Robert Florey
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Robert Florey (14 September 1900 – 16 May 1979) was a French-American director, screenwriter, film journalist and actor. Born as Robert Fuchs in Paris, he became an orphan at an early age and was then raised in Switzerland. In 1920 he worked at first as a film journalist, then as an assistant and extra in featurettes from
Louis Feuillade Louis Feuillade (; 19 February 1873 – 25 February 1925) was a French filmmaker of the silent era. Between 1906 and 1924, he directed over 630 films. He is primarily known for the crime serials '' Fantômas'', '' Les Vampires'' and '' Judex ...
. Florey moved to the United States in 1921. As a director, Florey's most productive decades were the 1930s and 1940s, working on relatively low-budget fillers for
Paramount Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to: Entertainment and music companies * Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. The following busin ...
and
Warner Brothers Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American Film studio, film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank, Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, Califo ...
. His reputation is balanced between his avant-garde expressionist style, most evident in his early career, and his work as a fast, reliable studio-system director called on to finish troubled projects, such as 1939's ''
Hotel Imperial The Hotel Imperial, also known as The Imperial, is a five-star luxury hotel in Vienna, Austria. It is located on the Vienna Ring Road (''Ringstraße'') at Kärntner Ring 16, in the Innere Stadt district. Description The Hotel Imperial's faça ...
''. Florey directed more than 50 films, the best known likely being 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) ...
first feature, ''
The Cocoanuts ''The Cocoanuts'' is a 1929 pre-Code Musical film, musical comedy film starring the Marx Brothers (Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, Chico Marx, and Zeppo Marx in his first starring role). Produced for Paramount Pictures by Walter Wanger, who is not cre ...
'' (1929). His 1932 foray into Universal-style horror, ''
Murders in the Rue Morgue "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe published in ''Graham's Magazine'' in 1841. It has been described as the first modern detective story; Poe referred to it as one of his "tales of ratiocination". C. Auguste Du ...
'', is regarded by horror fans as highly reflective of
German expressionism German Expressionism () consisted of several related creative movements in Germany before the First World War that reached a peak in Berlin during the 1920s. These developments were part of a larger Expressionist movement in north and central ...
. In 2006, as his 1937 film ''
Daughter of Shanghai ''Daughter of Shanghai'' is a 1937 American crime film directed by Robert Florey and starring Anna May Wong. Unusually for the time, East Asian American actors played the lead roles. It was also one of the first films in which Anthony Quinn appe ...
'' was selected for preservation in the United States
National Film Registry The National Film Registry (NFR) is the United States National Film Preservation Board's (NFPB) collection of films selected for preservation, each selected for its historical, cultural and aesthetic contributions since the NFPB’s inception i ...
by the
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...
, Florey was called "widely acclaimed as the best director working in major studio B-films".


Life and work


Early life

Florey grew up in Paris near the studio of
George Melies George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd President ...
, and as a young man served as assistant to
Louis Feuillade Louis Feuillade (; 19 February 1873 – 25 February 1925) was a French filmmaker of the silent era. Between 1906 and 1924, he directed over 630 films. He is primarily known for the crime serials '' Fantômas'', '' Les Vampires'' and '' Judex ...
. He was an assistant director on ''L'orpheline'' (1921), and ''
Parisette ''Parisette'' is a 1921 French drama film serial directed by Louis Feuillade. Cast * Sandra Milovanoff as Parisette * Georges Biscot as Cogolin * Fernand Herrmann as Le banquier Stephan * Édouard Mathé as Pedro Alvarez * René Clair as Jean V ...
'' (1921).


Hollywood

Florey went to Hollywood in 1921 as a journalist for Cinemagazine. He worked as foreign publicity director for Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford and was European advance manager for
Rudolph Valentino Rodolfo Pietro Filiberto Raffaello Guglielmi di Valentina d'Antonguolla (May 6, 1895 – August 23, 1926), known professionally as Rudolph Valentino and nicknamed The Latin Lover, was an Italian actor based in the United States who starred ...
. He was an assistant director on ''
Parisian Nights ''Parisian Nights'' is a 1925 American silent drama film directed by Alfred Santell and featuring Boris Karloff. Plot As described in a film magazine review, Adela, a wealthy sculptress, finds in Jean, a leader of a Parisian Apaches, the model ...
'' (1925). He went to
MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...
where he was an assistant on ''
The Masked Bride ''The Masked Bride'' is a 1925 American silent romantic drama film directed by Christy Cabanne and starring Mae Murray, Francis X. Bushman, and Basil Rathbone. It is currently a lost film. Plot As described in a review in a film magazine, Ga ...
'' (1925), '' Exquisite Sinner'' (1926), ''
Bardelys the Magnificent ''Bardelys the Magnificent'' is a 1926 American silent romantic film directed by King Vidor and starring John Gilbert and Eleanor Boardman. The film is based on the 1906 novel of the same title by Rafael Sabatini. It was the second film of the ...
'' (1926), ''
La Bohème ''La bohème'' (; ) is an opera in four acts,Puccini called the divisions ''quadri'', ''tableaux'' or "images", rather than ''atti'' (acts). composed by Giacomo Puccini between 1893 and 1895 to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe G ...
'' (1926) and ''
The Magic Flame ''The Magic Flame'' is a 1927 American silent drama film directed by Henry King, produced by Samuel Goldwyn, and based on the 1900 play ''Konig Harlekin'' by Rudolph Lothar. George Barnes was nominated at the 1st Academy Awards for Best Cinem ...
'' (1927). He also shot newsreel footage in New York.


Early films

Florey's first film as director was ''
One Hour of Love ''One Hour of Love'' is a 1927 American silent romantic drama film directed by Robert Florey and starring Jacqueline Logan, Robert Frazer and Montagu Love.Munden p.568 It is now considered to be a lost film. The film's sets were designed by the ...
'' (1927) for Tiffany Productions. He did ''
The Romantic Age ''The Romantic Age'' is a 1949 British drama film directed by Edmond T. Gréville. The screenplay by Peggy Barwell and Edward Dryhurst is based on the French novel ''Lycee des jeunes filles'' by Serge Véber. The film was retitled ''Naughty A ...
'' (1927) for Columbia and '' Face Value'' (1927) for Stirling Pictures. He was assistant on ''
The Woman Disputed ''The Woman Disputed'' is a 1928 American silent film. Norma Talmadge stars as a good-hearted Austrian prostitute drawn into a romantic triangle on the eve of World War I. Based on a Denison Clift play, the nationalities of the characters had t ...
'' (1928). He directed and co-wrote the 27-minute experimental film ''Johann the Coffinmaker'' in 1927, said to have been made for $200 in his spare time, shooting at night while working on other films in the daytime. The avant-garde film was made on only three sets, and involved a lot of trick photographic effects.


Shorts

In the late 1920s he produced two experimental short films: '' The Life and Death of 9413: a Hollywood Extra'' (1928) co-directed with
Slavko Vorkapić Slavoljub "Slavko" Vorkapić ( sr-Cyrl, Славољуб "Славко" Воркапић; March 17, 1894 – October 20, 1976), known in English as Slavko Vorkapich, was a Serbian-born Hollywood montagist, an independent cinematic artist, chair ...
, and ''Skyscraper Symphony'' the following year. He also directed the shorts ''Johann the Coffinmaker'' (1927), ''The Love of Zero'' (1928), ''Hello New York!'' (1928) with Maurice Chevalier, and ''Pusher-in-the-Face'' (1929) from a script and story by
F. Scott Fitzgerald Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald (September 24, 1896 – December 21, 1940) was an American novelist, essayist, and short story writer. He is best known for his novels depicting the flamboyance and excess of the Jazz Age—a term he popularize ...
published for the first time on the newspaper Woman's Home Companion.


Paramount

Florey accepted a contract to direct at Paramount Pictures, where he made '' The Hole in the Wall'' (1929), starring
Claudette Colbert Claudette Colbert ( ; born Émilie Claudette Chauchoin; September 13, 1903July 30, 1996) was an American actress. Colbert began her career in Broadway productions during the late 1920s and progressed to films with the advent of talking pictures ...
and Edward G. Robinson, and ''
The Cocoanuts ''The Cocoanuts'' is a 1929 pre-Code Musical film, musical comedy film starring the Marx Brothers (Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, Chico Marx, and Zeppo Marx in his first starring role). Produced for Paramount Pictures by Walter Wanger, who is not cre ...
'' (1929), the first film of 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) ...
. He directed a short with
Fanny Brice Fania Borach (October 29, 1891 – May 29, 1951), known professionally as Fanny Brice or Fannie Brice, was an American comedienne, illustrated song model, singer, and theater and film actress who made many stage, radio, and film appearances. S ...
, ''Night Club'' (1929), and made ''
The Battle of Paris ''The Battle of Paris'' (a.k.a. ''The Gay Lady'') is a 1929 American pre-Code musical film. Plot Gertrude Lawrence plays a singer in Paris during World War I. After stealing from Tony (Walter Petrie), an American artist, the two fall in love. ...
'' (1929) with
Gertrude Lawrence Gertrude Lawrence (4 July 1898 – 6 September 1952) was an English actress, singer, dancer and musical comedy performer known for her stage appearances in the West End of London and on Broadway in New York. Early life Lawrence was born Gertr ...
. Florey went to England to direct a French musical, ''
The Road Is Fine ''The Road Is Fine'' (French: ''La route est belle'') is a 1930 French musical film directed by Robert Florey and starring Laurette Fleury, André Baugé and Léon Bary.Marshall p.451 As no French studios had been converted for sound film, it was ...
'' (1930), and to Germany for ''
My Wife's Teacher ''My Wife's Teacher'' (Spanish:''El profesor de mi mujer'', ''El profesor de mi señora'' or ''El amor solfeando'') is a 1930 comedy film directed by Robert Florey, and starring Imperio Argentina.Comas, p. 24 It was made as the Spanish-language ...
'' (1930), a Spanish language version of the film ''Rendezvous''. While in Germany he directed ''
Love Songs A love song is a song about romantic love, falling in love, heartbreak after a breakup, and the feelings that these experiences bring. A comprehensive list of even the best known performers and composers of love songs would be a large order ...
'' (1930). He did ''
Black and White Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white in a continuous spectrum, producing a range of shades of grey. Media The history of various visual media began with black and white, and as technology improved, altered to color. ...
'' (1931) with
Raimu Jules Auguste Muraire (18 December 1883 – 20 September 1946), whose stage name was Raimu, was a French actor. He is most famous for playing César in the 'Marseilles trilogy' ('' Marius'', '' Fanny'' and '' César''). Life and career Born in T ...
, co-directing with
Marc Allegret Marc or MARC may refer to: People * Marc (given name), people with the first name * Marc (surname), people with the family name Acronyms * MARC standards, a data format used for library cataloging, * MARC Train, a regional commuter rail system o ...
.


''Murders in the Rue Morgue''

Florey made a significant but uncredited contribution to the script of the 1931 version of ''
Frankenstein ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific ex ...
''. Florey was to be given the job of directing ''Frankenstein'', and filmed a screen test with
Bela Lugosi Béla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó (; October 20, 1882 – August 16, 1956), known professionally as Bela Lugosi (; ), was a Hungarian and American actor best remembered for portraying Count Dracula in the 1931 horror classic ''Dracula'', Ygor in ''S ...
playing the monster, but
Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...
wound up giving the job to
James Whale James Whale (22 July 1889 – 29 May 1957) was an English film director, theatre director and actor, who spent the greater part of his career in Cinema of the United States, Hollywood. He is best remembered for several horror films: ''Fran ...
, who cast
Boris Karloff William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff (), was an English actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film ''Frankenstein'' (1931) (his 82nd film) established h ...
. Instead Universal assigned Florey and Lugosi to ''
Murders in the Rue Morgue "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe published in ''Graham's Magazine'' in 1841. It has been described as the first modern detective story; Poe referred to it as one of his "tales of ratiocination". C. Auguste Du ...
'' (1932). Florey, with the help of
cinematographer The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the photographing or recording of a film, television production, music video or other live action piece. The cinematographer is the ch ...
Karl Freund Karl W. Freund, A.S.C. (January 16, 1890 – May 3, 1969) was an Austrian cinematography, cinematographer and film director best known for photographing ''Metropolis (1927 film), Metropolis'' (1927), ''Dracula (1931 English-language film), Dracul ...
and elaborate sets representing 19th century Paris, made ''Murders'' into an American version of German
expressionist Expressionism is a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Northern Europe around the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it rad ...
films such as ''
Cabinet of Dr. Caligari ''The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari'' (german: Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari) is a 1920 German silent film, silent horror film, directed by Robert Wiene and written by Hans Janowitz and Carl Mayer. Considered the quintessential work of German Expressio ...
'' (1920). Florey directed ''
The Man Called Back ''The Man Called Back'' is a 1932 American Pre-Code film directed by Robert Florey. This film was independently produced for the bargain-basement price of $68,000, partly because Florey was allowed to re-use the tropical set constructed for the ...
'' (1932) with
Conrad Nagel John Conrad Nagel (March 16, 1897 – February 24, 1970) was an American film, stage, television and radio actor. He was considered a famous matinée idol and leading man of the 1920s and 1930s. He was given an Academy Honorary Award in 1940 and ...
for Tiffany Pictures, and ''
Those We Love ''Those We Love'' is a 1932 American pre-Code film directed by Robert Florey. It was adapted by F. Hugh Herbert from the play by George Abbott and S.K. Lauren. The film was independently produced and distributed. Plot Kenneth MacKenna plays a ...
'' (1932) with
Mary Astor Mary Astor (born Lucile Vasconcellos Langhanke; May 3, 1906 – September 25, 1987) was an American actress. Although her career spanned several decades, she may be best remembered for her performance as Brigid O'Shaughnessy in '' The Maltese ...
. He wrote the script for a version of '' A Study in Scarlet '' (1933).


Warner Bros.

Florey went to Warner Bros. where he made directed a number of "B" movies: ''
Girl Missing ''Girl Missing'' is a 1933 American pre-Code mystery film starring Glenda Farrell, Ben Lyon and Mary Brian. It was directed by Robert Florey and released by Warner Bros. on March 4, 1933. Two women stranded in Palm Beach become involved in ...
'' (1933) with
Glenda Farrell Glenda Farrell (June 30, 1904 – May 1, 1971) was an American actress. Farrell personified the smart and sassy, wisecracking blonde of the Classical Hollywood films. Farrell's career spanned more than 50 years, appearing in numerous Broadwa ...
and
Ben Lyon Ben Lyon (February 6, 1901 – March 22, 1979) was an American film actor and a studio executive at 20th Century-Fox who later acted in British radio, films and TV. Early life and career Lyon was born in Atlanta, Georgia, the son of Alvine ...
, ''
Ex-Lady ''Ex-Lady'' is a 1933 American pre-Code comedy/drama film directed by Robert Florey. The screenplay by David Boehm is a remake of the Barbara Stanwyck film '' Illicit (1931),'' both crediting a story (actually a play) by Edith Fitzgerald and R ...
'' (1933) with
Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress with a career spanning more than 50 years and 100 acting credits. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and was famous for her pe ...
, ''
The House on 56th Street ''The House on 56th Street'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code drama film. The film's plot involves a miscarriage of justice, wrongful conviction and imprisonment, and alienation of a prisoner from her only living relative. Plot ...
'' (1933) with
Kay Francis Kay Francis (born Katharine Edwina Gibbs; January 13, 1905 – August 26, 1968) was an American stage and film actress. After a brief period on Broadway in the late 1920s, she moved to film and achieved her greatest success between 1930 an ...
, ''
Bedside ''Bedside'' is a 1934 American pre-Code drama film starring Warren William, Jean Muir and Allen Jenkins. Plot A man passes himself off as a doctor. Cast * Warren William as Bob Brown * Jean Muir as Caroline Grant * Allen Jenkins as Sam Sparks ...
'' (1934) with
Warren William Warren William (born Warren William Krech; December 2, 1894 – September 24, 1948) was a Broadway and Hollywood actor, immensely popular during the early 1930s; he was later nicknamed the "King of Pre-Code". He was the first actor to play Pe ...
, ''
Registered Nurse A registered nurse (RN) is a nurse who has graduated or successfully passed a nursing program from a recognized nursing school and met the requirements outlined by a country, state, province or similar government-authorized licensing body to o ...
'' (1934) with
Bebe Daniels Phyllis Virginia "Bebe" Daniels (January 14, 1901 – March 16, 1971) was an American actress, singer, dancer, writer, and producer. She began her career in Hollywood during the silent film era as a child actress, became a star in musicals such ...
, ''
Smarty SMARTY is a mobile telephone flanker brand operated by Hutchison 3G UK Limited using its Three UK branded mobile network. It aims to attract customers primarily looking for cheaper deals than those available direct from Three, by offering a mo ...
'' (1934) with
Joan Blondell Joan Blondell (born Rose Joan Bluestein; August 30, 1906 – December 25, 1979) was an American actress who performed in film and television for 50 years. Blondell began her career in vaudeville. After winning a beauty pageant, she embarked on ...
and William, ''
I Sell Anything ''I Sell Anything'' is a 1934 American film directed by Robert Florey and starring Pat O'Brien, Ann Dvorak, and Claire Dodd. It was produced by First National Pictures. Robert Florey directed. O'Brien plays Spot Cash Cutler, a "smooth swindler ...
'' (1934) with
Pat O'Brien Pat O'Brien may refer to: Politicians * Pat O'Brien (Canadian politician) (born 1948), member of the Canadian House of Commons *Pat O'Brien (Irish politician) (c. 1847–1917), Irish Nationalist MP in the United Kingdom Parliament Others *Pat O'Br ...
,''
I Am a Thief ''I Am a Thief'' is a 1934 American crime-drama film directed by Robert Florey. Plot Mary Astor portrays Odette as an undercover police agent who hopes to provoke, and catch, an international jewel thief, as he transports the famous Karenina ...
'' (1934) with Astor, '' The Woman in Red'' (1935) with
Barbara Stanwyck Barbara Stanwyck (; born Ruby Catherine Stevens; July 16, 1907 – January 20, 1990) was an American actress, model and dancer. A stage, film, and television star, during her 60-year professional career she was known for her strong, realistic sc ...
, and ''
The Florentine Dagger ''The Florentine Dagger '' is a 1935 American film noir mystery film directed by Robert Florey. The film numbers among the first Hollywood movies in which psychoanalysis is a significant factor in the story.Smith, Richard Harland"The Florentin ...
'' (1935) with
Donald Woods Donald James Woods (15 December 1933 – 19 August 2001) was a South African journalist and Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist. As editor of the ''Daily Dispatch'', he was known for befriending fellow activist Steve Bik ...
. He did some uncredited work on ''
Go Into Your Dance ''Go into Your Dance'' is a 1935 American musical drama film starring Al Jolson, Ruby Keeler, and Glenda Farrell. The film was directed by Archie Mayo and is based on the novel of the same name by Bradford Ropes. It was released by Warner Bros. ...
'' (1935) with
Al Jolson Al Jolson (born Eizer Yoelson; June 9, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was a Lithuanian-American Jews, Jewish singer, comedian, actor, and vaudevillian. He was one of the United States' most famous and highest-paid stars of the 1920s, and was self-bi ...
and
Ruby Keeler Ethel Ruby Keeler (August 25, 1909 – February 28, 1993) was an American actress, dancer, and singer who was paired on-screen with Dick Powell in a string of successful early musicals at Warner Bros., particularly ''42nd Street (film), 42nd Str ...
and was assistant director on '' I've Got Your Number'' (1934). He also did some location filming in China for '' Oil for the Lamps of China'' (1935). Florey directed ''
Going Highbrow ''Going Highbrow'' is a 1935 American comedy-musical film directed by Robert Florey. Guy Kibbee and ZaSu Pitts play a newly rich couple, so eager to buy their way into society they hire a waitress to pose as their daughter. Plot summary Cas ...
'' (1935) with
Guy Kibbee Guy Bridges Kibbee (March 6, 1882 – May 24, 1956) was an American stage and film actor. Early years Kibbee was born in El Paso, Texas. His father was editor of the '' El Paso Herald-Post'' newspaper, and Kibbee learned how to set type at age ...
, ''
Don't Bet on Blondes ''Don't Bet on Blondes'' is a 1935 American romantic comedy film. Plot summary When top Broadway bookmaker Odds Owen (Warren William) loses $50,000 on a horse owned by Everett Markham (Clay Clement), he investigates and finds out that the horse ...
'' (1935) with William (and a young
Errol Flynn Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian-American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, frequent partnerships with Olivia ...
), and '' The Payoff'' (1935) with James Dunn.


Paramount

Florey went to Paramount where he directed ''
Ship Cafe ''Ship Cafe'' is a 1935 American musical film directed by Robert Florey. Cast * Carl Brisson as Chris Anderson * Arline Judge as Ruby * Mady Christians as Countess Boranoff * William Frawley as Briney O'Brien * Eddie Davis as Eddie Davis * ...
'' (1935) with
Carl Brisson Carl Brisson (24 December 1893 – 25 September 1958), born Carl Frederik Ejnar Pedersen, was a Danish film actor and singer. He appeared in 13 films between 1918 and 1935, including two silent films directed by Alfred Hitchcock. In the 1934 ...
, ''
The Preview Murder Mystery ''The Preview Murder Mystery'' is a 1936 American mystery-comedy, directed by Robert Florey and shot in the Paramount studio. The plot follows a studio public relations man who attempts to trap a killer using television technology, allowing on ...
'' (1936) with Reginald Denny, '' Till We Meet Again'' (1936) with
Herbert Marshall Herbert Brough Falcon Marshall (23 May 1890 – 22 January 1966) was an English stage, screen and radio actor who starred in many popular and well-regarded Hollywood films in the 1930s and 1940s. After a successful theatrical career in the Uni ...
, ''
Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It begins in the east at Sunset Boulevard in the Los Feliz district and proceeds to the west as a major thoroughfare through Little Armenia and Thai Town, Hollywoo ...
'' (1936) with John Halliday and a young
Robert Cummings Charles Clarence Robert Orville Cummings (June 9, 1910 – December 2, 1990) was an American film and television actor who appeared in roles in comedy films such as '' The Devil and Miss Jones'' (1941) and ''Princess O'Rourke'' (1943), and in ...
, '' Outcast'' (1937) with William, '' King of Gamblers'' (1937) with
Claire Trevor Claire Trevor ( Wemlinger; March 8, 1910April 8, 2000) was an American actress. She appeared in 65 feature films from 1933 to 1982, winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in ''Key Largo'' (1948), and received nomina ...
and
Lloyd Nolan Lloyd Benedict Nolan (August 11, 1902 – September 27, 1985) was an American film and television actor. Among his many roles, Nolan is remembered for originating the role of private investigator Michael Shayne in a series of 1940s B movies. Bi ...
, '' Mountain Music'' (1937) with Bob Burns and
Martha Raye Martha Raye (born Margy Reed; August 27, 1916 – October 19, 1994), nicknamed The Big Mouth, was an American comic actress and singer who performed in movies, and later on television. She also acted in plays, including Broadway. She was honored ...
, ''
This Way Please ''This Way Please'' is a 1937 American musical comedy directed by Robert Florey and featuring Charles "Buddy" Rogers, a popular singer from the days of vaudeville entertainment. According to historian Martin Grams, the film was the introduction ...
'' (1937) with
Charles "Buddy" Rogers Charles Edward "Buddy" Rogers (August 13, 1904 – April 21, 1999) was an American film actor and musician. During the peak of his popularity in the late 1920s and early 1930s he was publicized as "America's Boyfriend". Life and career Early ...
and
Betty Grable Elizabeth Ruth Grable (December 18, 1916 – July 2, 1973) was an American actress, pin-up girl, dancer, model, and singer. Her 42 films during the 1930s and 1940s grossed more than $100 million; for 10 consecutive years (1942–1951) she reign ...
, ''
Daughter of Shanghai ''Daughter of Shanghai'' is a 1937 American crime film directed by Robert Florey and starring Anna May Wong. Unusually for the time, East Asian American actors played the lead roles. It was also one of the first films in which Anthony Quinn appe ...
'' (1937) with
Anna May Wong Wong Liu Tsong (January 3, 1905 – February 3, 1961), known professionally as Anna May Wong, was an American actress, considered the first Chinese-American movie star in Hollywood, as well as the first Chinese-American actress to gain intern ...
, ''
Dangerous to Know ''Dangerous to Know'' is a 1938 American crime film and starring Anna May Wong, Akim Tamiroff and Gail Patrick. The movie was directed by Robert Florey. Bosley Crowther of ''The New York Times'' called the film a "second-rate melodrama, hardly ...
'' (1938) with Wong, and ''
King of Alcatraz ''King of Alcatraz'' is a 1938 American drama film directed by Robert Florey and starring Gail Patrick, Lloyd Nolan and Harry Carey. It was the film debut of Robert Preston. Plot Just as gangster Steve Murkil is escaping from Alcatraz prison, ...
'' (1938) with
Gail Patrick Gail Patrick (born Margaret LaVelle Fitzpatrick, June 20, 1911 – July 6, 1980) was an American film actress and television producer. Often cast as the bad girl or the other woman, she appeared in more than 60 feature films between 1932 an ...
and Nolan. He did some uncredited work on '' Rose of the Rancho'' (1936). His films were marked by fast pace, cynical tone,
Dutch angles The Dutch angle, also known as Dutch tilt, canted angle, or oblique angle, is a type of camera shot which involves setting the camera at an angle on its roll axis so that the shot is composed with vertical lines at an angle to the side of the f ...
, and dramatic lighting. Florey directed ''
Hotel Imperial The Hotel Imperial, also known as The Imperial, is a five-star luxury hotel in Vienna, Austria. It is located on the Vienna Ring Road (''Ringstraße'') at Kärntner Ring 16, in the Innere Stadt district. Description The Hotel Imperial's faça ...
'' (1939) with
Isa Miranda Isa Miranda (born Ines Isabella Sampietro; 5 July 1909 – 8 July 1982) was an Italian actress with an international film career. Biography Miranda was born Ines Isabella Sampietro in Milan, the daughter of atreet car conductor in Mian. When s ...
and
Ray Milland Ray Milland (born Alfred Reginald Jones; 3 January 1907 – 10 March 1986) was a Welsh-American actor and film director. His screen career ran from 1929 to 1985. He is remembered for his Academy Award and Cannes Film Festival Award-winning ...
, ''
The Magnificent Fraud ''The Magnificent Fraud'' is a 1939 American crime film directed by Robert Florey and starring Akim Tamiroff, Lloyd Nolan, Mary Boland and Patricia Morison. Plot Akim Tamiroff plays an actor performing in a nameless Latin American country w ...
'' (1939) with
Akim Tamiroff Akim Mikhailovich Tamiroff, russian: Аким Михайлович Тамиров (born Hovakim Tamiryants; October 29, 1899 – September 17, 1972) was an Armenian-American actor of film, stage, and television. One of the premier character act ...
and Nolan, ''
Death of a Champion ''Death of a Champion'' is a 1939 American film starring Lynne Overman, Virginia Dale, Joseph Allen, and Donald O'Connor. Its plot concerns an effort by detectives to discover who killed a famous show dog. The film also stars Robert Paige, w ...
'' (1939) with
Lynne Overman Lynne may refer to: * Lynne (surname) * Lynne (given name) * Lynne, Florida, an unincorporated community * Lynne, Wisconsin, a town in Oneida County, Wisconsin, United States {{Disambig ...
, ''
Parole Fixer ''Parole Fixer'' is a 1940 American crime film directed by Robert Florey. Federal Bureau of Investigation Director J. Edgar Hoover is credited for the source material, the 1938 book called ''Persons in Hiding'', a purported expose of corruptio ...
'' (1940) from a book by
J. Edgar Hoover John Edgar Hoover (January 1, 1895 – May 2, 1972) was an American law enforcement administrator who served as the first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He was appointed director of the Bureau of Investigation  ...
, and ''
Women Without Names ''Women Without Names'' is a 1940 American drama film directed by Robert Florey. Plot Cast * Ellen Drew as Joyce King * Robert Paige as Fred MacNeil * Judith Barrett as Peggy Athens * John Miljan as District Attorney John Marlin * ...
'' (1940) with
Ellen Drew Ellen Drew (born Esther Loretta Ray; November 23, 1914 – December 3, 2003) was an American film actress. Early life Drew, born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1914, was the daughter of an Irish-born barber. She had a younger brother, Arden. Her ...
.


Columbia

Florey went to Columbia for '' The Face Behind the Mask'' (1941) with
Peter Lorre Peter Lorre (; born László Löwenstein, ; June 26, 1904 – March 23, 1964) was a Hungarian and American actor, first in Europe and later in the United States. He began his stage career in Vienna, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, before movin ...
, ''
Meet Boston Blackie ''Meet Boston Blackie'' is a 1941 crime film starring Chester Morris as Boston Blackie, a notorious, but honorable jewel thief. Although the character had been the hero of a number of silent films, this was the first talking picture. It proved po ...
'' (1941) with
Chester Morris John Chester Brooks Morris (February 16, 1901 – September 11, 1970) was an American stage, film, television, and radio actor. He had some prestigious film roles early in his career, and received an Academy Award nomination for ''Alibi'' ( ...
, and '' Two in a Taxi'' (1941) with
Anita Louise Anita Louise (born Anita Louise Fremault; January 9, 1915 – April 25, 1970) was an American film and television actress best known for her performances in ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' (1935), ''The Story of Louis Pasteur'' (1935), ''Anthony ...
.


Warner Bros.

Florey went to Warner Bros. for ''
Dangerously They Live ''Dangerously They Live'' is a 1941 American World War II spy film directed by Robert Florey and starring John Garfield, Nancy Coleman and Raymond Massey. The plot concerns Nazi spies who try to pry information out of a British agent. Plot I ...
'' (1941) with John Garfield, ''
Lady Gangster ''Lady Gangster'' is a 1942 Warner Bros. B picture crime film directed by Robert Florey, credited as "Florian Roberts". It is based on the play ''Gangstress, or Women in Prison'' by Dorothy Mackaye, who in 1928, as #440960, served less than ten ...
'' (1942) with
Faye Emerson Faye Margaret Emerson (July 8, 1917 – March 9, 1983) was an American film and stage actress and television interviewer who gained fame as a film actress in the 1940s before transitioning to television in the 1950s and hosting her own talk show ...
and the big budget musical ''
The Desert Song ''The Desert Song'' is an operetta with music by Sigmund Romberg and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, Otto Harbach and Frank Mandel. It was inspired by the 1925 uprising of the Riffs, a group of Moroccan fighters, against French colonia ...
'' (1943) with Dennis Morgan. At
20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
he did some assisting on ''
Bomber's Moon ''Bomber's Moon'' is a 1943 American wartime propaganda film, produced by 20th Century Fox, based on an unpublished magazine serial "Bomber's Moon" by Leonard Lee. Plot Captain Jeff Dakin ( George Montgomery) is shot down over Germany on a bomb ...
'' (1943) and directed '' Roger Touhy, Gangster'' (1944) with
Preston Foster Preston Stratton Foster (August 24, 1900 – July 14, 1970), was an American actor of stage, film, radio, and television, whose career spanned nearly four decades. He also had a career as a vocalist. Early life Born in Ocean City, New Jersey ...
. He went to Republic for ''
Man from Frisco ''Man from Frisco'' (1944) is a United States feature-length spy and war film by Republic Pictures directed by Robert Florey and starring Michael O'Shea (1906–1973) and Anne Shirley. Plot Matt Braddock is a civil engineer during the Secon ...
'' (1944). In April 1944, he was burned when his car was on fire. Back at Warners Florey directed '' God Is My Co-Pilot'' (1945) with Morgan, and ''
Danger Signal ''Danger Signal'' is a 1945 film noir starring Faye Emerson and Zachary Scott. The screenplay was adapted from the 1939 novel of the same name by Phyllis Bottome. Plot A mysterious pulp writer—and psychopath—named Ronnie Mason, steals a de ...
'' (1945) with Emerson and
Zachary Scott Zachary Scott (February 21, 1914 – October 3, 1965)Obituary '' Variety'', October 6, 1965. was an American actor who was known for his roles as villains and "mystery men". Early life Scott was born in Austin, Texas, the son of Sallie L ...
. He did some uncredited work on ''
San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , s ...
'' (1945) with
Errol Flynn Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian-American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, frequent partnerships with Olivia ...
and returned to the horror genre with ''
The Beast with Five Fingers ''The Beast with Five Fingers'' is a 1946 mystery horror film directed by Robert Florey from a screenplay by Curt Siodmak, based on a short story written by W. F. Harvey and first published in 1919 in ''The New Decameron''. The film stars Robe ...
'' (1946). He was also associate director to
Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is consider ...
on Chaplin's film ''
Monsieur Verdoux ''Monsieur Verdoux'' is a 1947 American black comedy film directed by and starring Charlie Chaplin, who plays a bigamist wife killer inspired by serial killer Henri Désiré Landru. The supporting cast includes Martha Raye, William Frawley, a ...
'' (1947).


Freelance director

Florey directed '' Tarzan and the Mermaids'' (1948) with
Johnny Weissmuller Johnny Weissmuller (born Johann Peter Weißmüller; June 2, 1904 – January 20, 1984) was an American Olympic swimmer, water polo player and actor. He was known for having one of the best competitive swimming records of the 20th century. H ...
for
Sol Lesser Sol Lesser (February 17, 1890 – September 19, 1980) was an American film producer. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960 and was awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1961. Biography In 1913, while living in San F ...
in Mexico, and two
French Foreign Legion The French Foreign Legion (french: Légion étrangère) is a corps of the French Army which comprises several specialties: infantry, Armoured Cavalry Arm, cavalry, Military engineering, engineers, Airborne forces, airborne troops. It was created ...
films: ''
Rogues' Regiment ''Rogues' Regiment'' is a 1948 film noir action film directed by Robert Florey and starring Dick Powell, Märta Torén, and Vincent Price. It is the first American feature film to be set in the First Indochina War. Plot An American Intelligence ...
'' (1948) with
Dick Powell Richard Ewing Powell (November 14, 1904 – January 2, 1963) was an American actor, musician, producer, director, and studio head. Though he came to stardom as a musical comedy performer, he showed versatility, and successfully transformed into ...
and ''
Outpost in Morocco ''Outpost in Morocco'' is a 1949 American action adventure film directed by Robert Florey, starring George Raft and Marie Windsor. Paul Gerard (Raft), a Moroccan Spahi officer and his French Foreign Legion garrison, holds off attacks from the na ...
'' (1949) with
George Raft George Raft (born George Ranft; September 26, 1901 – November 24, 1980) was an American film actor and dancer identified with portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s. A stylish leading man in dozens of movies, Raft is ...
. He did '' The Crooked Way'' (1949) with John Payne, ''
The Vicious Years ''The Vicious Years'' is a 1950 American film directed by Robert Florey. The screenplay concerns an orphan named Mario who witnesses Luca Rossi committing a murder, and blackmails Luca into taking him home as a member of his family. Plot Mario ...
'' (1950), ''
Johnny One-Eye ''Johnny One-Eye'' is a 1950 film noir crime film from a story by Damon Runyon, directed by Robert Florey starring Pat O'Brien, Wayne Morris, Dolores Moran and Gayle Reed. Plot In Manhattan, former gangster turned legitimate businessman Mar ...
'' (1950) with Pat O'Brien, and ''Charlie's Haunt'' (1950) with
Edgar Bergen Edgar John Bergen (born Edgar John Berggren; February 16, 1903 – September 30, 1978) was an American ventriloquist, actor, comedian, vaudevillian and radio performer, best known for his proficiency in ventriloquism and his characters Ch ...
then did some uncredited work on Flynn's '' The Adventure of Captain Fabian'' (1951).


Television

Florey's earliest work for television included ''
The Walt Disney Christmas Show ''From All of Us to All of You'' is an animated television Christmas special, produced by Walt Disney Productions and first presented on December 19, 1958 on ABC as part of the '' Walt Disney Presents'' anthology series. Hosted by Jiminy Cricket ...
'' (1951) and ''Operation Wonderland'' (1951) for Disney. He soon devoted himself to television almost exclusively, doing episodes of ''
Your Favorite Story ''Your Favorite Story'' is a syndicated TV anthology series that was broadcast in the United States from 1953 to 1955. The program was also known as ''My Favorite Story''. It was premiered in December 1954 with the title ''Your Favorite Playhouse'' ...
'', ''
The Loretta Young Show ''The Loretta Young Show'' (originally known as ''Letter to Loretta'') is an American anthology drama television series broadcast on Sunday nights from September 2, 1953, to June 4, 1961, on NBC for a total of 165 episodes. The series was hosted ...
'', ''
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color The Walt Disney Company has produced an anthology television series since 1954 under several titles and formats. The program's current title, ''The Wonderful World of Disney'', was used from 1969 to 1979 and again from 1991 to the present. The pr ...
'', ''
The Star and the Story ''The Star and the Story'' is an American television anthology series which aired 1955–1956 in first-run syndication. A filmed half-hour series, episodes were approximately 25 minutes long, excluding commercials. Produced by Four Star Produc ...
'', ''
Four Star Playhouse ''Four Star Playhouse'' is an American anthology series that ran from 1952 to 1956. Four Star Playhouse was owned by Four Star International. Its episodes ranged anywhere from surreal mysteries, such as "The Man on the Train", to light comedies ...
'', ''
Ethel Barrymore Theater The Ethel Barrymore Theatre is a Broadway theater at 241 West 47th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1928, it was designed by Herbert J. Krapp in the Elizabethan, Mediterranean, and Adam styles ...
'', ''
Wire Service A news agency is an organization that gathers news reports and sells them to subscribing news organizations, such as newspapers, magazines and radio and television broadcasters. A news agency may also be referred to as a wire service, newswire, ...
'', ''
Telephone Time ''Telephone Time'' is an American anthology drama series that aired on CBS in 1956, and on ABC from 1957 to 1958. The series features plays by John Nesbitt who hosted the first season. Frank C. Baxter hosted the 1957 and 1958 seasons. The prog ...
'', '' Studio 57'', ''
Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre ''Fireside Theatre'' (also known as ''Jane Wyman Presents'') is an American anthology drama series that ran on NBC from 1949 to 1958, and was the first successful filmed series on American television. Productions were low-budget and often based ...
'', ''
General Electric Theater ''General Electric Theater'' was an American anthology series hosted by Ronald Reagan that was broadcast on CBS radio and television. The series was sponsored by General Electric's Department of Public Relations. Radio After an audition show ...
'', ''
Schlitz Playhouse ''Schlitz Playhouse of Stars'' is an anthology series that was telecast from 1951 until 1959 on CBS. Offering both Television comedy, comedies and Dramatic programming, drama, the series was sponsored by the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company. The ti ...
'', ''
M Squad ''M Squad'' is an American crime drama television series that ran from 1957 to 1960 on NBC. It was produced by Lee Marvin's Latimer Productions and Revue Studios. Its main sponsor was the Pall Mall cigarette brand; Lee Marvin, the program's ...
'', ''
Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings. It ...
'',''
The Restless Gun ''The Restless Gun'' is an American Western television series that appeared on NBC between 1957 and 1959, with John Payne in the role of Vint Bonner, a wandering cowboy in the era after the American Civil War. A skilled gunfighter, Bonner is a ...
'' (the pilot), ''
Goodyear Theatre ''Goodyear Theatre'' (also known as ''Award Theatre'' and ''Golden Years of Television'') is a 30-minute dramatic television anthology series telecast on NBC from 1957 to 1960 for a total of 55 episodes. The live show was directed by many notable ...
'', ''
Alcoa Theatre ''Alcoa Theatre'' is a half-hour American anthology series telecast on NBC at 9:30 pm on Monday nights from September 30, 1957 to May 23, 1960. The program also aired under the title ''Turn of Fate''. ''Alcoa Theatre'' was syndicated together ...
'', ''
Black Saddle ''Black Saddle'' is an American Western television series starring Peter Breck that aired 44 episodes on NBC from January 10, 1959, to May 6, 1960. The half-hour program was produced by Dick Powell's Four Star Television, and the original backdoo ...
'', ''
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse ''Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse'' is an American television anthology series produced by Desilu Productions. The show ran on the Columbia Broadcasting System between 1958 and 1960. Three of its 48 episodes served as pilots for the 1950s television ...
'', '' The Rough Riders'', ''
The David Niven Show ''The David Niven Show'' is an American half-hour television anthology series that was broadcast from April 7 until July 7, 1959. Premise This series is an anthology series hosted by David Niven. Cast *David Niven as host Episodes Guest stars ...
'', '' Lock Up'', ''
Zane Grey Theater ''Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre'' is an American Western anthology television series that was broadcast on CBS from October 5, 1956, until September 20, 1962. Format Many episodes were based on novels by Zane Grey, to all of which Four Star F ...
'', ''
The Untouchables Untouchables or The Untouchables may refer to: American history * Untouchables (law enforcement), a 1930s American law enforcement unit led by Eliot Ness * ''The Untouchables'' (book), an autobiography by Eliot Ness and Oscar Fraley * ''The U ...
'', ''
The DuPont Show with June Allyson ''The DuPont Show with June Allyson'' (also known as ''The June Allyson Show'') is an American anthology drama series which aired on CBS from September 21, 1959, to April 3, 1961, with rebroadcasts continuing until June 12, 1961. The series was ...
'', ''
Markham Markham may refer to: It may also refer to brand of of clothing which originates from South Africa which saw it's establishment in 1873. Biology * Markham's storm-petrel (''Oceanodroma markhami''), a seabird species found in Chile and Colombia * ...
'', '' The Texan'', ''
Checkmate Checkmate (often shortened to mate) is any game position in chess and other chess-like games in which a player's king is in check (threatened with ) and there is no possible escape. Checkmating the opponent wins the game. In chess, the king is ...
'', '' Michael Shayne'', ''
Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
'', ''
The Barbara Stanwyck Show ''The Barbara Stanwyck Show'' is an American anthology drama television series which ran on NBC from September 1960 to September 1961. Barbara Stanwyck served as hostess, and starred in all but four of the half-hour productions. The four in which ...
'', '' Adventures in Paradise'', '' Thriller'', ''
Alcoa Premiere '' Alcoa Premiere'' (also known as ''Premiere, Presented by Fred Astaire'') is an American anthology drama series that aired from October 1961 to July 1963 on ABC. The series was hosted by Fred Astaire, who also starred in several of the episode ...
'', ''
Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was ren ...
'', ''
The Dick Powell Theatre ''The Dick Powell Show'' is an American television anthology series that ran on NBC from September 26, 1961, until September 17, 1963, primarily sponsored by the Reynolds Metals Company. Overview The series was an anthology of various dramas ...
'', ''
Going My Way ''Going My Way'' is a 1944 American musical comedy drama film directed by Leo McCarey and starring Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald. Written by Frank Butler and Frank Cavett based on a story by McCarey, the film is about a new young priest ta ...
'', '' The Great Adventure'', ''
The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology television series created by Rod Serling. The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, su ...
'' (" Perchance to Dream", " The Fever", "
The Long Morrow "The Long Morrow" is episode 135 of the American television anthology series ''The Twilight Zone''. It originally aired on January 10, 1964 on CBS. In this episode, an astronaut falls in love on the eve of a 40-year-long space voyage. The story f ...
") and '' The Outer Limits''. He also wrote a number of books, including ''
Pola Negri Pola Negri (; born Apolonia Chalupec ; 3 January 1897 – 1 August 1987) was a Polish stage and film actress and singer. She achieved worldwide fame during the silent and golden eras of Hollywood and European film for her tragedienne and femme ...
'' (1927) and ''
Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is consider ...
'' (1927), ''Hollywood d'hier et d'aujord'hui'' (1948), '' La Lanterne magique'' (1966), and ''Hollywood annee zero'' (1972). In 1950, Florey was made a knight in the French
Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...
. His 1937 thriller ''
Daughter of Shanghai ''Daughter of Shanghai'' is a 1937 American crime film directed by Robert Florey and starring Anna May Wong. Unusually for the time, East Asian American actors played the lead roles. It was also one of the first films in which Anthony Quinn appe ...
'' (1937), starring
Anna May Wong Wong Liu Tsong (January 3, 1905 – February 3, 1961), known professionally as Anna May Wong, was an American actress, considered the first Chinese-American movie star in Hollywood, as well as the first Chinese-American actress to gain intern ...
, was added to the
National Film Registry The National Film Registry (NFR) is the United States National Film Preservation Board's (NFPB) collection of films selected for preservation, each selected for its historical, cultural and aesthetic contributions since the NFPB’s inception i ...
in 2006. He was married once from 1928 to 1936 and then a second time to Virginia Florey who lived until 2000. He is buried at the
Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills Cemetery Forest Lawn Memorial Park – Hollywood Hills is one of the six Forest Lawn cemeteries in Southern California. It is located at 6300 Forest Lawn Drive, Los Angeles, California 90068, in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles. Histor ...
in Los Angeles with his second wife.


Complete filmography

as an actor * ''
The Masque of Life The Masque of Life is a 1916 thrill picture, made during World War 1, centering around circus life and a kingdom. It was directed by Alfred Lind with an international cast with familiar names Hamilton Revelle and Rita Jolivet starring in the film.< ...
''(1915-16) Italian This filmography lists Florey's credits as director of feature films, and is believed to be complete. * ''
That Model from Paris ''That Model from Paris'' is a 1926 American silent comedy film directed by Louis J. Gasnier and starring Marceline Day, Bert Lytell, and Eileen Percy Eileen Percy (August 1902 – 29 July 1973) was an Irish-born American actress of the ...
'', 1926 (uncredited) * ''
One Hour of Love ''One Hour of Love'' is a 1927 American silent romantic drama film directed by Robert Florey and starring Jacqueline Logan, Robert Frazer and Montagu Love.Munden p.568 It is now considered to be a lost film. The film's sets were designed by the ...
'', 1927 * ''
The Romantic Age ''The Romantic Age'' is a 1949 British drama film directed by Edmond T. Gréville. The screenplay by Peggy Barwell and Edward Dryhurst is based on the French novel ''Lycee des jeunes filles'' by Serge Véber. The film was retitled ''Naughty A ...
'', 1927 * '' Face Value'', 1927 * '' The Hole in the Wall'', 1929 * ''
The Cocoanuts ''The Cocoanuts'' is a 1929 pre-Code Musical film, musical comedy film starring the Marx Brothers (Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, Chico Marx, and Zeppo Marx in his first starring role). Produced for Paramount Pictures by Walter Wanger, who is not cre ...
'', 1929 * ''
The Battle of Paris ''The Battle of Paris'' (a.k.a. ''The Gay Lady'') is a 1929 American pre-Code musical film. Plot Gertrude Lawrence plays a singer in Paris during World War I. After stealing from Tony (Walter Petrie), an American artist, the two fall in love. ...
'', 1929 * ''
The Road Is Fine ''The Road Is Fine'' (French: ''La route est belle'') is a 1930 French musical film directed by Robert Florey and starring Laurette Fleury, André Baugé and Léon Bary.Marshall p.451 As no French studios had been converted for sound film, it was ...
'' (''La Route est belle''), 1930 * ''
Love Songs A love song is a song about romantic love, falling in love, heartbreak after a breakup, and the feelings that these experiences bring. A comprehensive list of even the best known performers and composers of love songs would be a large order ...
'' (''L'Amour chante''), 1930 * ''El Profesor de mi Señora'', 1930 * '' Rendezvous'', 1930 * ''
Black and White Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white in a continuous spectrum, producing a range of shades of grey. Media The history of various visual media began with black and white, and as technology improved, altered to color. ...
'' (''Le Blanc et la noir'') (co-director), 1931 * ''
Murders in the Rue Morgue "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe published in ''Graham's Magazine'' in 1841. It has been described as the first modern detective story; Poe referred to it as one of his "tales of ratiocination". C. Auguste Du ...
'', 1932 * ''
The Man Called Back ''The Man Called Back'' is a 1932 American Pre-Code film directed by Robert Florey. This film was independently produced for the bargain-basement price of $68,000, partly because Florey was allowed to re-use the tropical set constructed for the ...
'', 1932 * ''
Those We Love ''Those We Love'' is a 1932 American pre-Code film directed by Robert Florey. It was adapted by F. Hugh Herbert from the play by George Abbott and S.K. Lauren. The film was independently produced and distributed. Plot Kenneth MacKenna plays a ...
'', 1932 * ''
Girl Missing ''Girl Missing'' is a 1933 American pre-Code mystery film starring Glenda Farrell, Ben Lyon and Mary Brian. It was directed by Robert Florey and released by Warner Bros. on March 4, 1933. Two women stranded in Palm Beach become involved in ...
'', 1933 * ''
Ex-Lady ''Ex-Lady'' is a 1933 American pre-Code comedy/drama film directed by Robert Florey. The screenplay by David Boehm is a remake of the Barbara Stanwyck film '' Illicit (1931),'' both crediting a story (actually a play) by Edith Fitzgerald and R ...
'', 1933 * ''
The House on 56th Street ''The House on 56th Street'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code drama film. The film's plot involves a miscarriage of justice, wrongful conviction and imprisonment, and alienation of a prisoner from her only living relative. Plot ...
'', 1933 * ''
Bedside ''Bedside'' is a 1934 American pre-Code drama film starring Warren William, Jean Muir and Allen Jenkins. Plot A man passes himself off as a doctor. Cast * Warren William as Bob Brown * Jean Muir as Caroline Grant * Allen Jenkins as Sam Sparks ...
'', 1934 * ''
Registered Nurse A registered nurse (RN) is a nurse who has graduated or successfully passed a nursing program from a recognized nursing school and met the requirements outlined by a country, state, province or similar government-authorized licensing body to o ...
'', 1934 * ''
Smarty SMARTY is a mobile telephone flanker brand operated by Hutchison 3G UK Limited using its Three UK branded mobile network. It aims to attract customers primarily looking for cheaper deals than those available direct from Three, by offering a mo ...
'', 1934 * ''
I Sell Anything ''I Sell Anything'' is a 1934 American film directed by Robert Florey and starring Pat O'Brien, Ann Dvorak, and Claire Dodd. It was produced by First National Pictures. Robert Florey directed. O'Brien plays Spot Cash Cutler, a "smooth swindler ...
'', 1934 * ''
I Am a Thief ''I Am a Thief'' is a 1934 American crime-drama film directed by Robert Florey. Plot Mary Astor portrays Odette as an undercover police agent who hopes to provoke, and catch, an international jewel thief, as he transports the famous Karenina ...
'', 1934 * '' The Woman in Red, 1935 * ''
The Florentine Dagger ''The Florentine Dagger '' is a 1935 American film noir mystery film directed by Robert Florey. The film numbers among the first Hollywood movies in which psychoanalysis is a significant factor in the story.Smith, Richard Harland"The Florentin ...
'', 1935 * ''
Go Into Your Dance ''Go into Your Dance'' is a 1935 American musical drama film starring Al Jolson, Ruby Keeler, and Glenda Farrell. The film was directed by Archie Mayo and is based on the novel of the same name by Bradford Ropes. It was released by Warner Bros. ...
'' (uncredited), 1935 * ''
Going Highbrow ''Going Highbrow'' is a 1935 American comedy-musical film directed by Robert Florey. Guy Kibbee and ZaSu Pitts play a newly rich couple, so eager to buy their way into society they hire a waitress to pose as their daughter. Plot summary Cas ...
'', 1935 * ''
Don't Bet on Blondes ''Don't Bet on Blondes'' is a 1935 American romantic comedy film. Plot summary When top Broadway bookmaker Odds Owen (Warren William) loses $50,000 on a horse owned by Everett Markham (Clay Clement), he investigates and finds out that the horse ...
'', 1935 * ''
Ship Cafe ''Ship Cafe'' is a 1935 American musical film directed by Robert Florey. Cast * Carl Brisson as Chris Anderson * Arline Judge as Ruby * Mady Christians as Countess Boranoff * William Frawley as Briney O'Brien * Eddie Davis as Eddie Davis * ...
'', 1935 * '' The Payoff'', 1935 * ''
The Preview Murder Mystery ''The Preview Murder Mystery'' is a 1936 American mystery-comedy, directed by Robert Florey and shot in the Paramount studio. The plot follows a studio public relations man who attempts to trap a killer using television technology, allowing on ...
'', 1936 * '' Till We Meet Again'', 1936 * ''
Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It begins in the east at Sunset Boulevard in the Los Feliz district and proceeds to the west as a major thoroughfare through Little Armenia and Thai Town, Hollywoo ...
'', 1936 * '' Outcast'', 1937 * '' King of Gamblers'', 1937 * '' Mountain Music'', 1937 * ''
This Way Please ''This Way Please'' is a 1937 American musical comedy directed by Robert Florey and featuring Charles "Buddy" Rogers, a popular singer from the days of vaudeville entertainment. According to historian Martin Grams, the film was the introduction ...
'', 1937 * ''
Daughter of Shanghai ''Daughter of Shanghai'' is a 1937 American crime film directed by Robert Florey and starring Anna May Wong. Unusually for the time, East Asian American actors played the lead roles. It was also one of the first films in which Anthony Quinn appe ...
'', 1937 * ''
Dangerous to Know ''Dangerous to Know'' is a 1938 American crime film and starring Anna May Wong, Akim Tamiroff and Gail Patrick. The movie was directed by Robert Florey. Bosley Crowther of ''The New York Times'' called the film a "second-rate melodrama, hardly ...
'', 1938 * ''
King of Alcatraz ''King of Alcatraz'' is a 1938 American drama film directed by Robert Florey and starring Gail Patrick, Lloyd Nolan and Harry Carey. It was the film debut of Robert Preston. Plot Just as gangster Steve Murkil is escaping from Alcatraz prison, ...
'', 1938 * '' Disbarred'', 1939 * ''
Hotel Imperial The Hotel Imperial, also known as The Imperial, is a five-star luxury hotel in Vienna, Austria. It is located on the Vienna Ring Road (''Ringstraße'') at Kärntner Ring 16, in the Innere Stadt district. Description The Hotel Imperial's faça ...
'', 1939 * ''
The Magnificent Fraud ''The Magnificent Fraud'' is a 1939 American crime film directed by Robert Florey and starring Akim Tamiroff, Lloyd Nolan, Mary Boland and Patricia Morison. Plot Akim Tamiroff plays an actor performing in a nameless Latin American country w ...
'', 1939 * ''
Death of a Champion ''Death of a Champion'' is a 1939 American film starring Lynne Overman, Virginia Dale, Joseph Allen, and Donald O'Connor. Its plot concerns an effort by detectives to discover who killed a famous show dog. The film also stars Robert Paige, w ...
'', 1939 * ''
Parole Fixer ''Parole Fixer'' is a 1940 American crime film directed by Robert Florey. Federal Bureau of Investigation Director J. Edgar Hoover is credited for the source material, the 1938 book called ''Persons in Hiding'', a purported expose of corruptio ...
'', 1940 * ''
Women Without Names ''Women Without Names'' is a 1940 American drama film directed by Robert Florey. Plot Cast * Ellen Drew as Joyce King * Robert Paige as Fred MacNeil * Judith Barrett as Peggy Athens * John Miljan as District Attorney John Marlin * ...
'', 1940 * '' The Face Behind the Mask'', 1941 * ''
Meet Boston Blackie ''Meet Boston Blackie'' is a 1941 crime film starring Chester Morris as Boston Blackie, a notorious, but honorable jewel thief. Although the character had been the hero of a number of silent films, this was the first talking picture. It proved po ...
'', 1941 * '' Two in a Taxi'', 1941 * ''
Dangerously They Live ''Dangerously They Live'' is a 1941 American World War II spy film directed by Robert Florey and starring John Garfield, Nancy Coleman and Raymond Massey. The plot concerns Nazi spies who try to pry information out of a British agent. Plot I ...
'', 1941 * ''
Lady Gangster ''Lady Gangster'' is a 1942 Warner Bros. B picture crime film directed by Robert Florey, credited as "Florian Roberts". It is based on the play ''Gangstress, or Women in Prison'' by Dorothy Mackaye, who in 1928, as #440960, served less than ten ...
'' (billed as Florian Roberts), 1941 * ''
Bomber's Moon ''Bomber's Moon'' is a 1943 American wartime propaganda film, produced by 20th Century Fox, based on an unpublished magazine serial "Bomber's Moon" by Leonard Lee. Plot Captain Jeff Dakin ( George Montgomery) is shot down over Germany on a bomb ...
'' (second-unit director), 1943 * ''
The Desert Song ''The Desert Song'' is an operetta with music by Sigmund Romberg and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, Otto Harbach and Frank Mandel. It was inspired by the 1925 uprising of the Riffs, a group of Moroccan fighters, against French colonia ...
'', 1943 * '' Roger Touhy, Gangster'', 1944 * ''
Man from Frisco ''Man from Frisco'' (1944) is a United States feature-length spy and war film by Republic Pictures directed by Robert Florey and starring Michael O'Shea (1906–1973) and Anne Shirley. Plot Matt Braddock is a civil engineer during the Secon ...
'', 1944 * '' God Is My Co-Pilot'', 1945 * ''
Danger Signal ''Danger Signal'' is a 1945 film noir starring Faye Emerson and Zachary Scott. The screenplay was adapted from the 1939 novel of the same name by Phyllis Bottome. Plot A mysterious pulp writer—and psychopath—named Ronnie Mason, steals a de ...
'', 1945 * ''
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'', 1945 * ''
The Beast with Five Fingers ''The Beast with Five Fingers'' is a 1946 mystery horror film directed by Robert Florey from a screenplay by Curt Siodmak, based on a short story written by W. F. Harvey and first published in 1919 in ''The New Decameron''. The film stars Robe ...
'', 1946 * '' Tarzan and the Mermaids'', 1948 * ''
Rogues' Regiment ''Rogues' Regiment'' is a 1948 film noir action film directed by Robert Florey and starring Dick Powell, Märta Torén, and Vincent Price. It is the first American feature film to be set in the First Indochina War. Plot An American Intelligence ...
'', 1948 * ''
Outpost in Morocco ''Outpost in Morocco'' is a 1949 American action adventure film directed by Robert Florey, starring George Raft and Marie Windsor. Paul Gerard (Raft), a Moroccan Spahi officer and his French Foreign Legion garrison, holds off attacks from the na ...
'', 1949 * '' The Crooked Way'', 1949 * ''
The Vicious Years ''The Vicious Years'' is a 1950 American film directed by Robert Florey. The screenplay concerns an orphan named Mario who witnesses Luca Rossi committing a murder, and blackmails Luca into taking him home as a member of his family. Plot Mario ...
'', 1950 * ''
Johnny One-Eye ''Johnny One-Eye'' is a 1950 film noir crime film from a story by Damon Runyon, directed by Robert Florey starring Pat O'Brien, Wayne Morris, Dolores Moran and Gayle Reed. Plot In Manhattan, former gangster turned legitimate businessman Mar ...
'', 1950 * ''
Adventures of Captain Fabian ''Adventures of Captain Fabian'' or ''Adventure in New Orleans'' is a 1951 American adventure film directed by William Marshall and starring Errol Flynn, Micheline Presle, Vincent Price, Agnes Moorehead and Victor Francen. Plot George Brissac ...
'' (uncredited), 1951


Short subjects

* ''The Love of Zero'', 1927 * ''Hello New York!'' (aka ''Bonjour New York''), 1928 * '' The Life and Death of 9413: a Hollywood Extra'', 1928 * ''Skyscraper Symphony'', 1929 * ''Fifty-Fifty'', 1932 * "The Incredible Dr. Markesan" Thriller Series, costars
Boris Karloff William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff (), was an English actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film ''Frankenstein'' (1931) (his 82nd film) established h ...
, 1962


Footnotes


References

*Koszarski, Richard. 1976. ''Hollywood Directors: 1914-1940''. Oxford University Press. Library of Congress Catalog Number: 76-9262. *


External links

*
Literature on Robert Florey
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Florey, Robert 1900 births 1979 deaths American film directors Chevaliers of the Légion d'honneur Film people from Paris Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) French emigrants to the United States