Ford Beebe: Difference between revisions

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{{short description|Screenwriter, Film director}}
{{Short description|American screenwriter, film director (1888–1978)}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| image = Ford_Beebe.jpg
| image = Ford_Beebe.jpg
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==Life==
==Life==
Ford Beebe was born on November 26, 1888, in [[Grand Rapids, Michigan]].{{sfn|Kinnard|2008|p=173}}<ref name=Mclassics>{{cite web|title=Ford Beebe Biography & Filmography|url=http://matineeclassics.com/celebrities/directors/ford_beebe/details/|work=Matinee Classics|access-date=2 October 2013}}</ref> Before moving to [[Hollywood]] he was a freelance writer who was also experienced in advertising.<ref>''Ford Beebe with Signal''. ''[[The Moving Picture World]]'', volume 28, p. 995.</ref>{{sfn|Quinlan|1999|p=30}} He arrived in Hollywood in 1916 and began working as a writer for [[Western films]].{{sfn|Quinlan|1999|p=30}} His first credit was as scenario writer for the 1916 film ''[[A Youth of Fortune]]''.<ref name=Mclassics/> Beebe directed for the first time when [[Leo D. Maloney]], who had been directing a film called ''The Test'', fell ill.{{sfn|Quinlan|1999|p=30}}<ref name=Mclassics/> Beebe became known as a director of low-budget films and serials.{{sfn|Quinlan|1999|p=30}} He was once described as being "an expert at making something out of nothing."{{sfn|Kinnard|2008|p=173}} The first serial directed by Beebe was 1932's ''[[The Shadow of the Eagle]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ford I. Beebe - Movie and Film Biography and Filmography|url=http://www.allrovi.com/name/ford-i-beebe-p81191|work=[[Allmovie]]|publisher=[[Allrovi]]|access-date=3 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120203083101/http://www.allrovi.com/name/ford-i-beebe-p81191|archive-date=3 February 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> He went on to direct several other serials, notably ''[[Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars]]'', ''[[Buck Rogers (serial)|Buck Rogers]]'', ''[[The Green Hornet (serial)|The Green Hornet]]'', and ''[[Don Winslow of the Navy]]''; these were noted by film historian [[Hal Erickson (author)|Hal Erickson]] to be the best of Beebe's works.<ref name=Erickson>{{cite web|last=Erickson|first=Hal|author-link=Hal Erickson (author)|title=Ford I. Beebe|url=http://www.answers.com/topic/ford-beebe|work=[[Answers.com]]|access-date=3 October 2013}}</ref>
Ford Beebe was born on November 26, 1888, in [[Grand Rapids, Michigan]].{{sfn|Kinnard|2008|p=173}}<ref name=Mclassics>{{cite web|title=Ford Beebe Biography & Filmography|url=http://matineeclassics.com/celebrities/directors/ford_beebe/details/|work=Matinee Classics|access-date=2 October 2013|archive-date=4 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004235959/http://matineeclassics.com/celebrities/directors/ford_beebe/details/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Before moving to [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]] he was a freelance writer who was also experienced in advertising.<ref>''Ford Beebe with Signal''. ''[[The Moving Picture World]]'', volume 28, p. 995.</ref>{{sfn|Quinlan|1999|p=30}} He arrived in Hollywood in 1916 and began working as a writer for [[Western films]].{{sfn|Quinlan|1999|p=30}} His first credit was as scenario writer for the 1916 film ''[[A Youth of Fortune]]''.<ref name=Mclassics/> Beebe directed for the first time when [[Leo D. Maloney]], who had been directing a film called ''The Test'', fell ill.{{sfn|Quinlan|1999|p=30}}<ref name=Mclassics/> Beebe became known as a director of low-budget films and serials.{{sfn|Quinlan|1999|p=30}} He was once described as being "an expert at making something out of nothing."{{sfn|Kinnard|2008|p=173}} The first serial directed by Beebe was 1932's ''[[The Shadow of the Eagle]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ford I. Beebe - Movie and Film Biography and Filmography|url=http://www.allrovi.com/name/ford-i-beebe-p81191|work=[[Allmovie]]|publisher=[[Allrovi]]|access-date=3 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120203083101/http://www.allrovi.com/name/ford-i-beebe-p81191|archive-date=3 February 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> He went on to direct several other serials, notably ''[[Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars]]'', ''[[Buck Rogers (serial)|Buck Rogers]]'', ''[[The Green Hornet (serial)|The Green Hornet]]'', and ''[[Don Winslow of the Navy]]''; these were noted by film historian [[Hal Erickson (author)|Hal Erickson]] to be the best of Beebe's works.<ref name=Erickson>{{cite web|last=Erickson|first=Hal|author-link=Hal Erickson (author)|title=Ford I. Beebe|url=http://www.answers.com/topic/ford-beebe|work=[[Answers.com]]|access-date=3 October 2013}}</ref>


Beebe preferred to direct westerns; speaking to the ''[[Evening Independent]]'', he said that westerns were the "bread and butter" of film studios.<ref>{{cite news|title=Theater Gossip|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=l2lIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GlUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5649,3948276|access-date=3 October 2013|newspaper=[[Evening Independent]]|date=6 August 1943}}</ref> He was listed as a director on over 100 films.<ref name=Mclassics/> [[Alfred Hitchcock]] commended Beebe for his 1942 film ''[[Night Monster]]'', impressed with the speed and economy of the production.{{sfn|Kinnard|2008|p=174}}
Beebe preferred to direct westerns; speaking to the ''[[Evening Independent]]'', he said that westerns were the "bread and butter" of film studios.<ref>{{cite news|title=Theater Gossip|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=l2lIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GlUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5649,3948276|access-date=3 October 2013|newspaper=[[Evening Independent]]|date=6 August 1943}}</ref> He was listed as a director on over 100 films.<ref name=Mclassics/> [[Alfred Hitchcock]] commended Beebe for his 1942 film ''[[Night Monster]]'', impressed with the speed and economy of the production.{{sfn|Kinnard|2008|p=174}}
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* ''[[Fight It Out]]'' (1920)
* ''[[Fight It Out]]'' (1920)
* ''[[The Trail of the Hound]]'' (1920)
* ''[[The Trail of the Hound]]'' (1920)
* ''[[The Saddle King]]'' (1921)
* ''[[The Saddle King (1921 film)|The Saddle King]]'' (1921)
* ''[[The Driftin' Kid (1921 film)|The Driftin' Kid]]'' (1921)
* ''[[The Driftin' Kid (1921 film)|The Driftin' Kid]]'' (1921)
* ''[[Sweet Revenge (1921 film)|Sweet Revenge]]'' (1921)
* ''[[Sweet Revenge (1921 film)|Sweet Revenge]]'' (1921)
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* ''[[The White Horseman]]'' (1921)
* ''[[The White Horseman]]'' (1921)
* ''[[Winners of the West (1921 serial)|Winners of the West]]'' (1921)
* ''[[Winners of the West (1921 serial)|Winners of the West]]'' (1921)
* ''[[Too Much Business]]'' (1922)
* ''[[Battling Bunyan]]'' (1924)
* ''[[Battling Bunyan]]'' (1924)
* ''[[The Business of Love]]'' (1925)
* ''[[The Business of Love]]'' (1925)
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* ''[[The Boss of Rustler's Roost]]'' (1928)
* ''[[The Boss of Rustler's Roost]]'' (1928)
* ''[[The Bronc Stomper]]'' (1928)
* ''[[The Bronc Stomper]]'' (1928)
* ''[[The Code of the Scarlet]]'' (1928)
* ''[[Yellow Contraband]]'' (1928)
* ''[[Yellow Contraband]]'' (1928)
* ''[[.45 Calibre War]]'' (1929)
* ''[[.45 Calibre War]]'' (1929)
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* ''[[The Prescott Kid]]'' (1934)
* ''[[The Prescott Kid]]'' (1934)
* ''[[The Adventures of Rex and Rinty]]'' (1935)
* ''[[The Adventures of Rex and Rinty]]'' (1935)
* ''[[The Man from Guntown]]'' (1935)
* ''[[Fighting Shadows]]'' (1935)
* ''[[Fighting Shadows]]'' (1935)
* ''[[Justice of the Range]]'' (1935)
* ''[[Justice of the Range]]'' (1935)
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* ''[[Riding Wild (1935 film)|Riding Wild]]'' (1935)
* ''[[Riding Wild (1935 film)|Riding Wild]]'' (1935)
* ''[[Stampede (1936 film)|Stampede]]'' (1936)
* ''[[Stampede (1936 film)|Stampede]]'' (1936)
* ''[[Code of the Range]]'' (1936)
* ''[[West Bound Limited]]'' (1937)
* ''[[West Bound Limited]]'' (1937)
* ''[[Jungle Jim (serial)|Jungle Jim]]'' (1937)
* ''[[Jungle Jim (serial)|Jungle Jim]]'' (1937)
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* ''[[Buck Rogers (serial)|Buck Rogers]]'' (1939)
* ''[[Buck Rogers (serial)|Buck Rogers]]'' (1939)
* ''[[The Phantom Creeps]]'' (1939)
* ''[[The Phantom Creeps]]'' (1939)
* ''[[The Stranger from Texas]] (1939)
* ''[[The Stranger from Texas]]'' (1939)
* ''[[Oklahoma Frontier]]'' (1939)
* ''[[Oklahoma Frontier]]'' (1939)
* ''[[Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe]]'' (1940)
* ''[[Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe]]'' (1940)
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; Bibliography
; Bibliography
*{{cite book|last=Kinnard|first=Roy|title=The Flash Gordon Serials, 1936-1940: A Heavily Illustrated Guide|year=2008|publisher=[[McFarland & Company]]|isbn=0786455004}}
*{{cite book|last=Kinnard|first=Roy|title=The Flash Gordon Serials, 1936-1940: A Heavily Illustrated Guide|year=2008|publisher=[[McFarland & Company]]|isbn=978-0786455003}}
*{{cite book|last=Quinlan|first=David|author-link=David Quinlan (film critic)|title=Quinlan's film directors|year=1999|publisher=[[B.T. Batsford]]|isbn=0713477539}}
*{{cite book|last=Quinlan|first=David|author-link=David Quinlan (film critic)|title=Quinlan's film directors|year=1999|publisher=[[B.T. Batsford]]|isbn=0713477539}}


Latest revision as of 15:40, 26 February 2024

Ford Beebe
Born(1888-11-26)November 26, 1888
Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States
DiedNovember 26, 1978(1978-11-26) (aged 90)
Lake Elsinore, California, United States
Other namesFord I. Beebe
Ford L. Beebe
Occupation(s)Screenwriter
Film director
Years active1916–1977

Ford Beebe (November 26, 1888 – November 26, 1978) was a screenwriter and director. He entered the film business as a writer around 1916 and over the next 60 years wrote and/or directed almost 200 films.

He specialized in B-movies – mostly Westerns – and action serials, working on the "Buck Rogers" and "Flash Gordon" serials for Universal Pictures.

Life[edit]

Ford Beebe was born on November 26, 1888, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.[1][2] Before moving to Hollywood he was a freelance writer who was also experienced in advertising.[3][4] He arrived in Hollywood in 1916 and began working as a writer for Western films.[4] His first credit was as scenario writer for the 1916 film A Youth of Fortune.[2] Beebe directed for the first time when Leo D. Maloney, who had been directing a film called The Test, fell ill.[4][2] Beebe became known as a director of low-budget films and serials.[4] He was once described as being "an expert at making something out of nothing."[1] The first serial directed by Beebe was 1932's The Shadow of the Eagle.[5] He went on to direct several other serials, notably Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars, Buck Rogers, The Green Hornet, and Don Winslow of the Navy; these were noted by film historian Hal Erickson to be the best of Beebe's works.[6]

Beebe preferred to direct westerns; speaking to the Evening Independent, he said that westerns were the "bread and butter" of film studios.[7] He was listed as a director on over 100 films.[2] Alfred Hitchcock commended Beebe for his 1942 film Night Monster, impressed with the speed and economy of the production.[8]

Beebe was married to writer Frances Wiley.[9] The couple had eight children. Their only son, Ford Beebe, Jr., became a director like his father.[4] They lost twin daughters in infancy and had five daughters who survived it: Frances, Mary, Ruthann, Maxine, and Martha. In Beebe's later life he was married to Kitty Delevanti, with whom he had one son, Mike.

Selected filmography[edit]

References[edit]

Notes
  1. ^ a b Kinnard 2008, p. 173.
  2. ^ a b c d "Ford Beebe Biography & Filmography". Matinee Classics. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
  3. ^ Ford Beebe with Signal. The Moving Picture World, volume 28, p. 995.
  4. ^ a b c d e Quinlan 1999, p. 30.
  5. ^ "Ford I. Beebe - Movie and Film Biography and Filmography". Allmovie. Allrovi. Archived from the original on 3 February 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
  6. ^ Erickson, Hal. "Ford I. Beebe". Answers.com. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
  7. ^ "Theater Gossip". Evening Independent. 6 August 1943. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
  8. ^ Kinnard 2008, p. 174.
  9. ^ "AROUND THE TOWN ; Writer and the granddaughter she never met pen kids' book". San Antonio Express-News. 20 January 2006.
Bibliography

External links[edit]

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