Gordon Douglas (director) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gordon Douglas
Born	Gordon Douglas Brickner (1907-12-15)December 15, 1907 New York City, U.S.
Died	September 29, 1993(1993-09-29) (aged 85) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Film director actor
Years active	1930–1977
Spouse(s)	Julia Mack
Children	2

Gordon Douglas Brickner (born December 15, 1907 – died September 29, 1993) was an American film director and actor. He directed many different types of movies over a career that lasted five decades.

Early Life and First Steps

Gordon Douglas Brickner was born in New York City. He started acting when he was a child. He appeared in some films directed by Maurice Costello. Later, he also worked at MGM as a book-keeper, which means he handled financial records.

A Career in Movies

Starting at Hal Roach Studios

As a teenager, Douglas got a job at the Hal Roach Studios. He worked in the office and had small acting roles in different Hal Roach films. He appeared in at least three Our Gang short films. These included Teacher's Pet (1930) and Big Ears (1931).

By 1934, Douglas became an assistant director. He helped direct the famous Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy film Babes in Toyland in 1934. He also assisted with Our Gang comedies until mid-1936.

Directing Our Gang

In 1936, Our Gang comedies changed from 20-minute films to 10-minute ones. Douglas became the main director for the series. His first film as director, Bored of Education (1936), won an Academy Award for Live Action Short Film. This was the only Our Gang film to ever win this award. Douglas directed the series for two years.

His Our Gang shorts are very well-known. They featured popular characters like Spanky, Alfalfa, Darla, and Buckwheat. Douglas also worked on the Our Gang movie General Spanky (1936).

In 1938, Hal Roach sold the Our Gang series to MGM. Douglas directed two Our Gang films for MGM. However, he preferred the atmosphere at Hal Roach Studios. He soon returned to his home studio.

Later Films at Hal Roach

Back at Hal Roach, Douglas directed Zenobia (1939). He then directed Saps at Sea (1940), which was the last film Laurel and Hardy made for Hal Roach. He also directed All-American Co-Ed (1941).

Douglas continued to direct films for Hal Roach, including Niagara Falls (1941) and Broadway Limited (1941). His last film for Roach was The Devil with Hitler (1942). The Hal Roach studio then became a place for making training films during World War II.

Moving to RKO and Columbia

Douglas then moved to RKO Pictures. He directed several comedies, including The Great Gildersleeve (1942), which was based on a radio show. He also directed its sequels. Other films he made at RKO include The Falcon in Hollywood (1944) and Zombies on Broadway (1945).

In 1948, Douglas started working for Columbia Pictures. There, he directed films like Walk a Crooked Mile (1948) and The Black Arrow (1948). He also directed adventure films such as Rogues of Sherwood Forest (1950) and Fortunes of Captain Blood (1950).

Working with Big Stars at Warner Bros.

Gordon Douglas became one of the top directors at Warner Bros. in the 1950s. He directed many different types of movies.

He directed Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (1950) starring James Cagney. He also directed Only the Valiant (1951), a Western film with Gregory Peck.

Douglas directed Them! (1954), a famous science fiction film about giant ants. He also directed musicals like Young at Heart (1955) with Doris Day and Frank Sinatra. He worked with Alan Ladd on films like The Iron Mistress (1952) and The McConnell Story (1955).

He directed several Westerns starring Clint Walker, such as Fort Dobbs (1958) and Yellowstone Kelly (1959).

Freelance and Later Work

Douglas directed Elvis Presley in the comedy Follow That Dream (1962). He also directed Bob Hope in Call Me Bwana (1963).

He made the heist comedy Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964) for Frank Sinatra's company, starring Sinatra himself. He directed more films with Sinatra, including Tony Rome (1967) and The Detective (1968).

Douglas also directed Jerry Lewis in the science fiction comedy Way...Way Out (1966). He directed In Like Flint (1967) with James Coburn.

His later films included They Call Me Mister Tibbs! (1970) starring Sidney Poitier. Gordon Douglas's final film was Viva Knievel! (1977). In this movie, the famous stuntman Evel Knievel played himself.

Gordon Douglas is known for being the only person to direct both Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra in films. He once said that he directed so many movies because he had a family to support.

Death

Gordon Douglas passed away from cancer on September 29, 1993, in Los Angeles. He was 85 years old. He was survived by his wife, Julia Mack, and their two children.

Filmography

Director

Actor (selected)

• Pardon Us (1931) – Typist (uncredited)
• One Good Turn (1931) - Community Player (uncredited)
• The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1935) – Coroner (uncredited)

Images for kids

• 

  Gordon Douglas

See also

In Spanish: Gordon Douglas para niños