Walter Lang (August 10, 1896 – February 7, 1972) was an American film director.

Early life

Walter Lang was born in Tennessee. As a young man he went to New York City where he found clerical work at a film production company. The business piqued his artistic instincts and he began learning the various facets of filmmaking and eventually worked as an assistant director. However, Lang also had ambitions to be a painter and left the United States for a time to join the great gathering of artists and writers in the

Montparnasse Quarter Montparnasse () is an area in the south of Paris, France, on the left bank of the river Seine, centred at the crossroads of the Boulevard du Montparnasse and the Rue de Rennes, between the Rue de Rennes and boulevard Raspail. Montparnasse has ...

of Paris, France. Things did not work out as Lang hoped and he eventually returned home and to the film business.

Career

In 1925, Walter Lang directed his first

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, w ...

, ''

The Red Kimono ''The Red Kimono'' (spelled as "''The Red Kimona''" in the opening credits) is a 1925 American silent drama film about prostitution produced by Dorothy Davenport (billed as Mrs. Wallace Reid) and starring Priscilla Bonner. This is the debut f ...

''. In the mid-1930s, he was hired by

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 Disn ...

where, as a director, he "painted" a number of the spectacular colorful musicals for which Fox Studios became famous for producing during the 1940s. One of Lang's most recognized films is the lavish adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical ''

The King and I ''The King and I'' is the fifth musical by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein. It is based on Margaret Landon's novel '' Anna and the King of Siam'' (1944), which is in turn derived from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the chil ...

'' (1956) for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Directing. and his star,

Yul Brynner Yuliy Borisovich Briner (russian: link=no, Юлий Борисович Бринер; July 11, 1920 – October 10, 1985), known professionally as Yul Brynner, was a Russian-born actor. He was best known for his portrayal of King Mongkut in th ...

, won the Oscar for Best Actor in a role he immortalized. Another is '' State Fair'', also a Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, which was shown to WW2 servicemen around the world in the last months of the war. For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Walter Lang has a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Calif ...

at 6520 Hollywood Blvd.

Personal life

Lang was married to Madalynne Field (1907–1974) from 1937 until his death. Field, a former actress, had met and befriended

Carole Lombard Carole Lombard (born Jane Alice Peters; October 6, 1908 – January 16, 1942) was an American actress, particularly noted for her energetic, often off-beat roles in screwball comedies. In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked Lombard 2 ...

when they were employed as

Sennett Bathing Beauties Sennett Bathing Beauties was a bevy of women performing in bathing costumes assembled by film producer Mack Sennett during the silent film era. Description The Sennett Bathing Beauties appeared in Mack Sennett comedy short subjects, in promotio ...

in the late 1920s. Field's film career ended with the demise of Sennett's studio. However, she maintained her friendship with Lombard, and acted as Lombard's secretary until her marriage. She met Lang when he directed Lombard in ''Love Before Breakfast'' (1936). Lang was buried in the

Inglewood Park Cemetery Inglewood Park Cemetery, 720 East Florence Avenue in Inglewood, California, was founded in 1905. A number of notable people, including entertainment and sports personalities, have been interred or entombed there. History The proposed es ...

, in

Inglewood, California Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 107,762. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. The city is in the South Bay ...

Filmography

* ''

'' (1925) * ''

The Earth Woman ''The Earth Woman'' is a 1926 American silent drama film directed by Walter Lang. A print of this film was located in April 2021 in a film archive. Cast * Mary Alden as Martha Tilden (The Earth Woman) * Priscilla Bonner as Sally * Russell S ...

'' (1926) * '' The Golden Web'' (1926) * '' Money to Burn'' (1926) * '' The Ladybird'' (1927) * '' The Satin Woman'' (1927) * '' Sally in Our Alley'' (1927) * '' By Whose Hand?'' (1927) * ''

The College Hero ''The College Hero'' is a 1927 American silent comedy film directed by Walter Lang. This is a surviving title contrary to some reports, as it is on video. Plot Football player Bob Cantfield enrolls at Carver College, is assigned Jim Halloran ...

'' (1927) * '' The Night Flyer'' (1928) * ''Alice Through a Looking Glass'' (1928) * '' The Desert Bride'' (1928) * '' The Spirit of Youth'' (1929) * '' Hello Sister'' (1930) * '' Cock o' the Walk'' (1930) * '' The Big Fight'' (1930) * '' The Costello Case'' (1930) * '' Brothers'' (1930) * '' Command Performance'' (1931) * '' Hell Bound'' (1931) * ''

Women Go on Forever ''Women Go on Forever'' is a 1931 American pre-Code drama film directed by Walter Lang and starring Clara Kimball Young. It was adapted from the 1927 play of the same name starring Mary Boland and James Cagney. Cast * Clara Kimball Young as D ...

'' (1931) * '' No More Orchids'' (1932) * ''

The Warrior's Husband ''The Warrior's Husband'' is a 1933 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Walter Lang and starring Elissa Landi, David Manners, and Ernest Truex. It tells the story of the Amazons, who ruled over men thanks to the sacred girdle of Diana, and ...

'' (1933) * '' Meet the Baron'' (1933) * '' Whom the Gods Destroy'' (1934) * ''

The Party's Over The Party's Over may refer to: Film and TV * ''The Party's Over'' (1934 film), starring Stuart Erwin and Ann Sothern, based on the 1933 Broadway play * ''The Party's Over'' (1965 film), directed by Guy Hamilton, starring Oliver Reed, with a ...

'' (1934) * '' The Mighty Barnum'' (1934) * ''

Carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival t ...

'' (1935) * '' Hooray for Love'' (1935) * '' Love Before Breakfast'' (1936) * ''

Top of the Town ''Top of the Town'' was a 1950s radio programme, broadcast on the BBC Light Programme and hosted by Terry-Thomas. The pilot episode was broadcast on 5 June 1953 on the BBC Home Service; the first series started shortly afterwards, on 1 November ...

'' (1937) * ''

Wife, Doctor and Nurse ''Wife, Doctor and Nurse'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by Walter Lang and starring Loretta Young. Plot Cast * Loretta Young as Ina Heath Lewis * Warner Baxter as Dr. Judd Lewis * Virginia Bruce as Miss Stephens aka Steve * Jane D ...

'' (1937) * '' Second Honeymoon'' (1937) * ''

The Baroness and the Butler ''The Baroness and the Butler'' is a 1938 American romantic comedy film based on the play ''Jean'' by Ladislaus Bus-Fekete. Directed by Walter Lang, it stars William Powell and, in her American English-language debut, Annabella. Plot Johann ...

'' (1938) * '' I'll Give a Million'' (1938) * '' The Little Princess'' (1939) * '' Susannah of the Mounties'' (1939) * '' The Blue Bird'' (1940) * '' Star Dust'' (1940) * ''

The Great Profile ''The Great Profile'' is a 1940 American comedy film directed by Walter Lang and starring John Barrymore, Mary Beth Hughes, Gregory Ratoff and John Payne. Synopsis Barrymore lampoons himself. A famous actor, given to drink, nearly destroys the ...

'' (1940) * ''

Tin Pan Alley Tin Pan Alley was a collection of History of music publishing, music publishers and songwriters in New York City that dominated the American popular music, popular music of the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It origin ...

'' (1940) * '' Moon Over Miami'' (1941) * '' Week-End in Havana'' (1941) * '' Song of the Islands'' (1942) * '' The Magnificent Dope'' (1942) * ''

Coney Island Coney Island is a peninsular neighborhood and entertainment area in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is bounded by Brighton Beach and Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn, Manhattan Beach to its east, L ...

'' (1943) * ''

Greenwich Village Greenwich Village ( , , ) is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street to the north, Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the south, and the Hudson River to the west. Greenwich Village ...

'' (1944) * '' State Fair'' (1945) * '' Claudia and David'' (1946) * '' Sentimental Journey'' (1946) * '' Mother Wore Tights'' (1947) * '' Sitting Pretty'' (1948) * '' When My Baby Smiles at Me'' (1948) * '' You're My Everything'' (1949) * ''

Cheaper by the Dozen ''Cheaper by the Dozen'' is a semi-autobiographical novel written by Frank Bunker Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey, published in 1948. The novel recounts the authors' childhood lives growing up in a household of 12 children. The bestsel ...

'' (1950) * '' The Jackpot'' (1950) * '' On the Riviera'' (1951) * '' With a Song in My Heart'' (1952) * '' Call Me Madam'' (1953) * '' There's No Business Like Show Business'' (1954) * ''

'' (1956) * '' Desk Set'' (1957) * '' But Not for Me'' (1959) * '' Can-Can'' (1960) * '' The Marriage-Go-Round'' (1961) * ''

Snow White and the Three Stooges ''Snow White and the Three Stooges'' is a 1961 American comedy, fantasy film. It is the second feature film to star the Three Stooges after their 1959 resurgence in popularity. By this time, the trio consisted of Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and "Cu ...

'' (1961)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lang, Walter 1896 births 1972 deaths 20th Century Studios people People from Memphis, Tennessee Deaths from kidney failure Burials at Inglewood Park Cemetery Film directors from Tennessee