Woodbridge Strong Van Dyke II (Woody) (March 21, 1889 – February 5, 1943) was an American

film director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, pr ...

and writer who made several successful early

sound film A sound film is a motion picture with synchronization, synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decad ...

s, including '' Tarzan the Ape Man'' in 1932, '' The Thin Man'' in 1934, ''

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17t ...

'' in 1936, and six popular

musicals Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movemen ...

with

Nelson Eddy Nelson Ackerman Eddy (June 29, 1901 – March 6, 1967) was an American actor and baritone singer who appeared in 19 musical films during the 1930s and 1940s, as well as in opera and on the concert stage, radio, television, and in nightclub ...

and

Jeanette MacDonald Jeanette Anna MacDonald (June 18, 1903 – January 14, 1965) was an American singer and actress best remembered for her musical films of the 1930s with Maurice Chevalier (''The Love Parade'', '' Love Me Tonight'', ''The Merry Widow'' and '' On ...

. He received two Academy Award nominations for Best Director for ''The Thin Man'' and ''San Francisco'', and directed four actors to Oscar nominations: William Powell,

Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the first actor to win two cons ...

Norma Shearer Edith Norma Shearer (August 11, 1902June 12, 1983) was a Canadian-American actress who was active on film from 1919 through 1942. Shearer often played spunky, sexually liberated ingénues. She appeared in adaptations of Noël Coward, Eugene O' ...

, and

Robert Morley Robert Adolph Wilton Morley, CBE (26 May 1908 – 3 June 1992) was an English actor who enjoyed a lengthy career in both Britain and the United States. He was frequently cast as a pompous English gentleman representing the Establishment, of ...

. Known as a reliable craftsman who made his films on schedule and under budget, he earned the name "One Take Woody" for his quick and efficient style of filming.

Early life

Van Dyke was born on March 21, 1889 in

San Diego, California San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United Stat ...

. His father was a

superior court In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general jurisdiction over civil and criminal legal cases. A superior court is "superior" in relation to a court with limited jurisdiction (see small claims court), which is restricted to civi ...

judge who died the day his son was born. His mother, Laura Winston, returned to her former acting career. As a child actor, Van Dyke appeared with his mother on the

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

circuit with traveling stock companies. They traveled the west coast and into the

Middle West The Midwest or Midwestern United States is a region of the United States. Mid West or Midwest may also refer to: Airlines * Air Midwest, based in the U.S. state of Kansas, subsidiary of Mesa, closed in 2008 * Midwest Airlines, based in the U.S. st ...

. When he was five years old, they appeared at the old San Francisco Grand Opera House in ''Blind Girl''. He would later remember his unusual education,

I think I've been to school in every state in the Union. Whenever the company stopped off long enough in any city I went back behind a school desk. The rest of the time my mother taught me.

When Van Dyke was fourteen years old, he moved to

Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region o ...

to live with his grandmother. While attending business school, he worked several part-time jobs, including janitor, waiter, salesman, and railroad attendant. Van Dyke's early adult years were unsettled, and he moved among jobs. On June 16, 1909, he married in Pierce, Washington, Zine Bertha Ashford (November 3, 1887 - October 2, 1951), actress "Zelda Ashford", and the two joined various touring theater companies, finally arriving in

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

in 1915.

Career

In 1915, Van Dyke found work as an

assistant director The role of an assistant director on a film includes tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, and maintaining order on the set. They also have to tak ...

D. W. Griffith David Wark Griffith (January 22, 1875 – July 23, 1948) was an American film director. Considered one of the most influential figures in the history of the motion picture, he pioneered many aspects of film editing and expanded the art of the n ...

on the film ''

The Birth of a Nation ''The Birth of a Nation'', originally called ''The Clansman'', is a 1915 American silent epic drama film directed by D. W. Griffith and starring Lillian Gish. The screenplay is adapted from Thomas Dixon Jr.'s 1905 novel and play ''The Clan ...

''. The following year, he was Griffith's assistant director on '' Intolerance''. That same year he worked as an assistant director to James Young on '' Unprotected'' (1916), '' The Lash'' (1916), and the

lost film A lost film is a feature or short film that no longer exists in any studio archive, private collection, public archive or the U.S. Library of Congress. Conditions During most of the 20th century, U.S. copyright law required at least one copy ...

Oliver Twist ''Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress'', Charles Dickens's second novel, was published as a serial from 1837 to 1839, and as a three-volume book in 1838. Born in a workhouse, the orphan Oliver Twist is bound into apprenticeship with ...

'', in which he also played the role of

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian er ...

. In 1917, Van Dyke directed his first film, ''

The Land of Long Shadows ''The Land of Long Shadows'' is a 1917 American silent drama film directed by W.S. Van Dyke and starring Jack Gardner, Ruth King and Carl Stockdale.Connelly p.371 It marked the directorial debut of Van Dyke, who later became an established di ...

'', for

Essanay Studios The Essanay Film Manufacturing Company was an early American motion picture studio. The studio was founded in 1907 in Chicago, and later developed an additional film lot in Niles Canyon, California. Its various stars included Francis X. Bushma ...

. That same year he directed five other films: ''

The Range Boss ''The Range Boss'' is a 1917 silent film western directed by W. S. Van Dyke and starring Jack Gardner. It was produced by the Essanay Film Company and released through K-E-S-E. Cast * Jack Gardner - Rex Randerson * Ruth King - Ruth Harkness * ...

'', ''

Open Places ''Open Places'' is a 1917 American silent Western film directed by W. S. Van Dyke and starring Jack Gardner, Carl Stockdale and Ruth King.Connelly, p. 392. Cast * Jack Gardner as Constable Calhoun * Carl Stockdale Carl Stockdale also ...

'', ''

Men of the Desert ''Men of the Desert'' is a 1917 American silent Western film directed by W.S. Van Dyke and starring Jack Gardner, Ruth King and Carl Stockdale.Singer p.389 Cast * Jack Gardner as Jack * Ruth King as May * Carl Stockdale Carl Stockd ...

'', '' Gift O' Gab'', and ''

Sadie Goes to Heaven ''Sadie Goes to Heaven'' is a 1917 American silent comedy film directed by W.S. Van Dyke and starring Mary McAllister, Frances Raymond and Rod La RocqueConnelly p.405 Cast * Mary McAllister as Sadie * Jenny St. George as Sadie's Mother * R ...

''. In 1927, he traveled to Tacoma to direct two

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 ...

s for the new H.C. Weaver Productions: '' Eyes of the Totem'' and '' The Heart of the Yukon'' (the latter is considered a lost film). According to Tim McCoy in his autobiography, Van Dyke, who directed him in "War Paint" and five others for MGM in the late 1920s, was eventually to become a giant among Hollywood's creative geniuses. McCoy went on to say, "For in addition to being annoyingly arrogant, maddeningly self-opinionated, damned sure of himself and utterly ruthless, Van was truly a great director." McCoy went on to say, "he (Van Dyke) evidenced a degree of concern for my well-being on a par with the level of compassion that might have been exhibited by a nineteenth-century Arab slaver herding a batch of the lately damned across the equator." He then told a similar story, which Robert Cannom's Van Dyke biography mentioned in some detail, but lacking Cannom's sugar-coated retelling. An extra fired a blank round too close to McCoy's face, knocking him off his horse and caused pain and a wound needing hospitalization. McCoy said that Van Dyke cursed him soundly for falling off his horse and ruining the shot. He asked him if he was ready for another shot and then cautioned McCoy "to try to do it right." During the silent era he learned his craft and by the advent of the talkies was one of MGM's most reliable directors. He came to be known as "One-Take Woody" or "One-Take Van Dyke", for the speed with which he would complete his assignments. MGM regarded him as one of the most versatile, equally at home directing

costume drama A historical drama (also period drama, costume drama, and period piece) is a work set in a past time period, usually used in the context of film and television. Historical drama includes historical fiction and romances, adventure films, and swa ...

s, westerns,

comedies Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term origin ...

crime In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definitions of", in C ...

melodrama A modern melodrama is a dramatic work in which the plot, typically sensationalized and for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodramas typically concentrate on dialogue that is often bombastic or exce ...

s, and musicals. Many of his films were huge hits and top box office in any given year. He received

Academy Award for Best Director The Academy Award for Best Director (officially known as the Academy Award of Merit for Directing) is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given in honor of a film director who has exhibi ...

nominations for '' The Thin Man'' (1934) and ''

'' (1936). He also directed the Oscar-winning classic ''

Eskimo Eskimo () is an exonym used to refer to two closely related Indigenous peoples: the Inuit (including the Alaska Native Iñupiat, the Greenlandic Inuit, and the Canadian Inuit) and the Yupik (or Yuit) of eastern Siberia and Alaska. A related ...

'' (also known as ''Mala the Magnificent''), in which he also has a featured acting role. His other films include the island

adventure An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme ...

'' White Shadows in the South Seas'' (1928); its follow-up, ''

The Pagan ''The Pagan'' is a 1929 silent/ part talking romantic drama filmed in Tahiti and produced and distributed by Metro Goldwyn Mayer. Both director W.S. Van Dyke and cinematographer Clyde De Vinna had previously visited Tahiti in 1928 to film ''Whi ...

'' (1929); ''

Trader Horn Alfred Aloysius "Trader" Horn (born Alfred Aloysius Smith; 1861–1931) was an ivory trader in central Africa. He wrote a book, ''Trader Horn'', detailing his journeys. The book also documents his efforts to free slaves; meet the founder of Rhodes ...

'' (1931), which was filmed almost entirely in Africa; '' Tarzan the Ape Man'' (1932); ''

Manhattan Melodrama ''Manhattan Melodrama'' is a 1934 American pre-Code crime film, produced by MGM, directed by W. S. Van Dyke, and starring Clark Gable, William Powell, and Myrna Loy. The movie also provided one of Mickey Rooney's earliest film roles. (Rooney ...

'' (1934); and ''

Marie Antoinette Marie Antoinette Josèphe Jeanne (; ; née Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was the last queen of France before the French Revolution. She was born an archduchess of Austria, and was the penultimate child a ...

'' (1938). He is perhaps best remembered, however, for directing

Myrna Loy Myrna Loy (born Myrna Adele Williams; August 2, 1905 – December 14, 1993) was an American film, television and stage actress. Trained as a dancer, Loy devoted herself fully to an acting career following a few minor roles in silent films. ...

and William Powell in four ''Thin Man'' films: '' The Thin Man'' (1934), '' After the Thin Man'' (1936), '' Another Thin Man'' (1939), and ''

Shadow of the Thin Man ''Shadow of the Thin Man'' is the fourth of six ''The Thin Man'' murder mystery comedy films. It was released by MGM in 1941 and was directed by W. S. Van Dyke. It stars William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles. Also, in this fil ...

'' (1941); and

and

in six of their greatest hits, '' Naughty Marietta'' (1935), ''

Rose Marie Rose Marie (born Rose Marie Mazzetta; August 15, 1923 – December 28, 2017) was an American actress, singer, comedian, and vaudeville performer with a career ultimately spanning nine decades, which included film, radio, records, theater, night ...

'' (1936), '' Sweethearts'' (1938), ''

New Moon In astronomy, the new moon is the first lunar phase, when the Moon and Sun have the same ecliptic longitude. At this phase, the lunar disk is not visible to the naked eye, except when it is silhouetted against the Sun during a solar ecl ...

'' (1940) (uncredited because halfway through filming Robert Z. Leonard took over), ''

Bitter Sweet Bittersweet, bitter-sweet, or bitter sweet may refer to: Biology * A vine in the nightshade family, ''Solanum dulcamara'' * Some species of vines in the genus ''Celastrus'', including American bittersweet (''C. scandens'') and Oriental bitters ...

'' (1940), and '' I Married an Angel'' (1942). The earthquake sequence in ''

'' is considered one of the best special-effects sequences ever filmed. To help direct, Van Dyke called upon his early mentor,

, who had fallen on hard times. Van Dyke was also known to hire old-time, out-of-work actors as extras. Because of his loyalty, he was much beloved and admired in the industry. Van Dyke was known for allowing ad-libbing (that remained in the film) and for coaxing natural performances from his actors. He made stars of

James Stewart James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American actor and military pilot. Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart's film career spanned 80 films from 1935 to 1991. With the strong morality ...

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 ...

Maureen O'Sullivan Maureen O'Sullivan (17 May 1911 – 23 June 1998) was an Irish-American actress, who played Jane in the ''Tarzan'' series of films during the era of Johnny Weissmuller. She performed with such actors as Laurence Olivier, Greta Garbo, William ...

Eleanor Powell Eleanor Torrey Powell (November 21, 1912 – February 11, 1982) was an American dancer and actress. Best remembered for her tap dance numbers in musical films in the 1930s and 1940s, she was one of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's top dancing stars du ...

, Ilona Massey, and

Margaret O'Brien Angela Maxine O'Brien (born January 15, 1937) is an American film, radio, television, and stage actress, and is one of the last surviving stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood cinema. Beginning a prolific career as a child actress in feature ...

. He was often called in to work a few days (or more), uncredited, on a film that was in trouble or had gone over production schedule. Van Dyke was commissioned a captain in the United States Marine Corps Reserve in 1934. On September 13, 1935 he was promoted to the rank of major in the reserves. Prior to

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, the patriotic Van Dyke set up a

Marine Corps Reserve The Marine Forces Reserve (MARFORRES or MFR), also known as the United States Marine Corps Reserve (USMCR) and the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve, is the reserve force of the United States Marine Corps. It is the largest command, by assigned p ...

recruiting office in his own office at MGM. His rank of major often showed up in his later film credits, and he was influential in encouraging other MGM stars to join the military during the early days of the war to include Clark Gable, James Stewart, and Robert Taylor.Van Dyke and the Mythical City of Hollywood (1948) Robert C. Cannom.

Final years and death

By 1933 Van Dyke had a 3 acre estate in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California on 334 South Bundy Drive, which he added on to several times to accommodate his collection of artifacts from world travel and allow large groups of friends for entertainment purposes. The house was razed by the early 1960s and the grounds were converted by 1965 into a cul-de-sac named Rose Marie Lane with eight large sized homes. In the latter half of 1942, despite being ill with

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

and a bad heart, Van Dyke managed to direct one last film, ''

Journey for Margaret ''Journey for Margaret'' is a 1942 American drama film set in London in World War II. It stars Robert Young and Laraine Day as a couple who have to deal with the loss of their unborn child due to a bombing raid. It is an adaptation of the book ...

'', which premiered in New York City on December 17 that year. It is a heart-rending movie that made 5-year-old

an overnight star. Van Dyke, a devout

Christian Scientist Christian Science is a set of beliefs and practices associated with members of the Church of Christ, Scientist. Adherents are commonly known as Christian Scientists or students of Christian Science, and the church is sometimes informally known ...

, had refused most medical treatments and care during his final years. Following the general release of ''Journey for Margaret'' to theaters in January 1943, he said his goodbyes to his wife Ruth Elizabeth Mannix, his three children, and to studio boss Louis B. Mayer and then committed suicide on February 5 in

Brentwood, Los Angeles Brentwood is a suburban neighborhood in the Westside region of Los Angeles. History General Modern development began after the establishment of the Pacific Branch of the National Home for Disabled Soldiers and Sailors in the 1880s. A sma ...

. Both

and

, in accordance with Van Dyke's wishes, sang and officiated at his funeral. His cremated remains are interred at Glendale's Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, with those of his mother, Laura Winston Van Dyke in the Great Mausoleum, Columbarium of the Sanctuaries, Niche 10212. W. S. Van Dyke's mother, Laura Winston Van Dyke, was an enthusiastic genealogist and made sure he had known his own family history. He subsequently joined a number of male hereditary societies based in Los Angeles. He was a member of the National Society Sons of the American Revolution having joined on September 22, 1933, No. 53277, California Society No. CA 1707 based on a documented direct descent from John Honeyman, 1729–1822, aide to General James Wolfe in the French and Indian Wars and later a spy for George Washington during the Revolution. That same year, 1933, he joined the Sons of the Revolution in the State of California on the same documented descent from John Honeyman, Membership No. 1847. He also became a member of the Order of Founders and Patriots, No. 7141, CA 48, in 1933 documenting descent from Jan Van Dyke, 1709–1778, and Thomasse Janse Van Dyke, 1581–1665. Van Dyke ultimately was invited to become a life member in the most difficult to join, Society of Colonial Wars, #8634, California Society #397, admitted January 23, 1934. He joined on a direct descent from Capt. Jan Janse Van Dyke, 1652–1736, and Governor William Leete, 1613–1683. He was the great great grandson of Abraham Van Dyke (11 April 1753 - 7 March 1804), who was with Washington at Morristown. Van Dyke was admitted to membership in the Barons of Runnymede, now known as Baronial Order of Magna Charta in January 1935, Member No. 441, and Military Order of the Crusades in December 1935, Member No. 13 both based on a descent from Governor Thomas Dudley of Massachusetts.

Legacy

Van Dyke and his career were the subject of a 424-page well-detailed biography published in 1948 by Robert C. Cannom which made use of extensive interviews with Van Dyke's co-workers and had the complete cooperation of Metro Goldwyn Mayer. The author was allowed full access to Van Dyke's files and photographs archived with the studio in Culver City, Calif. January 20, 1937, Van Dyke and Clark Gable had their signature, hand and shoe print impressions cast in greenish cement at Grauman's Chinese Theater on Hollywood Boulevard. On February 8, 1960, Van Dyke received 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 ...

for his contribution to Motion Pictures, at 6141

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 ...

Awards and nominations

Filmography

* ''

'' (1917) * ''

'' (1917) * '' Gift O' Gab'' (1917) * ''

'' (1917) * '' The Lady of the Dugout'' (1918) * '' The Hawk's Trail'' (1919) * '' Daredevil Jack'' (1920) * '' Double Adventure'' (1921) * '' The Avenging Arrow'' (1921) * '' Forget Me Not'' (1922) * '' White Eagle'' (1922) * ''The Milky Way'' (1922) * '' According to Hoyle'' (1922) * ''

The Boss of Camp 4 ''The Boss of Camp 4'' is a 1922 American silent action film directed by W. S. Van Dyke and starring Buck Jones, Fritzi Brunette, G. Raymond Nye, Francis Ford, and Sid Jordan. It is based on the novel by Arthur Preston Hankins with the same na ...

'' (1922) * '' The Miracle Makers'' (1923) * '' The Destroying Angel'' (1923) * ''

The Little Girl Next Door ''The Little Girl Next Door'' is a 1912 American silent short drama directed by Lucius Henderson and written by Philip Lonergan. The film starred William Garwood and Marguerite Snow in the lead roles. Prints of the film are in the Library of ...

'' (1923) * '' Ruth of the Range'' (1923) (uncredited) * '' Half-A-Dollar-Bill'' (1924) * '' Loving Lies'' (1924) * '' The Beautiful Sinner'' (1924) * '' Winner Take All'' (1924) * '' Gold Heels'' (1924) * ''

The Trail Rider ''The Trail Rider'' is a 1925 American silent Western film directed by W. S. Van Dyke and starring Buck Jones. Based on the 1924 novel ''The Trail Rider: A Romance of the Kansas Range'' by George Washington Ogden, the film is about a trail ride ...

'' (1925) * '' Hearts and Spurs'' (1925) * '' The Timber Wolf'' (1925) * '' The Desert's Price'' (1925) * '' Ranger of the Big Pines'' (1925) * '' Barriers Burned Away'' (1925) * '' The Gentle Cyclone'' (1926) * '' War Paint'' (1926) * '' Winners of the Wilderness'' (1927) * '' The Heart of the Yukon'' (1927) * ''

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

'' (1927) * '' Spoilers of the West'' (1927) * '' Foreign Devils'' (1927) * '' Eyes of the Totem'' (1927) * '' Under the Black Eagle'' (1928) * ''

Wyoming Wyoming () is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the southwest, and Colorado to t ...

'' (1928) * '' White Shadows in the South Seas'' (1928) * ''

'' (1929) * ''

'' (1931) * '' The Cuban Love Song'' (1931) * '' Guilty Hands'' (1931) * '' Never the Twain Shall Meet'' (1931) * '' Tarzan the Ape Man'' (1932) * '' Night Court'' (1932) * '' Penthouse'' (1933) * '' The Prizefighter and the Lady'' (1933) * ''

'' (1933) * ''

'' (1934) * '' The Thin Man'' (1934) * '' Hide-Out'' (1934) * ''

Forsaking All Others ''Forsaking All Others'' is a 1934 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by W.S. Van Dyke, and starring Robert Montgomery, Joan Crawford and Clark Gable. The screenplay was written by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, which was based upon a 1933 ...

'' (1934) * '' Laughing Boy'' (1934) * '' I Live My Life'' (1935) * '' Naughty Marietta'' (1935) * ''

'' (1936) * ''

'' (1936) * '' His Brother's Wife'' (1936) * ''

The Devil Is a Sissy ''The Devil is a Sissy'' is a 1936 American MGM comedy-drama film directed by W. S. Van Dyke and Rowland Brown. The film stars Freddie Bartholomew, Jackie Cooper and Mickey Rooney, three of the biggest child stars of the 1930s. The film premi ...

'' (1936) * '' Love on the Run'' (1936) * '' After the Thin Man'' (1936) * ''

They Gave Him a Gun ''They Gave Him a Gun'' is a 1937 American crime drama film directed by W. S. Van Dyke and starring Spencer Tracy, Gladys George, and Franchot Tone. The picture bears a resemblance to later films noir in its dark theme regarding the struggles and ...

'' (1937) * ''

Personal Property property is property that is movable. In common law systems, personal property may also be called chattels or personalty. In civil law systems, personal property is often called movable property or movables—any property that can be moved fr ...

'' (1937) * '' Rosalie'' (1937) * ''

'' (1938) * '' Sweethearts'' (1938) * '' Stand Up and Fight'' (1939) * '' It's a Wonderful World'' (1939) * ''

Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever ''Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever'' is a 1939 American romantic comedy film directed by W. S. Van Dyke. The plot is about Andy Hardy having a crush on his high school drama teacher, Miss Rose Meredith. It is the seventh of sixteen Andy Hardy films s ...

'' (1939) * '' Another Thin Man'' (1939) * '' I Take This Woman'' (1940) * ''

I Love You Again ''I Love You Again'' is an MGM comedy released in 1940. It was directed by W.S. Van Dyke and starred William Powell and Myrna Loy, all three of whom were prominently involved in the '' Thin Man'' film series. Plot In 1940, while on a cruise, st ...

'' (1940) * ''

'' (1940) (uncredited) * '' Rage in Heaven'' (1941) * '' The Feminine Touch'' (1941) * ''

'' (1941) * '' Dr. Kildare's Victory'' (1942) * '' I Married an Angel'' (1942) * ''

Cairo Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metr ...

'' (1942) * ''

'' (1942)

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Van Dyke, W. S. 1889 births 1943 suicides American Christian Scientists American people of Dutch descent Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) Film directors from California People from San Diego Silent film directors Suicides in California Vaudeville performers