Roy Del Ruth
A capable director who made a number of competent musicals and crime dramas, Roy Del Ruth worked consistently throughout the 1930s and 1940s without ever distinguishing himself from his more famed contemporaries. Del Ruth began his career as a gag writer for Mack Sennett during the silent era and moved over to the director's chair in the early-1920s. After churning out numerous pictures, he began to find his footing with the James Cagney vehicle "Blonde Crazy" (1931), before directing what was considered his most popular and accomplished film, "The Maltese Falcon" (1931), the first adaptation of Dashiell Hammett's famed novel. From there, he directed Cagney in "Taxi!" (1932), Edward G. Robinson in "The Little Giant" (1933), and Ronald Colman in "Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back" (1934). Following several years of above average motion pictures, including the popular musical review "Ziegfeld Follies" (1946), Del Ruth directed one of his most charming and entertaining films, "It Happed on Fifth Avenue" (1947), a Christmas-themed film that some ranked alongside the more popular "It's a Wonderful Life" (1946). But just as it seemed he was ready to advance, Del Ruth fell flat with the rather ridiculous biopic "The Babe Ruth Story" (1948), which ended any hope of a career rejuvenation. Though he ended his career on the low notes of "The Phantom of the Rue Morgue" (1954) and "The Alligator People" (1959), Del Ruth undoubtedly made significant contributions during the studio era that certainly bore re-examination.
Photos
Roy Del Ruth
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
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No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Why Must I Die? | Director | - | 1960 |
No Score Yet |
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The Alligator People | Director | - | 1959 |
No Score Yet |
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Phantom of the Rue Morgue | Director | - | 1954 |
No Score Yet |
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Three Sailors and a Girl | Director | - | 1953 |
No Score Yet |
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About Face | Director | - | 1952 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Stop, You're Killing Me | Director | - | 1952 |
No Score Yet |
|
Starlift | Director | - | 1951 |
No Score Yet |
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On Moonlight Bay | Director | - | 1951 |
No Score Yet |
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The West Point Story | Director | - | 1950 |
No Score Yet |
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Red Light |
Director, Producer |
- | 1949 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Always Leave Them Laughing | Director | - | 1949 |
No Score Yet |
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The Babe Ruth Story |
Director, Producer |
- | 1948 |
No Score Yet |
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It Happened on 5th Avenue |
Director, Producer |
- | 1947 |
69% |
|
Ziegfeld Follies | Director | - | 1946 |
No Score Yet |
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Broadway Rhythm | Director | - | 1944 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Barbary Coast Gent | Director | - | 1944 |
No Score Yet |
|
Du Barry Was a Lady | Director | - | 1943 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Maisie Gets Her Man | Director | - | 1942 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Chocolate Soldier | Director | - | 1941 |
89% |
|
Topper Returns | Director | - | 1941 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | He Married His Wife | Director | - | 1940 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Tail Spin | Director | - | 1939 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Here I Am a Stranger | Director | - | 1939 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Star Maker | Director | - | 1939 |
No Score Yet |
|
Happy Landing | Director | - | 1938 |
No Score Yet |
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My Lucky Star | Director | - | 1938 |
100% |
|
Broadway Melody of 1938 | Director | - | 1937 |
No Score Yet |
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On the Avenue | Director | - | 1937 |
No Score Yet |
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Private Number | Director | - | 1936 |
No Score Yet |
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Born to Dance | Director | - | 1936 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | It Had to Happen | Director | - | 1936 |
100% | No Score Yet | Thanks a Million | Director | - | 1935 |
90% |
|
Broadway Melody of 1936 | Director | - | 1935 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Folies Bergère de Paris | Director | - | 1935 |
No Score Yet |
|
Kid Millions | Director | - | 1934 |
No Score Yet |
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Upperworld | Director | - | 1934 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back | Director | - | 1934 |
100% |
|
Employees' Entrance | Director | - | 1933 |
No Score Yet |
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Bureau of Missing Persons | Director | - | 1933 |
No Score Yet |
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The Little Giant | Director | - | 1933 |
No Score Yet |
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Lady Killer | Director | - | 1933 |
No Score Yet |
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The Mind Reader | Director | - | 1933 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Captured | Director | - | 1933 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Winner Take All | Director | - | 1932 |
No Score Yet |
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Blessed Event | Director | - | 1932 |
No Score Yet |
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Taxi! | Director | - | 1932 |
No Score Yet |
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Beauty and the Boss | Director | - | 1932 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Side Show | Director | - | 1931 |
No Score Yet |
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Blonde Crazy | Director | - | 1931 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Divorce Among Friends | Director | - | 1931 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | My Past | Director | - | 1931 |
71% |
|
Dangerous Female | Director | - | 1931 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Three Faces East | Director | - | 1930 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Life of the Party | Director | - | 1930 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Desert Song | Director | - | 1929 |
93% | No Score Yet | Gold Diggers of Broadway | Director | - | 1929 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Terror | Director | - | 1928 |
No Score Yet |
|
The First Auto | Director | - | 1927 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Little Irish Girl | Director | - | 1926 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Hogan's Alley | Director | - | 1925 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Shanghaied Lovers | Director | - | 1924 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Hollywood Kid | Director | - | 1924 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Skylarking | Director | - | 1923 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Be Reasonable | Director | - | 1921 |
TV
Credit | ||||
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No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Zane Grey Theatre | Director | 1957 |