Edward Llewellyn Totman, known professionally as Wellyn Totman (August 3, 1903 - October 6, 1977) was a film and television

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. ...

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

. His work includes original stories and adaptations such as the

Mascot Pictures Mascot Pictures Corporation was an American film company of the 1920s and 1930s best known for producing and distributing film serials and B-westerns. Mascot was formed in 1927 by film producer Nat Levine. In 1936 it merged with several other ...

movie serial

The Miracle Rider ''The Miracle Rider'' is a 1935 American Western film serial directed by B. Reeves Eason and Armand Schaefer for Mascot. It stars silent movie cowboy star Tom Mix in his last major film role. Plot summary Zaroff ( Charles Middleton), a rancher ...

starring

Tom Mix Thomas Edwin Mix (born Thomas Hezikiah Mix; January 6, 1880 – October 12, 1940) was an American film actor and the star of many early Western films between 1909 and 1935. He appeared in 291 films, all but nine of which were silent films. He w ...

. He also wrote several

Republic Pictures Republic Pictures Corporation (currently held under Melange Pictures, LLC) was an American motion picture production-distribution corporation in operation from 1935 to 1967, that was based in Los Angeles. It had studio facilities in Studio City an ...

films. He was born and raised in

Duluth , settlement_type = City , nicknames = Twin Ports (with Superior), Zenith City , motto = , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top: urban Duluth skyline; Minnesota ...

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

. He was named after his father and grandfather. He attended Washburn Elementary School and

Duluth Central High School Duluth Central High School, also known as Central High School, was a secondary school located in Duluth, Minnesota, which educated students in grades ten through twelve until seventh and eighth were added after the closing of Washington Junior Hi ...

. His writing career began in high school where he wrote a play, wrote reviews for the newspaper, and did event booking and promotion. Totman was arrested for drunk driving and belligerence in 1937 and his writing productivity declined in the 1940s.

Work

Totman's work includes: *Stories for episodes of ''

(1935) including Episode 1 The Vanishing Indian, Episode 2 The Firebird Strikes, Episode 3 The Flying Knife, Episode 4 A Race with Death, Episode 5 Double-Barrelled, Episode 8 Guerrilla Warfare, Episode 9 The Silver Band, Episode 6 Thundering Hoofs, Episode 15 Justice Rides the Plains, Episode 7 The Dragnet, Episode 14 Between Two Fires, Episode 13 The Secret of X-94, Episode 12 Danger Rides with Death, and Episode 11 A Traitor Dies * ''

Fighting Thoroughbreds ''Fighting Thoroughbreds'' is a 1939 American drama film directed by Sidney Salkow and written by Wellyn Totman. The film stars Ralph Byrd, Mary Carlisle, Robert Allen, George "Gabby" Hayes, Marvin Stephens and Charles C. Wilson. The film was re ...

'' (1939) screenplay * ''

The Girl from Mandalay ''The Girl from Mandalay'' is a 1936 American action film directed by Howard Bretherton and written by Wellyn Totman and Endre Bohem. It is based on the 1931 novel ''Tiger Valley'' by Reginald Campbell. The film stars Conrad Nagel, Kay Linaker, ...

'' (1936) screenplay * ''

Streamline Express ''Streamline Express'' is a 1935 American comedy drama film directed by Leonard Fields, starring Victor Jory, Evelyn Venable and Esther Ralston, distributed by Mascot Pictures. The film is an adaptation of ''Twentieth Century'', released the prev ...

'' (1936) original story * '' Happy Go Lucky'' (1936) original story *''

One Frightened Night ''One Frightened Night'' is a 1935 American comedy mystery film directed by Christy Cabanne and starring Charley Grapewin, Lucien Littlefield and Mary Carlisle. The film has entered the public domain. Plot Faced with an upcoming inheritance tax ...

'' (1935) screenplay * ''

Confidential Confidentiality involves a set of rules or a promise usually executed through confidentiality agreements that limits the access or places restrictions on certain types of information. Legal confidentiality By law, lawyers are often required ...

'' (1935) screenplay *''

Carnival Lady ''Carnival Lady'' is a 1933 American drama film directed by Howard Higgin and starring Boots Mallory, Allen Vincent and Donald Kerr.Pitts p.166 The film's sets were designed by the art director Lewis J. Rachmil. Cast * Boots Mallory as Penny L ...

'' (1933) * '' Hidden Valley'' (1932) script *''

Galloping Thru ''Galloping Thru'' is a 1931 American Western film directed by Lloyd Nosler and written by Wellyn Totman. The film stars Tom Tyler, Betty Mack, Alan Bridge, Si Jenks, Stanley Blystone and Gordon De Main. The film was released on December 5, 1 ...

'' (1931) * '' Ghost City'' (1932) * '' Young Blood'' (1932) * '' Forgotten Women'' (1931) * ''

Rider of the Plains ''Rider of the Plains'' is a 1931 American Western film directed by John P. McCarthy and starring Tom Tyler, Lilian Bond and Al Bridge. Main cast * Tom Tyler as Blackie Saunders * Lilian Bond as Betty Harper * Al Bridge as Deputy Bill Gaines ...

'' (1931) * ''

Ships of Hate ''Ships of Hate'' is a 1931 American pre-Code drama film directed by John P. McCarthy and starring Lloyd Hughes, Dorothy Sebastian and Charles Middleton.Dooley p.44 Synopsis A fierce rivalry is raged over a dancer by a captain of a ship and o ...

'' (1931) * ''Mother and Son'' (1931) story and adaptation * ''

The Eternal Woman ''The Eternal Woman'' is a 1929 American silent drama film directed by John P. McCarthy and starring Olive Borden, Ralph Graves and Ruth Clifford.Munden p.764 The film is set in Argentina. Cast * Olive Borden as Anita * Ralph Graves as Hartley ...

'' (1929) script and original story * ''

The Albany Night Boat ''The Albany Night Boat'' is a 1928 American silent drama film directed by Alfred Raboch and starring Olive Borden, Ralph Emerson and Duke Martin.Connelly p.7 It was produced and distributed by the independent Tiffany Pictures, one of the lar ...

'' (1928) original story * ''

Domestic Meddlers ''Domestic Meddlers'' is a 1928 American silent comedy film directed by James Flood and starring Claire Windsor, Lawrence Gray and Roy D'Arcy.Darby p.373 Cast * Claire Windsor as Claire * Lawrence Gray as Walter * Roy D'Arcy as Lew * Jed ...

'' (1928) original story

References

1903 births 1977 deaths People from Duluth, Minnesota Screenwriters from Minnesota 20th-century American screenwriters {{US-screen-writer-stub