Lloyd Bacon | |
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| Born | (1889-12-04)December 4, 1889 San Jose, California, U.S. |
| Died | November 15, 1955(1955-11-15) (aged 65) Burbank, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills, California |
| Alma mater | Santa Clara University |
| Occupations | Director, actor, screenwriter |
| Years active | 1914–1955 |
| Spouses |
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Lloyd Francis Bacon (December 4, 1889 – November 15, 1955) was an American screen, stage, andvaudeville actor andfilm director.[2] As a director, he made films in numerous genres, including westerns, musicals, comedies, gangster films, and crime dramas. He was one of the directors atWarner Bros. in the 1930s who helped give that studio its reputation for gritty, fast-paced "torn from the headlines" action films. And, in directing Warner Bros.'42nd Street, he joined the movie's song-and-dance-number director,Busby Berkeley, in contributing to "an instant and enduring classic [that] transformed the musical genre".[3]
Lloyd Bacon was born on December 4, 1889, inSan Jose, California, the son of actor/playwrightFrank Bacon[2] - the co-author and star of the long-running Broadway showLightnin' (1918) – and Jennie Weidman. Lloyd Bacon was not, contrary to some accounts, related to actorIrving Bacon, although he did direct him in a number of his films. Bacon attendedSanta Clara University, and would later include highlights from the Bronco Football program in the end of his famous film,Knute Rockne, All American. When America entered theFirst World War in 1917, Bacon enlisted in theUnited States Navy, and was assigned to the photographic department.[4] Many of his later films as a director harked back fondly to his time in the Navy.[4]
Bacon started in films as an actor withCharlie Chaplin andBroncho Billy Anderson and appeared in more than 40 total. As an actor, he is best known for supporting Chaplin in such films asThe Tramp (1915) andThe Champion andEasy Street (1917).
He later became a director and directed over 100 films between 1920 and 1955. He is best known as director of such classics as42nd Street andFootlight Parade (1933),Ever Since Eve (1937) (from a screenplay by playwrightLawrence Rileyet al.),A Slight Case of Murder (1938) withEdward G. Robinson,Invisible Stripes(1939) withGeorge Raft andHumphrey Bogart, 1939'sThe Oklahoma Kid withJames Cagney andHumphrey Bogart, 1940'sKnute Rockne, All American withPat O'Brien andRonald Reagan (as "the Gipper"), 1943'sAction in the North Atlantic with Humphrey Bogart,[5] and 1944'sThe Fighting Sullivans withAnne Baxter andThomas Mitchell. He also directedWake Up and Dream (1946).
Bacon died on November 15, 1955, of acerebral hemorrhage and was interred inForest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills).
At the time of his death, he was survived by his ex-wives, son, Frank (1937–2009) and daughter, Betsey.[2]
For his contributions to the film industry, Bacon was posthumously inducted into theHollywood Walk of Fame with amotion pictures star in 1960. His star is located at 7011Hollywood Boulevard.[6]
Media related toLloyd Bacon at Wikimedia Commons
Works by or aboutLloyd Bacon atWikisource
