William Jacobs (October 31, 1887 – September 30, 1953) was an American screenwriter and producer for

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

He wrote 13 Hollywood films and produced 59 more, including musicals.

Early life

Jacobs was born on October 31, 1887, in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, Illinois. His father, Abe, was a stage manager at the

Majestic Theatre Majestic Theatre or Majestic Theater may refer to: Australia * Majestic Theatre, Adelaide, former name of a theatre in King William Street, Adelaide, built 1916, now demolished * Majestic Theatre, Launceston, a former cinema in Tasmania designed b ...

in Chicago.

Career

Jacobs joined

as a screenwriter in 1934. He wrote the scripts of several movies, including ''

Song of the Saddle '' Song of the Saddle '' is a 1936 American Western film starring Dick Foran, Alma Lloyd, Charles Middleton, and featuring an uncredited Sons of the Pioneers with Roy Rogers. Cast *Dick Foran - Frank Wilson Jr. as The Singing Kid * Alma Lloy ...

''. From 1938 to his death, Jacobs produced movies for Warner Bros. In 1940, he was the associate producer of '' Ladies Must Live''. He was active as a producer until 1953. During those years, he produced 59 movies and musicals, including ''

Calamity Jane Martha Jane Cannary (May 1, 1852 – August 1, 1903), better known as Calamity Jane, was an American frontierswoman, sharpshooter, and storyteller. In addition to many exploits she was known for being an acquaintance of Wild Bill Hickok. Late ...

'', ''

Over the Goal ''Over the Goal'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by Noel M. Smith and written by William Jacobs and Anthony Coldeway. The film stars June Travis, William Hopper, Johnnie Davis, Gordon Oliver, William Harrigan and Willard Parker. The f ...

'', ''

Christmas in Connecticut ''Christmas in Connecticut'' is a 1945 American Christmas romantic comedy film about an unmarried city magazine writer who pretends to be a farm wife and mother and then falls in love with a returning war hero. The film was directed by English d ...

'', and '' Tea for Two''.

Personal life and death

Jacobs was predeceased by his wife in 1949. He resided at 1716 Chevy Chase Drive in

Beverly Hills, California Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. B ...

. Jacobs died on September 30, 1953, in Beverly Hills, at age 65. His body was cremated, and his funeral was held at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park.

Partial filmography

* ''

Night of Terror ''Night of Terror'' is a 1933 American pre-Code horror film directed by Benjamin Stoloff, and starring Bela Lugosi, Sally Blane, Wallace Ford, and Tully Marshall. Despite receiving top billing, Bela Lugosi has a relatively small part. The film ...

'' (1933) (writer) * ''

The Unwelcome Stranger ''The Unwelcome Stranger'' is a 1935 American drama film directed by Phil Rosen and starring Jack Holt, Mona Barrie, and Ralph Morgan. It was released on April 20, 1935. Cast list * Jack Holt as Howard Chamberlain * Mona Barrie as Madeleine ...

'' (1935) (writer) * ''

Swellhead ''Swellhead'' is a 1935 American comedy drama film directed by Benjamin Stoloff and starring Wallace Ford, Dickie Moore and Barbara Kent.Dick p.239 Synopsis A cocky baseball player is forever bragging about his success on the field, and off it w ...

'' (1935) (writer) * '' The Big Noise'' (1936) (writer) * ''

Hot Money In economics, hot money is the flow of funds (or capital) from one country to another in order to earn a short-term profit on interest rate differences and/or anticipated exchange rate shifts. These speculative capital flows are called "hot money" b ...

'' (1936) (writer) * ''

'' (1936) (writer) * '' Treachery Rides the Range'' (1936) (writer) * '' Down the Stretch'' (1936) (writer) * ''

Isle of Fury ''Isle of Fury'' is a 1936 American adventure film directed by Frank McDonald and starring Humphrey Bogart, Margaret Lindsay, and Donald Woods. It was produced and distributed by Warner Bros. The film was adapted by Robert Hardy Andrews and ...

'' (1936) (writer) * ''

'' (1937) (writer) * ''

Dance Charlie Dance ''Dance Charlie Dance'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by Frank McDonald and written by Crane Wilbur and William Jacobs, based on the play ''The Butter and Egg Man'' by George S. Kaufman, which opened on Broadway on September 23, 1925 ...

'' (1937) (writer) * ''

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 scout ...

'' (1937) (writer) * ''

Penrod and His Twin Brother ''Penrod and His Twin Brother'' is a 1938 American comedy film directed by William C. McGann and written by William Jacobs and Hugh Cummings. The film stars Billy Mauch, Bobby Mauch, Frank Craven, Spring Byington, Charles Halton and Claudia Co ...

'' (1938) (writer) * ''

Sergeant Murphy ''Sergeant Murphy'' is a 1938 American comedy film directed by B. Reeves Eason and written by Sy Bartlett and William Jacobs. The film stars Ronald Reagan, Mary Maguire, Donald Crisp, Ben Hendricks Jr. and William B. Davidson. The film was r ...

'' (1938) (writer) * '' Ladies Must Live'' (1940) (assoc. producer) * ''

Father Is a Prince ''Father Is a Prince'' is a 1940 comedy film directed by Noel M. Smith, starring Grant Mitchell and Nana Bryant. ''Father is a Prince'' is a remake of the 1934 comedy-drama '' Big Hearted Herbert'', itself based on a play by Sophie Kerr Sophie ...

'' (1940) (assoc. producer) * '' River's End'' (1940) (assoc. producer) * '' Always a Bride'' (1940) (assoc. producer) * '' She Couldn't Say No'' (1940) (assoc. producer) * ''

Money and the Woman ''Money and the Woman'' is a 1940 American drama film directed by William K. Howard and written by Robert Presnell Sr.. The film stars Jeffrey Lynn, Brenda Marshall, John Litel, Lee Patrick, Henry O'Neill and Roger Pryor. The film was release ...

'' (1940) (assoc. producer) * ''

Calling All Husbands ''Calling All Husbands'' is a 1940 American comedy film directed by Noel M. Smith and written by Robert E. Kent and based on Martin Flavin's 1929 play "Broken Dishes". The film stars George Tobias, Lucile Fairbanks, Ernest Truex, George Reeves, ...

'' (1940) (assoc. producer) * ''

South of Suez ''South of Suez'' is a 1940 American drama film directed by Lewis Seiler and starring George Brent, Brenda Marshall and George Tobias. An alleged murder in an African diamond mine haunts a man many years later after he has returned to Britain. The ...

'' (1940) (1940) (assoc. producer) * ''

Passage from Hong Kong ''Passage from Hong Kong'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by D. Ross Lederman and written by Fred Niblo Jr. and Earl Derr Biggers. The film stars Lucile Fairbanks, Douglas Kennedy, Paul Cavanagh, Richard Ainley, Marjorie Gateson and ...

'' (1941) (assoc. producer) * '' A Shot in the Dark'' (1941) (assoc. producer) * ''

Here Comes Happiness ''Here Comes Happiness'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Noel M. Smith and written by Charles L. Tedford. The film stars Mildred Coles, Edward Norris, Richard Ainley, Russell Hicks, Marjorie Gateson and John Ridgely. The film was rel ...