Norman Foster

Actor and director Norman Foster began his film career in 1929. Quickly earning starring roles, Foster appeared with his first wife, Claudette Colbert, in 1930's "Young Man of Manhattan," and with leading lady Clara Bow in "No Limit" in 1931. After starring in dozens of films, Foster turned to directing in 1936, writing, directing, and starring in "I Cover Chinatown." Focusing mostly on directing, he also wrote his first film in the Mr. Moto series, "Think Fast, Mr. Moto," starring Peter Lorre as the Japanese-American detective. Making five films in the series, he then began directing films about the most famous Asian-American detective of all, Charlie Chan. With Sidney Toler in the title role, Foster directed three Chan films in total, beginning with "Charlie Chan in Reno" in 1939. In the '40s Foster began branching out, making several Westerns and dramas, and even three Mexican films during the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. His best-known films of this time are the classic film noir dramas "Journey Into Fear" starring Orson Welles, "Kiss the Blood Off My Hands," and "Woman on the Run." In 1948 Foster directed the frontier drama "Rachel and the Stranger," with a WGA Award-nominated script by Waldo Salt. In the '50s Foster began directing the classic television series "Zorro," "Batman," and "The Green Hornet." He also worked with his sister-in-law Loretta Young on both of her own television shows.