Jules White facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jules White
Born	Julius Weiss (1900-09-17)September 17, 1900 Budapest, Austria-Hungary
Died	April 30, 1985(1985-04-30) (aged 84) Van Nuys, California, U.S.
Occupation	Film director, producer
Years active	1924–1974
Height	5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Children	1
Relatives	Jack White (brother) Sam White (brother)

Jules White (born Julius Weiss) was a famous American film director and producer. He was born in Hungary on September 17, 1900, and passed away on April 30, 1985. White is most famous for directing many short comedy films, especially those starring the hilarious group, The Three Stooges.

Jules White's Early Film Career

Jules White started working in movies in the 1910s. He was a child actor for Pathé Studios. In 1915, he had a small part as a soldier in the silent film The Birth of a Nation.

By the 1920s, his brother, Jack White, was a successful comedy producer. Jules worked for him as a film editor, which means he put movie scenes together. In 1926, Jules became a director, focusing on funny movies.

Joining Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

In 1930, White and his friend Zion Myers moved to the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) studio. They created and directed the "Dogville Comedies." These were funny films where trained dogs acted out famous Hollywood movies.

White and Myers also directed a movie called Sidewalks of New York (1931) with Buster Keaton. They also started a series called "Goofy Movies," which were short parodies of old silent dramas.

Leading Columbia Pictures' Comedy Films

In 1933, Jules White became the head of the short-film department at Columbia Pictures. This department became the busiest comedy studio in Hollywood. At a time when other studios were making fewer short comedies, Columbia made more.

By 1938, White split his department into two teams. He produced films for one team, and Hugh McCollum produced for the other. The comedy stars at Columbia would work with both teams.

White's Directing Style

With help from McCollum, White could focus on directing, which he loved. He started directing Columbia's short films in 1938 and became their most active director. He directed his sound films like silent comedies.

He made the action very fast and told his actors to use big gestures and funny expressions. He even showed them how to move and make faces! This style used a lot of physical comedy, like cartoons. White often had to finish films quickly, so many wild and funny gags stayed in the movies. Audiences loved these fast-paced comedies, and Columbia made over 500 of them.

Jules White's Comedy Gags

Physical comedy was a big part of White's short films. He often reused his favorite jokes over the years. For example, a comedian might get arrested and yell, "I demand a cheap lawyer!"

Another common gag was when an actor accidentally bumped into a bad guy and said, "Sorry, mister, there was a man chasing me... you're the man!" White's most famous gag was probably when an actor got poked by something sharp and then shouted, "Help, help! I'm losing my mind!"

Working with Wally Vernon and Eddie Quillan

White's style was very clear in his films starring Wally Vernon and Eddie Quillan. These two actors were great dancers and very agile comedians. White used their skills to create wild, rough-and-tumble slapstick comedy.

The actors would do pratfalls (funny falls), cross their eyes, get hit with messy things, have bare-handed fights, and get knocked "cuckoo" in film after film. These comedies were special to White, and he kept making them even after other film series ended.

Later Films and New Ideas

By the 1950s, White worked so fast that he could film a new short comedy in just one day. He often used parts of older films and added a few new scenes. He would use the same actors, sets, and costumes. A "new" 15-minute comedy might include clips from three old comedies.

Even though many of his 1950s comedies looked like his 1940s films, he still made some completely new ones. This included three 3-D comedies: Spooks! and Pardon My Backfire (1953), both with The Three Stooges, and Down the Hatch.

Experimenting with New Themes

In 1956, Jules White was one of the only directors still making short comedies. He tried new ideas, like science-fiction or musical themes for his Stooge comedies. He also included references to rock and roll and popular movies of the time.

White even started a new series called "Girlie Whirls" for comedian Muriel Landers. Only one film was made before she joined one of The Three Stooges' comedies.

Retirement and Legacy

Columbia Pictures closed its comedy-shorts department at the end of 1957. White worked a little in television in the early 1960s. He created a TV show called Oh! Those Bells in 1962 and worked with his brother Sam White on its first episode. Soon after, he retired.

Almost 40% of White's films starred The Three Stooges. He also directed other famous actors like Buster Keaton, Andy Clyde, Harry Langdon, and Hugh Herbert. Many of his films are now available on DVD.

Jules White passed away on April 30, 1985, from Alzheimer's disease. He is buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Jules White para niños