William A. Seiter
- Known for
- Directing
- Born
- June 10, 1890
- Died
- July 26, 1964 (aged 74)
- Birthplace
- New York City, New York, USA
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia William A. Seiter (June 10, 1890 - July 26, 1964) was an American film director. He was born in New York City. After attending Hudson River Military Academy, Seiter broke into films in 1915 as a bit player at Mack Sennett's Keystone Studios, doubling a cowboy. He graduated to director in 1918. At Universal Studios in the mid-1920s, Seiter was principal director of the popular Reginald Denny vehicles, most of which co-starred Seiter's then wife Laura La Plante (his second wife was actress Marian Nixon). This period also included The Beautiful and Damned and The Family Secret. In the early talkie era, Seiter helped nurture the talents of RKO's comedy duo Wheeler & Woolsey in such rollicking features as Caught Plastered (1931) and Diplomaniacs (1933). He also directed the Laurel and Hardy feature Sons of the Desert (1933), their only film together. Other films include Sunny, Going Wild, Kiss Me Again, Hot Saturday, Way Back Home, Girl Crazy, Rafter Romance, Roberta, Room Service, Susannah of the Mounties, Allegheny Uprising, You Were Never Lovelier, Up in Central Park, and One Touch of Venus. Among the many stars directed by Seiter during his long career were Shirley Temple, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Henry Fonda, Margaret Sullavan, Jack Haley, Deanna Durbin, Jean Arthur, John Wayne, Fred MacMurray, Lucille Ball, Rita Hayworth and the Marx Brothers. While many of his films were minor gems, Seiter was capable of turning out bad movies once in a while. For example, if he ran into friction from his star—as was the case with Lou Costello in 1946's Little Giant -- Seiter would get even by adhering religiously to the script, refusing to add any nuance or creativity to the project (this pettiness may have been the reason that one prominent actress of the 1930s referred to Seiter as the most unimaginative director she'd ever worked with). On his final four films, before he retired in 1954, Seiter functioned as both producer and director. These films included The Lady Wants Mink (1953), a gentle satire of the then topical "raise your own coat" craze. He died in Beverly Hills, California, of a heart attack, aged 74.
Known For
Filmography
The Gale Storm Show
TV · Director · 10 eps
The Wild Bunch
Movie · Director
Want Ad Wedding
Movie · Director
The 20th Century Fox Hour
TV · Director · 1 ep
The Millionaire
TV · Director · 2 eps
Screen Director's Playhouse
TV · Director · 1 ep
Make Haste to Live
Movie · Director
The Lady Wants Mink
Movie · Director
Champ for a Day
Movie · Director
Four Star Playhouse
TV · Director · 1 ep
Cavalcade of America
TV · Director · 2 eps
Dear Brat
Movie · Director
Borderline
Movie · Director
One Touch of Venus
Movie · Director
Up in Central Park
Movie · Director
I'll Be Yours
Movie · Director
Lover Come Back
Movie · Director
Little Giant
Movie · Director
That Night with You
Movie · Director
The Affairs of Susan
Movie · Director
It's a Pleasure
Movie · Director
Belle of the Yukon
Movie · Director
Four Jills in a Jeep
Movie · Director
A Lady Takes a Chance
Movie · Director
Destroyer
Movie · Director
You Were Never Lovelier
Movie · Director
Broadway
Movie · Director
Nice Girl?
Movie · Director
Appointment for Love
Movie · Director
Hired Wife
Movie · Director
It's a Date
Movie · Director
Allegheny Uprising
Movie · Director
Susannah of the Mounties
Movie · Director
Room Service
Movie · Director
Three Blind Mice
Movie · Director
Sally, Irene and Mary
Movie · Director
Thanks for Everything
Movie · Director
This Is My Affair
Movie · Director
The Life of the Party
Movie · Director
Life Begins in College
Movie · Director
Dimples
Movie · Director
Stowaway
Movie · Director
The Moon's Our Home
Movie · Director
The Case Against Mrs. Ames
Movie · Director
Roberta
Movie · Director
If You Could Only Cook
Movie · Director
Orchids to You
Movie · Director
In Person
Movie · Director
The Daring Young Man
Movie · Director
The Richest Girl in the World
Movie · Director
Sing and Like It
Movie · Director
We're Rich Again
Movie · Director
Love Birds
Movie · Director
Sons of the Desert
Movie · Director
Chance at Heaven
Movie · Director
Rafter Romance
Movie · Director
Hello, Everybody!
Movie · Director
Professional Sweetheart
Movie · Director
Diplomaniacs
Movie · Director
Hot Saturday
Movie · Director
Girl Crazy
Movie · Director
If I Had a Million
Movie · Director
Is My Face Red?
Movie · Director
Young Bride
Movie · Director
Caught Plastered
Movie · Director
Peach-o-Reno
Movie · Director
Big Business Girl
Movie · Director
Kiss Me Again
Movie · Director
Way Back Home
Movie · Director
Too Many Cooks
Movie · Director
The Aviator
Movie · Director
Going Wild
Movie · Director
Sunny
Movie · Director
The Truth About Youth
Movie · Director
Back Pay
Movie · Director
The Flirting Widow
Movie · Director
Strictly Modern
Movie · Director
Why Be Good?
Movie · Director
Synthetic Sin
Movie · Director
Footlights and Fools
Movie · Director
Smiling Irish Eyes
Movie · Director
Prisoners
Movie · Director
Good Morning, Judge
Movie · Director
Outcast
Movie · Director
Happiness Ahead
Movie · Director
Waterfront
Movie · Director
Thanks for the Buggy Ride
Movie · Director
The Small Bachelor
Movie · Director
Out All Night
Movie · Director
What Happened to Jones?
Movie · Director
Take It from Me
Movie · Director
Skinner's Dress Suit
Movie · Director
The Cheerful Fraud
Movie · Director
Rolling Home
Movie · Director
Where Was I?
Movie · Director
The Mad Whirl
Movie · Director
Dangerous Innocence
Movie · Director
The Teaser
Movie · Director
Helen's Babies
Movie · Director
The Family Secret
Movie · Director
Daddies
Movie · Director
His Forgotten Wife
Movie · Director
The Fast Worker
Movie · Director
The White Sin
Movie · Director
Listen Lester
Movie · Director
Little Church Around the Corner
Movie · Director
Bell Boy 13
Movie · Director
When Love Comes
Movie · Director
Gay and Devilish
Movie · Director
Up and at 'Em
Movie · Director
The Understudy
Movie · Director
Boy Crazy
Movie · Director
Passing Through
Movie · Director
The Foolish Age
Movie · Director
Eden and Return
Movie · Director
The Kentucky Colonel
Movie · Director
Camouflage
Movie · Director
Oh! What a Day
Movie · Director