William Clemens (September 10, 1905 – April 29, 1980) was an American film director. Born in

Saginaw, Michigan Saginaw () is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw and Saginaw County are both in the area known as Mid-Michigan. Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township and considered part of Greater ...

, Clemens began his Hollywood career as a film editor in 1931. His first directing project was ''Man Hunt'' in 1936. His major credits include ''

On Dress Parade ''The 'Dead End' Kids "On Dress Parade"'' is a 1939 Warner Bros. film that marked the first time The Dead End Kids headlined a film without any other well-known actors. Plot A hero of World War I, Colonel William Duncan, is on his deathbed. He s ...

'' with the

Dead End Kids The Dead End Kids were a group of young actors from New York City who appeared in Sidney Kingsley's Broadway play '' Dead End'' in 1935. In 1937, producer Samuel Goldwyn brought all of them to Hollywood and turned the play into a film. They prov ...

, two

Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a c ...

mysteries (''

The Case of the Velvet Claws ''The Case of the Velvet Claws'' is a 1936 mystery film, based on the first Perry Mason novel (1933) by Erle Stanley Gardner and featuring the fourth and final appearance of Warren William as defense attorney Mason. Plot summary Mason finally ...

'' and ''

The Case of the Stuttering Bishop ''The Case of the Stuttering Bishop'' is a 1937 drama film directed by William Clemens. It stars Donald Woods as Perry Mason and Ann Dvorak as Della Street, his secretary. Edward McWade plays the role of stuttering Bishop William Mallory. It i ...

''), three films featuring detective Tom Lawrence, a.k.a. "The Falcon," four films based on the

Nancy Drew Nancy Drew is a fictional character appearing in several mystery book series, movies, and a TV show as a teenage amateur sleuth. The books are ghostwritten by a number of authors and published under the collective pseudonym Carolyn Keene. Crea ...

series, and ''

Calling Philo Vance ''Calling Philo Vance'' is a 1940 American mystery/comedy film released by Warner Bros. and starring James Stephenson as the dilettante detective Philo Vance, his only appearance as the character; Margot Stevenson co-stars. The film also featur ...

'' in 1940. Clemens' final project was ''The Thirteenth Hour'' in 1947. He died in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

in 1980.

Complete filmography

As director

* '' Man Hunt'' (1936) * ''

The Law in Her Hands ''The Law in Her Hands'' is a 1936 American drama film directed by William Clemens and written by George Bricker and Luci Ward. The film stars Margaret Lindsay and Glenda Farrell. It was released by Warner Bros. on May 16, 1936. The film's wor ...

'' (1936) * ''

'' (1936) * '' Down the Stretch'' (1936) * '' Here Comes Carter'' (1936) * ''The Sunday Round-Up'' (1936 short) * ''

Once a Doctor ''Once a Doctor'' is a 1937 American drama film directed by William Clemens and written by Robertson White and Ben Grauman Kohn. The film stars Jean Muir, Donald Woods, Gordon Oliver, Joe King, Henry Kolker and Gordon Hart. The film was release ...

'' (1937) * ''

Talent Scout In professional sports, scouts are experienced talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scou ...

'' (1937) * ''

The Footloose Heiress ''The Footloose Heiress'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by William Clemens and written by Robertson White. The film stars Craig Reynolds, Ann Sheridan, Anne Nagel, William Hopper, Hugh O'Connell and Teddy Hart. The film was released ...

'' (1937) * ''

Missing Witnesses ''Missing Witnesses'' is a 1937 American crime film directed by William Clemens and written by Kenneth Gamet and Don Ryan. The film stars John Litel, Dick Purcell, Jean Dale, Sheila Bromley, Ben Welden and William Haade. The film was released ...

'' (1937) * ''

Accidents Will Happen "Accidents Will Happen" is a song written by Elvis Costello and performed by Elvis Costello and the Attractions. It first appeared on the 1979 album '' Armed Forces''. Costello wrote the song about his many infidelities during this period of h ...

'' (1938) * ''

Torchy Blane in Panama ''Torchy Blane in Panama'' is a 1938 American mystery film directed by William Clemens and starring Lola Lane, Paul Kelly, and Tom Kennedy. Released on May 7, 1938, the fifth film in a series of Torchy Blane movies by Warner Bros. It is foll ...

'' (1938) * ''

Mr. Chump ''Mr. Chump'' is a 1938 American Musical film, musical comedy film directed by William Clemens (film director), William Clemens and written by George Bricker. The film stars Johnnie Davis, Lola Lane (actress/singer), Lola Lane, Penny Singleton, Do ...

'' (1938) * '' Nancy Drew... Detective'' (1938) * '' Devil's Island'' (1939) * '' Nancy Drew... Reporter'' (1939) * '' Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter'' (1939) * '' Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase'' (1939) * ''

'' (1939), starring the

* ''

'' (1940) * ''

King of the Lumberjacks ''King of the Lumberjacks'' is a 1940 American Western film directed by William Clemens and starring John Payne, Gloria Dickson and Stanley Fields.Pitts p.174 The film's sets were designed by the art director Esdras Hartley. Partial cast * ...

'' (1940) * '' She Couldn't Say No'' (1940) * '' Knockout'' (1941) * ''

The Night of January 16th ''Night of January 16th'' (sometimes advertised as ''The Night of January 16th'') is a theatrical play by Russian-American author Ayn Rand, inspired by the death of the "Match King", Ivar Kreuger. Set in a courtroom during a murder trial, an ...

'' (1941) * '' Night in New Orleans'' (1942) * '' Sweater Girl'' (1942) * ''

Lady Bodyguard ''Lady Bodyguard'' is a 1943 American comedy film directed by William Clemens. The film stars Eddie Albert, Anne Shirley', Raymond Walburn, Roger Pryor', Edward Brophy, Maude Eburne, Clem Bevans and Mary Treen. The film was released on January ...

'' (1943) * ''

The Falcon in Danger ''The Falcon in Danger'' is a 1943 American mystery film directed by William Clemens and starring Tom Conway, Jean Brooks, Amelita Ward and Elaine Shepard.Jewell and Harbin 1982, p. 185. The film was the sixth of thirteen The Falcon detective f ...

'' (1943) * ''

The Falcon and the Co-eds ''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 ...

'' (1943) * ''

The Falcon Out West ''The Falcon Out West'' (aka ''The Falcon in Texas'') is a 1944 American mystery film directed by William Clemens and starring Tom Conway, Joan Barclay and Barbara Hale. The film was part of RKO's The Falcon series of detective films, this ti ...

'' (1944) * ''

Crime by Night ''Crime by Night '' is a 1944 crime film directed by William Clemens, starring Jane Wyman and Jerome Cowan. It tells the story of Sam Campbell (Jerome Cowan) and his secretary Robbie Vance (Jane Wyman), who take a vacation and uncover a murder. ...

'' (1944) * ''Musical Shipmates'' (1946 short) * '' The Thirteenth Hour'' (1947)

As editor

* ''

Freighters of Destiny ''Freighters of Destiny'' is a 1931 American pre-Code Western film produced and directed by film editor Fred Allen, from a screenplay by Adele Buffington. Allen had started in the film industry as an editor in the early 1920s during the silent e ...

'' (1931) * ''

The Saddle Buster ''The Saddle Buster'' is a 1932 American Western film directed by Fred Allen and starring Tom Keene and Helen Foster.Richard Jewell & Vernon Harbin, ''The RKO Story.'' New Rochelle, New York: Arlington House, 1982. p47 Cast * Tom Keene as Mo ...

'' (1932) * '' Ghost Valley'' (1932) * '' Beyond the Rockies'' (1932) * ''

Ride Him, Cowboy ''Ride Him, Cowboy'' is a 1932 pre-Code Western film directed by Fred Allen for Warner Brothers, starring a 25-year-old John Wayne. Based on the 1923 novel of the same name by Kenneth Perkins, the film is a remake of '' The Unknown Cavalier' ...

'' (1932) * ''

Haunted Gold ''Haunted Gold'' is a 1932 Pre-Production Code, American Western film directed by Mack V. Wright and starring John Wayne. It is a remake of the 1928 film ''The Phantom City'', starring Ken Maynard and his horse Tarzan. Filmed in 1932, two year ...

'' (1932) * '' The Telegraph Trail'' (1933) * ''

Somewhere in Sonora ''Somewhere in Sonora'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code Western film directed by Mack V. Wright and starring John Wayne. It is a remake of the 1927 silent film of the same name. The story was based on a 1925 novel named "Somewhere South" by W ...

'' (1933) * ''

The Man from Monterey ''The Man from Monterey'' is a 1933 American pre-Code Western directed by Mack V. Wright and starring John Wayne. The picture was released by Warner Bros. Pictures. This film was the last of six films John Wayne made at Warner Bros. between 1 ...

'' (1933) * '' From Headquarters'' (1933) * '' Easy to Love'' (1934) * ''

Journal of a Crime ''Journal of a Crime'' is a 1934 American pre-Code crime drama film produced by First National Pictures. It was directed by William Keighley and stars Ruth Chatterton, Adolphe Menjou and Claire Dodd. The film is a remake of the 1933 French film ...

'' (1934) * ''

Dr. Monica ''Dr. Monica'' is a 1934 American pre-Code melodrama film produced by Warner Bros. starring Kay Francis, Warren William, and Jean Muir. An obstetrician, who is unable to have children, discovers that the baby she is about to deliver was fathe ...

'' (1934) * ''

Kansas City Princess ''Kansas City Princess'' is a 1934 American comedy film starring Joan Blondell and Glenda Farrell. The film was directed by William Keighley with a script written by Sy Bartlett and Manuel Seff. Warner Bros. sought to duplicate the success of ' ...

'' (1934) * '' Happiness Ahead'' (1934) * ''

Devil Dogs of the Air ''Devil Dogs of the Air'' (a.k.a. ''Flying Marines'') is a 1935 Warner Bros. film, directed by Lloyd Bacon and starring James Cagney and Pat O'Brien, playing similar roles as close friends after making their debut as a "buddy team" in ''Here Co ...

'' (1935) * '' Oil for the Lamps of China'' (1935) * '' Page Miss Glory'' (1935) * ''

I Found Stella Parish ''I Found Stella Parish'' is a 1935 melodrama starring Kay Francis as a beloved actress whose dark secret is revealed to the world.. Plot In London, Stella Parish (Kay Francis) has her greatest stage triumph in a play produced and directed by Ste ...

'' (1935) * ''

The Murder of Dr. Harrigan ''The Murder of Dr. Harrigan'' is a 1936 American mystery film directed by Frank McDonald and written by Peter Milne and Sy Bartlett. The film stars Ricardo Cortez, Kay Linaker, John Eldredge, Mary Astor, Joseph Crehan and Frank Reicher. The f ...

'' (1936)

As producer

* ''

'' (1940) (uncredited)

References

External links

* 1905 births 1980 deaths People from Saginaw, Michigan Film directors from Michigan American film editors {{US-film-director-1900s-stub