbuster motion pictures, the other three being '' The Robe'', '' White Banners'' and ''The Big Fisher ...

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

'': 1949 (screenplay) *''

Meet Me in St. Louis ''Meet Me in St. Louis'' is a 1944 American Christmas film, Christmas musical film made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Divided into a series of seasonal vignettes, starting with Summer 1903, it relates the story of a year in the life of the Smith famil ...

'': 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) *''

'': 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'': 1934 (uncredited) *''

The Age of Innocence ''The Age of Innocence'' is a 1920 novel by American author Edith Wharton. It was her twelfth novel, and was initially serialized in 1920 in four parts, in the magazine ''Pictorial Review''. Later that year, it was released as a book by D. Apple ...

'': 1934 (screenplay) *''

'': 1933 (screenplay) *''

'': 1930 *'' Love Hungry'': 1928 (story) *''

'': 1927 (story) *'' Modern Matrimony'': 1923 (story) *''

'': 1922 *'' John Smith'': 1922 (story) *''

'': 1921 *''

'':, 1921 (story) *''

'': 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