Gus Meins (March 6, 1893 – August 1, 1940), born Gustave Peter Ludwig Luley, was an American

film director A film director or filmmaker is a person who controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfillment of that Goal, vision. The director has a key role ...

. He was born in

Frankfurt Frankfurt am Main () is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Hesse. Its 773,068 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the List of cities in Germany by population, fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located in the forela ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

Career

Meins started out in the ‘teens as a cartoonist for the ''Los Angeles Evening Herald'' before becoming a comedy writer for Fox Film in 1919. In the 1920s, Meins directed a number of silent

short subject A short film is a film with a low running time. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of not more than 40 minutes including all credits". Other film or ...

film A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...

series for

Universal Pictures Universal City Studios LLC, doing business as Universal Pictures (also known as Universal Studios or simply Universal), is an American filmmaking, film production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered at the 10 Universal Ci ...

, including the ''

Buster Brown Buster Brown is a comic strip character created in 1902 by Richard F. Outcault that was adopted as the mascot of the Brown Shoe Company in 1904. The characters of Buster Brown, Mary Jane, and his dog Tige became well known to the American publ ...

'' comedies. He is best known as senior director of

Hal Roach Harold Eugene "Hal" Roach Sr. Skretvedt, Randy (2016), ''Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies'', Bonaventure Press. p.608. (January 14, 1892 – November 2, 1992) was an American film and television producer, director and screenwriter, ...

's ''

Our Gang ''Our Gang'' (also known as ''The Little Rascals'' or ''Hal Roach's Rascals'') is an American series of comedy short films chronicling a group of poor neighborhood children and their adventures. Created by film producer Hal Roach, who also pr ...

'' comedies from 1934 to 1936, and also as director of

Laurel and Hardy Laurel and Hardy were a British-American double act, comedy duo during the early Classical Hollywood cinema, Classical Hollywood era of American cinema, consisting of Englishman Stan Laurel (1890–1965) and American Oliver Hardy (1892–1957) ...

's '' Babes in Toyland'' (1934). His assistant director was a young Gordon Douglas, who became senior director in 1936 when Meins left ''Our Gang'' for other directing jobs at Roach. Meins left Roach in 1937 over creative differences.

Death

In the summer of 1940, Meins faced prosecution on "morals charges", having been accused of sex offenses against six youths. The director swore his innocence but stated that the case would ruin his career, regardless of the outcome. He left home on the night of Thursday, August 1 telling his son, Douglas: "You probably won't see me again." Meins was found dead in his car on August 4, reportedly having committed suicide by inhaling

carbon monoxide Carbon monoxide (chemical formula CO) is a poisonous, flammable gas that is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and slightly less dense than air. Carbon monoxide consists of one carbon atom and one oxygen atom connected by a triple bond. It is the si ...

days earlier. Bizarrely, the circumstances of his death in a car from suffocation were reminiscent of the demise five years earlier of comedian

Thelma Todd Thelma Alice Todd (July 29, 1906 – December 16, 1935) was an American actress and businesswoman who carried the nicknames "The Ice Cream Blonde" and "Hot Toddy". Appearing in about 120 feature films and shorts between 1926 and 1935, she ...

, whom he had frequently directed. He was interred at

Grand View Memorial Park Cemetery Grand View Memorial Park and Crematory is a historic cemetery located in Glendale, California, in the United States. Established in 1884 as Glendale Cemetery, it changed its name to Grand View Memorial Park in 1919. The cemetery was the focus of ...

Glendale, California Glendale is a city located primarily in the Verdugo Mountains region, with a small portion in the San Fernando Valley, of Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is located about north of downtown Los Angeles. As of 2024, Glendale ha ...

. He was generally remembered as 'a cheerful, convivial gentleman'. His son Douglas Meins (1918–1987) appeared in at least seven Republic and Warner films in the late 1930s and early 1940s; he then served in the U.S. Army Corps during World War II.

Selected filmography

Feature films: * '' Babes in Toyland'' (1934), starring

* ''

His Exciting Night ''His Exciting Night'' is a 1938 American comedy film directed by Gus Meins and written by Pat C. Flick, Edward Eliscu and Morton Grant. It is based on the 1934 play ''Adam's Evening'' by Katharine Kavanaugh. The film stars Charlie Ruggles, Ric ...

'' (1939) * '' The Covered Trailer'' (1939) ''

ZaSu Pitts ZaSu Pitts (; January 3, 1894 – June 7, 1963) was an American actress who, in a career spanning nearly five decades, starred in many silent film drama film, dramas, such as Erich von Stroheim's 1924 epic ''Greed (1924 film), Greed'', along wi ...

'' shorts: *''Sneak Easily'' (1933) *''Asleep in the Feet'' (1933) *''Maids à la Mode '' (1933) *''One Track Minds'' (1933) ''

Patsy Kelly Patsy Kelly (born Bridget Sarah Veronica Rose Kelly; January 12, 1910 – September 24, 1981) was an American actress. She is known for her role as the brash, wisecracking sidekick to Thelma Todd in a series of comedy shorts produced by Ha ...

'' shorts: * '' Beauty and the Bus'' (1933) * '' Backs to Nature'' (1933) * '' Air Fright'' (1933) * '' Babes in the Goods'' (1934) * '' Soup and Fish'' (1934) * '' Maid in Hollywood'' (1934) * '' I'll Be Suing You'' (1934) * '' Three Chumps Ahead'' (1934) * '' One-Horse Farmers'' (1934) * '' Done In Oil'' (1934) * '' An All-American Toothache'' (1936) * '' Hill-Tillies'' (1936) ''

'' shorts: * '' Second Childhood'' (

1936 Events January–February * January 20 – The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King Edward VIII, following the death of his father, George V, at Sandringham House. * January 28 – Death and state funer ...

) * ''

The Lucky Corner ''The Lucky Corner'' is a 1936 ''Our Gang'' short comedy film directed by Gus Meins. It was the 143rd ''Our Gang'' short to be released. Plot Scotty and his grandfather Gus are the proprietors of a sidewalk lemonade stand. The small operation s ...

'' (1936) * ''

Our Gang Follies of 1936 ''Our Gang Follies of 1936'' is a 1935 ''Our Gang'' short comedy film directed by Gus Meins. Produced by Hal Roach and released to theaters by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it was the 140th ''Our Gang'' short to be released and the first of several mus ...

'' (

1935 Events January * January 7 – Italian premier Benito Mussolini and French Foreign Minister Pierre Laval conclude an agreement, in which each power agrees not to oppose the other's colonial claims. * January 12 – Amelia Earhart ...

) * '' Little Sinner'' (1935) * '' Little Papa'' (1935) * '' Sprucin' Up'' (1935) * ''

Teacher's Beau ''Teacher's Beau'' is a 1935 ''Our Gang'' short comedy film directed by Gus Meins. It was the 136th ''Our Gang'' short to be released. Plot On the last day of school, the gang learns that their beloved teacher Miss Jones is getting married and ...

'' (1935) * ''

Beginner's Luck Beginner's luck refers to the phenomenon of novices experiencing disproportionate frequency of success or succeeding against an expert in a given activity. One would expect experts to outperform novices - when the opposite happens it is counter-in ...

'' (1935) * ''

Anniversary Trouble ''Anniversary Trouble'' is a 1935 ''Our Gang'' short subject, short comedy film directed by Gus Meins. It was the 134th ''Our Gang'' short to be released. Plot Spanky's appointment as treasurer of the Ancient and Honery Order of Woodchucks occurs ...

'' (1935) * '' Shrimps for a Day'' (

1934 Events January–February * January 1 – The International Telecommunication Union, a specialist agency of the League of Nations, is established. * January 15 – The 8.0 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake, Nepal–Bihar earthquake strik ...

) * '' Mama's Little Pirate'' (1934) * ''

Mike Fright ''Mike Fright'' is a 1934 ''Our Gang'' short subject, short comedy film directed by Gus Meins. It was the 130th ''Our Gang'' short to be released. Plot When open auditions are announced for a radio variety program, the local station is besieg ...

'' (1934) * ''

Honky Donkey ''Honky Donkey'' is a 1934 ''Our Gang'' short comedy film directed by Gus Meins. It was the 129th ''Our Gang'' short to be released. It was partially filmed at the Culver Hotel. Plot A pampered rich boy named Wally is shown getting spoiled by ...

'' (1934) * '' The First Round-Up'' (1934) * ''

For Pete's Sake! ''For Pete's Sake!'' is a 1934 ''Our Gang'' short comedy film directed by Gus Meins. It was the 127th ''Our Gang'' short to be released. Plot After Wally fills little Marianne's favorite doll with sawdust and gives it to her, neighborhood bull ...

'' (1934) * '' Hi'-Neighbor!'' (1934)

References

External links

* *
Life, films and death of Gus Meins
1893 births 1940 deaths 1940 suicides Burials at Grand View Memorial Park Cemetery Film directors from California Emigrants from the German Empire to the United States Suicides by carbon monoxide poisoning Suicides in California {{US-film-director-1890s-stub