Matinee Classics - King Vidor Biography & Filmography

King Vidor DIRECTOR

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KING VIDOR BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

King Vidor was born February 8, 1894 in Galveston, Texas. As a teenager, he worked in his local movie theater, taking tickets and projecting films. After working as a photographer, Vidor decided to take up shooting. He captured local newsreel footage and sold it to parties that were interested. In 1913, he shot a military parade, “The Grand Military Parade”, and the massive Galveston Hurricane, “Hurricane in Galveston”. In 1915, after marrying Florence Arto, he relocated to Hollywood to nab a spot in the up and coming film industry. While his wife was successful, Vidor spent his time playing extras and screenwriting some films which never got picked up. In 1918 he directed a series of shorts for Universal Studios and the small independent production company Brentwood Film Corp. In 1919 he started directing full length features, beginning with “The Turn in the Road”. The movie, which was an adaptation of one of Vidor’s screenplays, was very successful.

From 1920 until 1923, the director and his wife had their own studio, called Vidor Village. Here he would write, direct, and produce films, while Florence would star in them. He came out with movies such as “The Jack Knife Man” (1920) and “The Sky Pilot” (1921). Vidor’s last collaboration with his wife was “Alice Adams” (1923), as they divorced the following year. Following, he closed down the studio.

Luckily, he had also directed other films, like “Peg o’ My Heart” (1922), for Metro Goldwyn Meyer, and when his studio was demolished they welcomed him with open arms as a senior director in 1924. The antiwar love story “The Big Parade” (1925), Vidor’s fifth film for the studio, became the biggest box office hit of the ‘20s and brought Vidor international recognition. He followed it up with pictures such as the melodrama “La Boheme” (1926), the elaborate “Bardleys the Magnificient” (1926), which starred Vidor’s second wife, Eleanor Boardman (they were married from 1926 to 1933), and the sophisticated and innovative “The Crowd” (1928). The latter became widely regarded as one of America’s greatest silent pictures and even won Vidor his first Oscar nomination. He also released two comedies, “The Patsy” (1928) and “Show People” (1928).

In 1929, the director entered into sound films with the musical “Hallelujah”. He followed it up with an early version of the legendary “Billy the Kid” (1930). Next came further successes, not limited to “Street Scene” (1931), “The Champ” (1931), “The Daily Bread” (1934), “Stella Dallas” (1937), and “The Citadel” (1938). Ironically, the most famous picture that Vidor ever worked on gave him no credit and was actually a commercial flop. “The Wizard of Oz” (1939) was worked on by a handful of directors, even though the only credited director, Victor Fleming, was unavailable during some shootings.

He made a couple of not-too-successful features, “Comrade X” (1940) and “Northwest Passage” (1940), before turning out his western Technicolor masterpiece, “Duel in the Sun” (1946). Its sexually charged nature and ornate visual features made it a commercial success. Vidor signed with Warner Brothers in the late ‘40s for three projects. They were “The Fountainhead” (1949), “Beyond the Forest” (1949), and “Lightening Strikes Twice” (1951). However, one of Vidor’s favorite pieces came next, “Ruby Gentry” (1952).

After a break, the director came back with the western “Man Without a Star” (1955) starring Kirk Douglas. His final two films were “War and Peace” (1956) and “Solomon and Sheba” (1959), although he did some television work in between. Vidor’s very last project was a documentary short about painting, titled “The Metaphor” (1980). Two years later, on November 1, 1982, in Paso Robles, California, the director died. He was survived by his third wife, Elizabeth Vidor, whom he wed in 1937. For his achievements, he has received an Honorary Award from the Oscars, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Director’s Guild of America, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Filmography

1980 The Metaphor

1959 Solomon and Sheba

1956 Ford Star Jubilee

1956 War and Peace

1956 MGM Parade

1955 Man Without a Star

1954 Light's Diamond Jubilee

1952 Ruby Gentry

1952 Japanese War Bride

1951 Lightning Strikes Twice

1949 Beyond the Forest

1949 The Fountainhead