Elliott Nugent (September 20, 1896 – August 9, 1980) was an American actor, playwright, writer, and film director.

Biography

Nugent was born in

Dover, Ohio Dover is a city in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, United States, along the Tuscarawas River. The population was 13,112 at the 2020 census. It is located approximately south of Cleveland, west of Pittsburgh, and northeast of the state capital of Col ...

, the son of actor

J.C. Nugent John Charles Nugent (April 6, 1868 – April 21, 1947), was an American actor, director, and screenwriter. A veteran stage performer, he appeared in 20 films between 1929 and 1943. Early life Nugent was born in Niles, Ohio, and attended R ...

. He successfully made the transition from

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, when ...

to sound film. He directed '' The Cat and the Canary'' (1939), starring

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in more than 70 short and feature films, with 5 ...

and

Paulette Goddard Paulette Goddard (born Marion Levy; June 3, 1910 – April 23, 1990) was an American actress notable for her film career in the Golden Age of Hollywood. Born in Manhattan and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, Goddard initially began her career a ...

. He also directed the Hope films '' Never Say Die'' (1939) and ''

My Favorite Brunette ''My Favorite Brunette'' is a 1947 American romantic comedy film and film noir parody, directed by Elliott Nugent and starring Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour. Written by Edmund Beloin and Jack Rose, the film is about a baby photographer on death r ...

'' (1947). Nugent was a college classmate (and lifelong friend) of fellow Ohioan

James Thurber James Grover Thurber (December 8, 1894 – November 2, 1961) was an American cartoonist, writer, humorist, journalist and playwright. He was best known for his cartoons and short stories, published mainly in ''The New Yorker'' and collected in ...

. Together, they wrote the Broadway play ''The Male Animal'' (1940) in which Nugent starred with

Gene Tierney Gene Eliza Tierney (November 19, 1920 – November 6, 1991) was an American film and stage actress. Acclaimed for her great beauty, she became established as a leading lady. Tierney was best known for her portrayal of the title character in the ...

. He also directed the 1942 film version of ''

The Male Animal ''The Male Animal'' is a 1942 American comedy-drama film produced by Warner Bros., starring Henry Fonda, Olivia de Havilland and Joan Leslie. The film was based on a hit 1940 Broadway play of the same name written by James Thurber and Elliott N ...

'', starring

Henry Fonda Henry Jaynes Fonda (May 16, 1905 – August 12, 1982) was an American actor. He had a career that spanned five decades on Broadway and in Hollywood. He cultivated an everyman screen image in several films considered to be classics. Born and rai ...

and

Olivia de Havilland Dame Olivia Mary de Havilland (; July 1, 1916July 26, 2020) was a British-American actress. The major works of her cinematic career spanned from 1935 to 1988. She appeared in 49 feature films and was one of the leading actresses of her time. ...

. Nugent was the brother-in-law of actor

Alan Bunce Alan Coe Bunce (June 28, 1900 – April 27, 1965) was an American radio and television actor. Bunce was best remembered for playing the role of Albert Arbuckle alongside Peg Lynch on the sitcom ''Ethel and Albert'' from 1944-50 on radio and ...

of ''

Ethel and Albert ''Ethel and Albert'' (aka ''The Private Lives of Ethel and Albert'') was a radio and television comedy series about a married couple, Ethel and Albert Arbuckle, living in the small town of Sandy Harbor. Created by Peg Lynch (1916–2015), who scr ...

'' fame. He died in his sleep at his

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

home.

Partial filmography

* ''

Headlines The headline or heading is the text indicating the content or nature of the article below it, typically by providing a form of brief summary of its contents. The large type ''front page headline'' did not come into use until the late 19th centur ...

'' (1925) - Roger Hillman * ''

The Single Standard ''The Single Standard'' is a 1929 American romantic drama film from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer directed by veteran John S. Robertson and starring Greta Garbo, Nils Asther, and Johnny Mack Brown. This was Greta Garbo's fifteenth film and her second c ...

'' (1929) - Party Boy (uncredited) * '' Wise Girls'' (1929) - Kempy * ''

So This Is College ''So This Is College'' is a 1929 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Sam Wood, written by Al Boasberg, Delmer Daves and Joseph Farnham, and starring Elliott Nugent, Robert Montgomery in his film debut, Cliff Edwards, Sally Starr and Phyl ...

'' (1929) - Eddie * ''

Not So Dumb ''Not So Dumb'' is a 1930 pre-Code comedy motion picture starring Marion Davies, directed by King Vidor, and produced for Cosmopolitan Productions for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It is based on the stage play ''Dulcy'' by George S. Kaufman and Marc C ...

'' (1930) - Gordon * ''

The Sins of the Children ''The Sins of the Children'', also known as ''Father's Day'' and ''The Richest Man in the World'', is a 1930 American pre-Code drama film, which was produced and directed by Sam Wood and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Synopsis Adolf Wagenk ...

'' (1930) - Johnnie Wagenkampf * ''

The Unholy Three The Unholy Three can refer to the following: * ''The Unholy Three'', a 1917 novel by Tod Robbins * ''The Unholy Three'' (1925 film), directed by Tod Browning * ''The Unholy Three'' (1930 film), a remake of the 1925 film directed by Jack Conway * ...

'' (1930) (also writer, with

) - Hector * ''

Romance Romance (from Vulgar Latin , "in the Roman language", i.e., "Latin") may refer to: Common meanings * Romance (love), emotional attraction towards another person and the courtship behaviors undertaken to express the feelings * Romance languages, ...

'' (1930) - Harry * ''

For the Love o' Lil ''For the Love o' Lil'' is a 1930 American drama film directed by James Tinling and starring Jack Mulhall, Sally Starr, Elliott Nugent, Margaret Livingston, and Charles Sellon. The film was released by Columbia Pictures on August 29, 1930. Cast ...

'' (1930) - Sandy Jenkins * ''

The Virtuous Husband ''The Virtuous Husband'' is a 1931 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Vin Moore and written by Jerry Horwin, Edward Ludwig, Fred Niblo, Jr. and Dale Van Every. The film stars Betty Compson, Elliott Nugent, Jean Arthur, J. C. Nugent, Ali ...

'' (1931) - Daniel Curtis * '' The Last Flight'' (1931) - Francis * ''

The Mouthpiece ''The Mouthpiece'' is a 1932 American pre-Code crime drama film starring Warren William and directed by James Flood and Elliott Nugent. It was produced and distributed by Warner Bros.''The American Film Institute Catalog Feature Films: 1931-40'' ...

'' (1932, director) * '' Life Begins'' (1932, co-director) * ''

Whistling in the Dark Whistling without the use of an artificial whistle is achieved by creating a small opening with one's lips, usually after applying moisture (licking one's lips or placing water upon them) and then blowing or sucking air through the space. The a ...

'' (1933, director) * ''

Three-Cornered Moon ''Three Cornered Moon'' is a 1933 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Elliott Nugent, written by Ray Harris and S.K. Lauren, and starring Claudette Colbert, Richard Arlen, Mary Boland, and Wallace Ford. Based on a 1933 play by Gertrude Ton ...

'' (1933, director) - Stock Broker (uncredited) * ''

If I Were Free ''If I Were Free'' is a 1933 American pre-Code drama film directed by Elliott Nugent and written by Dwight Taylor, based on the play, '' Behold, We Live'' by John Van Druten. The film stars Irene Dunne, Clive Brook, Nils Asther and Henry Step ...

'' (1933, director) * ''

Two Alone 2 (two) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 1 and preceding 3. It is the smallest and only even prime number. Because it forms the basis of a duality, it has religious and spiritual significance in many cultur ...

'' (1934, director) * ''

Strictly Dynamite ''Strictly Dynamite'' is a 1934 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code film directed by Elliott Nugent and starring Lupe Vélez and Jimmy Durante. Premise Norman Foster plays a poet whose life changes when he begins writing comedy for Durante an ...

'' (1934, director) - Performer (uncredited) (unbilled) * '' She Loves Me Not'' (1934, director) * '' Enter Madame'' (1935, director) * ''

Splendor Splendor or splendour (see spelling differences) may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Splendor (game), a card-based board game published in 2014 by Marc André * ''Splendour'' (play), a 2000 play by Abi Morgan * '' Splendor: A Luxe Novel'', a ...

'' (1935, director) * ''

Wives Never Know ''Wives Never Know'' is a 1936 American black-and-white comedy film directed by Elliott Nugent. Written by Frederick Hazlitt Brennan, Edwin Justus Mayer and Keene Thompson, the film stars Charlie Ruggles, Mary Boland, and Adolphe Menjou, and wa ...

'' (1936, director) * ''

It's All Yours ''It's All Yours'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by Elliott Nugent and starring Madeleine Carroll, Francis Lederer and Mischa Auer.Sikov p.218 Cast * Madeleine Carroll as Linda Gray * Francis Lederer as Jimmy Barnes * Mischa Auer ...

'' (1937) * ''

Thunder in the City ''Thunder in the City'' is a 1937 British drama film directed by Marion Gering and starring Edward G. Robinson, Luli Deste, Nigel Bruce and Ralph Richardson. Plot An American salesman with radically successful methods visits England ostensib ...

'' (1937) - Casey (uncredited) * ''

Professor Beware ''Professor Beware'' is a 1938 comedy film starring Harold Lloyd and directed by Elliott Nugent. It was Phyllis Welch MacDonald's first and only film. Plot Three thousand years after ancient Egyptian Neferus's death, Professor Dean Lambert (who ...

'' (1938, director) * ''

Give Me a Sailor ''Give Me a Sailor'' is a 1938 comedy film directed by Elliott Nugent, starring Martha Raye, Bob Hope, Betty Grable and Jack Whiting. This was Raye and Hope's third film together, the first in which they played the leads. Plot Jim and Walter B ...

'' (1938, director) * '' Never Say Die'' (1939, director) * '' The Cat and the Canary'' (1939, director) * '' Nothing But the Truth'' (1941, director) * ''

'' (1942, director) * '' The Crystal Ball'' (1943, director) * ''

Stage Door Canteen The Stage Door Canteen was an entertainment venue for American and Allied servicemen that operated in the Broadway theatre district of New York City throughout World War II. Founded by the American Theatre Wing (ATW) in 1942, the entertainers we ...

'' (1943) - Himself * ''

Up in Arms ''Up in Arms'' is a 1944 musical film directed by Elliott Nugent and starring Danny Kaye and Dinah Shore. It was nominated for two Academy Awards in 1945. Plot Danny Weems works as an elevator operator in a New York Medical building, so he can b ...

'' (1944, director) * ''

'' (1947, director) * ''

Welcome Stranger The Welcome Stranger is the biggest alluvial gold nugget that has ever been found, which had a calculated refined weight of .Potter, Terry F. (1999) ''The Welcome Stranger: a definitive account of the worlds largest alluvial gold nugget''. I ...

'' (1947, director) - Dr. Morton (uncredited) * ''

My Girl Tisa ''My Girl Tisa'' is a 1948 film directed by Elliott Nugent and starring Lilli Palmer and Sam Wanamaker. It is based on the play ''Ever the Beginning'' by Lucille S. Prumbs and Sara B. Smith (copyrighted 14 May 1946). Plot In 1905, Tisa Kepes is a ...

'' (1948, director) - Man on Boat (uncredited) * ''

Mr. Belvedere Goes to College ''Mr. Belvedere Goes to College'' is a 1949 American comedy film directed by Elliott Nugent. The screenplay written by Mary Loos, Mary C. McCall, Jr., and Richard Sale was based on characters created by Gwen Davenport. It follows on from '' Sitti ...

'' (1949, director) * ''

The Great Gatsby ''The Great Gatsby'' is a 1925 novel by American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Set in the Jazz Age on Long Island, near New York City, the novel depicts First-person narrative, first-person narrator Nick Carraway's interactions with mysterious mil ...

'' (1949, director) * ''

The Skipper Surprised His Wife ''The Skipper Surprised His Wife'' is a 1950 film directed by Elliott Nugent and starring Robert Walker and Joan Leslie. Plot The skipper, Cmdr. William Lattimer ( Robert Walker) whose wife Daphne (Joan Leslie) is incapacitated by a broken leg, ...

'' (1950, director) * '' My Outlaw Brother'' (1951, director) - Ranger Captain (uncredited) * '' Just for You'' (1952, director)

References

External links

* * *
Elliott Nugent papers, 1916-1965
held by the Billy Rose Theatre Division,

New York Public Library for the Performing Arts The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, at 40 Lincoln Center Plaza, is located in Manhattan, New York City, at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts on the Upper West Side, between the Metro ...

1896 births 1980 deaths 20th-century American male actors People from Dover, Ohio Film directors from Ohio American male film actors 20th-century American dramatists and playwrights American male stage actors Writers from Ohio Male actors from Ohio {{US-film-actor-1890s-stub