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Charles Lamont

October 15, 2023

Charles Lamont (May 5, 1895 – September 11, 1993) was a prolific filmmaker, directing over 200 titles and producing and writing many others. He directed several Abbott and Costello comedies and many Ma and Pa Kettle films.[1]

Charles Lamont
Born
Charles Fred Lamont

(1895-05-05)May 5, 1895
San Francisco, California, U.S.
DiedSeptember 11, 1993(1993-09-11) (aged 98)
Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
SpouseEstelle Bradley

Biography Edit

Lamont was born in San Francisco. Lamont came from a family of actors, being the fourth generation to be an actor. He appeared onstage while a teenager and started appearing in films from 1919. He worked as a prop man before becoming assistant director.[1]

Lamont started directing comedy shorts in 1922, including for Mack Sennett and Al Christie.[1][2] Some of Lamont's earliest directorial jobs were silent short-subject comedies for Educational Pictures. One of the studio's popular series was Juvenile Comedies, featuring the child actor Malcolm "Big Boy" Sebastian. Lamont directed some of these films, as well as some of the competing "Buster Brown" comedies for Universal Pictures release. Both Educational and Universal figured prominently in Lamont's career.

In 1932 Educational assigned Lamont to the "Baby Burlesk” a series, featuring four-year-old Shirley Temple. He along with his co-conspirators at Educational Pictures were responsible and helped set horrifying ways performers were treated in film before the invention of the Hays Code. By 1934 Lamont was Educational's top director, and he collaborated with Buster Keaton on most of Keaton's 16 Educational shorts.

After Educational shut down its Hollywood studio, Lamont was hired by Columbia Pictures to work with such stars as Charley Chase and The Three Stooges, but his stay was short ("I had an intense hatred for [Columbia president] Harry Cohn," said Lamont to authors Ted Okuda and Edward Watz).

Lamont then freelanced at various studios (and produced a few features himself) before joining Universal Pictures in 1942. Lamont always had a tremendous rapport with juvenile performers, and Universal entrusted him with a series of musical-comedy vehicles for the studio's teenage singing star Gloria Jean. Lamont emphasized the comic elements of the films, with Donald O'Connor and Peggy Ryan contributing their talents, and the teen musicals were very popular with wartime audiences.

Lamont directed a couple of 1945 films starring Yvonne de Carlo and Rod Cameron, Salome Where She Danced and Frontier Gal, which were not well known in the US but were popular with some French critics.[2]

Lamont's experience with limited budgets served him well at Universal, and soon he was promoted to the studio's more important productions. By 1950 he was established as one of Universal's most efficient directors. So it was with surprise and reluctance that Lamont received his new assignment: Abbott and Costello movies. These comedy features were moneymakers for the studio but had no prestige at all, and Lamont bristled at what seemed to be a backward career move. His Universal bosses explained their need for a good comedy director who could do the job indefinitely, and Lamont came to realize that "Abbott and Costello were my future." Lamont remained with the team until the studio cut them loose in 1955.

Lamont also directed Universal's successful Ma and Pa Kettle comedies; his last film was the final Francis the Talking Mule comedy, Francis in the Haunted House (1956).

Lamont died of pneumonia in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles in 1993 at age 98.[1]

Selected filmography Edit

Short subjects Edit

Feature films Edit

Notes Edit

  • Okuda, Ted (April 1986). "Poker, Petulance and Hijinks with Those Bad Boys from Burlesque". Filmfax. No. 2. pp. 44–48.

References Edit

  1. ^ a b c d Associated Press (September 14, 1993). "Obituaries". Daily Variety. p. 25.
  2. ^ a b Katz, Ephraim; Fred Klein; Ronald Dean Nolan (1998). The International Film Encyclopedia (3rd ed.). New York: Harper Collins. p. 781. ISBN 0-333-74037-8.

External links Edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Charles Lamont.

October 15, 2023
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This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Charles Lamont news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message Charles Lamont May 5 1895 September 11 1993 was a prolific filmmaker directing over 200 titles and producing and writing many others He directed several Abbott and Costello comedies and many Ma and Pa Kettle films 1 Charles LamontBornCharles Fred Lamont 1895 05 05 May 5 1895San Francisco California U S DiedSeptember 11 1993 1993 09 11 aged 98 Woodland Hills Los Angeles California U S SpouseEstelle Bradley Contents 1 Biography 2 Selected filmography 2 1 Short subjects 2 2 Feature films 3 Notes 4 References 5 External linksBiography EditLamont was born in San Francisco Lamont came from a family of actors being the fourth generation to be an actor He appeared onstage while a teenager and started appearing in films from 1919 He worked as a prop man before becoming assistant director 1 Lamont started directing comedy shorts in 1922 including for Mack Sennett and Al Christie 1 2 Some of Lamont s earliest directorial jobs were silent short subject comedies for Educational Pictures One of the studio s popular series was Juvenile Comedies featuring the child actor Malcolm Big Boy Sebastian Lamont directed some of these films as well as some of the competing Buster Brown comedies for Universal Pictures release Both Educational and Universal figured prominently in Lamont s career In 1932 Educational assigned Lamont to the Baby Burlesk a series featuring four year old Shirley Temple He along with his co conspirators at Educational Pictures were responsible and helped set horrifying ways performers were treated in film before the invention of the Hays Code By 1934 Lamont was Educational s top director and he collaborated with Buster Keaton on most of Keaton s 16 Educational shorts After Educational shut down its Hollywood studio Lamont was hired by Columbia Pictures to work with such stars as Charley Chase and The Three Stooges but his stay was short I had an intense hatred for Columbia president Harry Cohn said Lamont to authors Ted Okuda and Edward Watz Lamont then freelanced at various studios and produced a few features himself before joining Universal Pictures in 1942 Lamont always had a tremendous rapport with juvenile performers and Universal entrusted him with a series of musical comedy vehicles for the studio s teenage singing star Gloria Jean Lamont emphasized the comic elements of the films with Donald O Connor and Peggy Ryan contributing their talents and the teen musicals were very popular with wartime audiences Lamont directed a couple of 1945 films starring Yvonne de Carlo and Rod Cameron Salome Where She Danced and Frontier Gal which were not well known in the US but were popular with some French critics 2 Lamont s experience with limited budgets served him well at Universal and soon he was promoted to the studio s more important productions By 1950 he was established as one of Universal s most efficient directors So it was with surprise and reluctance that Lamont received his new assignment Abbott and Costello movies These comedy features were moneymakers for the studio but had no prestige at all and Lamont bristled at what seemed to be a backward career move His Universal bosses explained their need for a good comedy director who could do the job indefinitely and Lamont came to realize that Abbott and Costello were my future Lamont remained with the team until the studio cut them loose in 1955 Lamont also directed Universal s successful Ma and Pa Kettle comedies his last film was the final Francis the Talking Mule comedy Francis in the Haunted House 1956 Lamont died of pneumonia in Woodland Hills Los Angeles in 1993 at age 98 1 Selected filmography EditShort subjects Edit Zorro The Big Game 1923 Don t Play Hookey 1923 Mama s Baby Boy 1923 Hats 1924 Her City Sport 1924 Raisin Cain 1925 Maid in Morocco 1925 Sea Scamps 1926 My Kid 1926 Brunettes Prefer Gentlemen 1927 Scared Silly 1927 Misplaced Husbands 1928 The Crazy Nut 1929 Fake Flappers 1929 Dance with Me 1930 Don t Get Excited 1930 My Kid 1931 Fast and Furious 1931 The Pie Covered Wagon 1932 War Babies 1932 one of eight Baby Burlesks films with Shirley Temple 1932 33 Merrily Yours 1933 Pardon my Pups 1934 Managed Money 1934 The Gold Ghost 1934 Allez Oop 1934 Palooka from Paducah 1935 Hayseed Romance 1935 Tars and Stripes 1935 The E Flat Man 1935 Restless Knights 1935 Three on a Limb 1936 Grand Slam Opera 1936 Love Nest on Wheels 1937 Playing the Ponies 1937 Jail Bait 1937 Ditto 1937 The Wrong Miss Wright 1937 Calling All Doctors 1937 Feature films Edit Sons of Steel 1934 Circumstantial Evidence 1935 The Lady in Scarlet 1935 Tomorrow s Youth 1935 A Shot in the Dark 1935 False Pretenses 1935 The Dark Hour 1936 Bulldog Edition 1936 Below the Deadline 1936 Lady Luck 1936 Ring Around the Moon 1936 Wallaby Jim of the Islands 1937 Shadows Over Shanghai 1938 Slander House 1938 Cipher Bureau 1938 International Crime 1938 Long Shot 1939 Verbena Tragica 1939 Unexpected Father 1939 Pride of the Navy 1939 Panama Patrol 1939 Inside Information 1939 Give Us Wings 1940 Oh Johnny How You Can Love 1940 San Antonio Rose 1941 Road Agent 1941 You re Telling Me 1942 Get Hep to Love 1942 Don t Get Personal 1942 It Comes Up Love 1942 Almost Married 1942 Top Man 1943 When Johnny Comes Marching Home 1943 Mister Big 1943 Hit the Ice 1943 Bowery to Broadway 1944 Chip Off the Old Block 1944 The Merry Monahans 1944 Salome Where She Danced 1945 Frontier Gal 1945 Slave Girl 1947 The Untamed Breed 1948 Ma and Pa Kettle 1949 Bagdad 1949 Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town 1950 Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion 1950 Curtain Call at Cactus Creek 1950 I Was a Shoplifter 1950 Comin Round the Mountain 1951 Flame of Araby 1951 Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man 1951 Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd 1952 Abbott and Costello Go to Mars 1953 Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacation 1953 Abbott and Costello Meet Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde 1953 Ma and Pa Kettle at Home 1954 Ricochet Romance 1954 Untamed Heiress 1954 Carolina Cannonball 1955 Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops 1955 Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy 1955 Lay That Rifle Down 1955 The Kettles in the Ozarks 1956 Francis in the Haunted House 1956 Notes EditOkuda Ted April 1986 Poker Petulance and Hijinks with Those Bad Boys from Burlesque Filmfax No 2 pp 44 48 References Edit a b c d Associated Press September 14 1993 Obituaries Daily Variety p 25 a b Katz Ephraim Fred Klein Ronald Dean Nolan 1998 The International Film Encyclopedia 3rd ed New York Harper Collins p 781 ISBN 0 333 74037 8 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Charles Lamont nbsp Biography portalCharles Lamont at IMDb Charles Lamont at Find a Grave Charles Lamont at Fandango Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Charles Lamont amp oldid 1171370637, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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