Fletcher Markle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fletcher Markle
Fletcher Markle directing the CBS Radio series Studio One (1948)
Born	(1921-03-27)March 27, 1921 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Died	May 23, 1991(1991-05-23) (aged 70) Pasadena, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor, screenwriter, television producer, television and film director
Spouse(s)	Helen Blanche Willis ​ ​ (m. 1944; div. 1949)​ Mercedes McCambridge ​ ​ (m. 1950; div. 1962)​ Dorothy Conradt ​ (m. 1963)​

Fletcher Markle (born March 27, 1921 – died May 23, 1991) was a talented Canadian who worked as an actor, writer for movies and TV, and a director for both television and films. He started his career in radio in Canada before moving to the United States to work in radio, movies, and TV shows.

Early Life and Radio Career

Fletcher Markle and Madeleine Carroll at a rehearsal of "A Farewell to Arms" for Studio One (1948)

Fletcher Markle was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He started his career very young, at just 17 years old, in Vancouver, British Columbia. There, he began acting in radio dramas.

He worked with a group of other creative people, including John Drainie and Alan Young. They created shows for local radio stations like CJOR and CKWX, and also for the national CBC network. During World War II, Fletcher Markle served in the Royal Canadian Air Force.

In 1945, he received a special grant of $1,500 from Twentieth Century Fox. This money helped him finish a novel he was writing called There Was A Young Man. At the time, he was also writing and producing a series for the CBC called Radio Folio. This show featured different stories in each episode, ranging from funny to serious. He had also previously written another CBC series called Baker's Dozen.

Moving to Hollywood and Television

After his success in Canadian radio, Fletcher Markle moved to Toronto. He even had a role as an actor in a movie called Journey Together (1946). Later, he moved to New York City. He helped write the screenplay for Orson Welles's famous movie The Lady from Shanghai (1947), though he wasn't officially credited for it.

While in New York, he worked on a popular CBS radio show called Studio One. In 1952, he took over as the main producer for the TV version of Studio One.

He also produced, helped write, and even had a small acting part in the movie Jigsaw (1949). He directed well-known actors like Nancy Reagan (who was then Nancy Davis), Ray Milland, and John Hodiak in the film Night into Morning (1951).

Directing Popular Shows and Films

Throughout the 1950s and early 1960s, Fletcher Markle was a busy director, producer, and even a host for many television series. Some of these included Front Row Center, Boris Karloff's spooky show Thriller, Father of the Bride, and Telescope.

One of his most famous directing jobs was the beloved movie The Incredible Journey (1963) for Walt Disney. This film is about three pets who travel a long way to find their owners. Fletcher Markle is also known for being the person who chose Lorne Greene to play the iconic character Ben Cartwright in the very popular TV Western series Bonanza.

In 1956, Fletcher Markle and his wife at the time, Mercedes McCambridge, started their own company. They wanted to make movies and TV shows. They planned a 30-minute TV series called Tonight in Havana, based on stories about a young Cuban couple.

Later in 1978, Markle returned to radio as one of the writers for Sears Radio Theater. He also received an Academy Award nomination for a documentary film he wrote and narrated called The V-1: Story of the Robot Bomb.

Personal Life

Fletcher Markle was married three times. His first marriage was to Helen Blanche Willis in 1944. They had a son named Stephen Markle, who also became an actor and writer. He later married actress Mercedes McCambridge. His third marriage was to Dorothy Conradt, which lasted from 1963 until his death.

Death

Fletcher Markle passed away on May 23, 1991, at the age of 70. He died in Pasadena, California, due to heart failure.

Selected Filmography

Here are some of the projects Fletcher Markle worked on as a producer, director, or writer:

Producer

• Journey Together (1949)
• Jigsaw (1949)
• Grounds for Marriage (1951)
• Studio One (1 episode, 1953)
• Front Row Center (5 episodes, 1955)
• Thriller (8 episodes, 1960)
• Telescope (8 episodes, 1966-1971)

Director

• Jigsaw (1949)
• Night into Morning (1951)
• The Man with a Cloak (1951)
• Front Row Center (4 episodes, 1955)
• The George Sanders Mystery Theater (8 episodes, 1957)
• Thriller (1 episode, 1960)
• Father of the Bride (TV series)
• The Incredible Journey (1963)
• Telescope (2 episodes, 1964-1966)
• Julia (2 episodes, 1969)

Writer

• The Lady from Shanghai (1947)
• Jigsaw (1949)