Richard Thorpe
- Known for
- Directing
- Born
- February 24, 1896
- Died
- May 1, 1991 (aged 95)
- Birthplace
- Hutchinson, Kansas, USA
Biography
Richard Thorpe (February 24, 1896 - May 1, 1991) was an American film director. Born Rollo Smolt Thorpe in Hutchinson, Kansas, he began his entertainment career performing in vaudeville and onstage. In 1921 he began in motion pictures as an actor and directed his first silent film in 1923. He went on to direct more than one hundred and eighty films. The first full length motion picture he directed for MGM was Last of the Pagans (1935) starring Ray Mala. After directing The Last Challenge in 1967, he retired from the film industry. He died in Palm Springs, California in 1991. Thorpe is also known as the original director of The Wizard of Oz. He was fired after two weeks of shooting, because it was felt that his scenes did not have the right air of fantasy about them. Thorpe notoriously gave Judy Garland a blonde wig and cutesy "baby-doll" makeup that made her look like a girl in her late teens rather than an innocent Kansas farm girl of about thirteen. Both makeup and wig were discarded at the suggestion of George Cukor, who was brought in temporarily. Stills from Thorpe's work on the film survive today. For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Thorpe has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6101 Hollywood Blvd. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Known For
Filmography
The Last Challenge
Movie · Director
The Scorpio Letters
Movie · Director
That Funny Feeling
Movie · Director
The Truth About Spring
Movie · Director
The Golden Head
Movie · Director
Fun in Acapulco
Movie · Director
Follow the Boys
Movie · Director
The Horizontal Lieutenant
Movie · Director
How the West Was Won
Movie · Special Guest Director
The Honeymoon Machine
Movie · Director
The Tartars
Movie · Director
The House of the Seven Hawks
Movie · Director
Killers of Kilimanjaro
Movie · Director
Jailhouse Rock
Movie · Director
Tip on a Dead Jockey
Movie · Director
Ten Thousand Bedrooms
Movie · Director
Quentin Durward
Movie · Director
Bedevilled
Movie · Director
The Prodigal
Movie · Director
The Student Prince
Movie · Director
Athena
Movie · Director
Knights of the Round Table
Movie · Director
The Girl Who Had Everything
Movie · Director
All the Brothers Were Valiant
Movie · Director
Ivanhoe
Movie · Director
The Prisoner of Zenda
Movie · Director
Carbine Williams
Movie · Director
Vengeance Valley
Movie · Director
The Unknown Man
Movie · Director
It's a Big Country
Movie · Director
The Great Caruso
Movie · Director
Black Hand
Movie · Director
Three Little Words
Movie · Director
Challenge to Lassie
Movie · Director
Malaya
Movie · Director
The Sun Comes Up
Movie · Director
Big Jack
Movie · Director
On an Island with You
Movie · Director
A Date with Judy
Movie · Director
This Time for Keeps
Movie · Director
Fiesta
Movie · Director
Thrill of a Romance
Movie · Director
Her Highness and the Bellboy
Movie · Director
What Next, Corporal Hargrove?
Movie · Director
The Thin Man Goes Home
Movie · Director
Two Girls and a Sailor
Movie · Director
Above Suspicion
Movie · Director
Cry 'Havoc'
Movie · Director
Three Hearts for Julia
Movie · Director
Tarzan's New York Adventure
Movie · Director
Joe Smith, American
Movie · Director
White Cargo
Movie · Director
Apache Trail
Movie · Director
Tarzan's Secret Treasure
Movie · Director
The Bad Man
Movie · Director
Barnacle Bill
Movie · Director
The Earl of Chicago
Movie · Director
Wyoming
Movie · Director
20 Mule Team
Movie · Director
Tarzan Finds a Son!
Movie · Director
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Movie · Director
Three Loves Has Nancy
Movie · Director
The Toy Wife
Movie · Director
Man-Proof
Movie · Director
Love Is a Headache
Movie · Director
The First Hundred Years
Movie · Director
The Crowd Roars
Movie · Director
Double Wedding
Movie · Director
Night Must Fall
Movie · Director
Dangerous Number
Movie · Director
Lest We Forget
Movie · Director
Tarzan Escapes
Movie · Director
The Voice of Bugle Ann
Movie · Director
Last of the Pagans
Movie · Director
Green Eyes
Movie · Director
Secret of the Chateau
Movie · Director
City Park
Movie · Director
Stolen Sweets
Movie · Director
Strange Wives
Movie · Director
The Quitter
Movie · Director
Cheating Cheaters
Movie · Director
Forgotten
Movie · Director
Murder on the Campus
Movie · Director
Notorious But Nice
Movie · Director
Rainbow Over Broadway
Movie · Director
A Man of Sentiment
Movie · Director
I Have Lived
Movie · Director
Strange People
Movie · Director
Cross-Examination
Movie · Director
Murder at Dawn
Movie · Director
The King Murder
Movie · Director
The Midnight Lady
Movie · Director
Probation
Movie · Director
Women Won't Tell
Movie · Director
Slightly Married
Movie · Director
Beauty Parlor
Movie · Director
The Secrets of Wu Sin
Movie · Director
Thrill of Youth
Movie · Director
Escapade
Movie · Director
King of the Wild
Movie · Director
Wild Horse
Movie · Director
Grief Street
Movie · Director
The Lady from Nowhere
Movie · Director
Forgotten Women
Movie · Director
The Devil Plays
Movie · Director
Neck and Neck
Movie · Director
The Sky Spider
Movie · Director
The Lawless Woman
Movie · Director
The Lone Defender
Movie · Director
The Utah Kid
Movie · Director
The Thoroughbred
Movie · Director
Wings of Adventure
Movie · Director
Under Montana Skies
Movie · Director
The Dude Wrangler
Movie · Director
Border Romance
Movie · Director
The King of the Kongo
Movie · Director
The Fatal Warning
Movie · Director
The Bachelor Girl
Movie · Director
The Vanishing West
Movie · Director
The Ballyhoo Buster
Movie · Director
Vultures of the Sea
Movie · Director
The Valley Of Hunted Men
Movie · Director
The Flyin' Buckaroo
Movie · Director
The Cowboy Cavalier
Movie · Director
The Desert of the Lost
Movie · Director
The Ridin' Rowdy
Movie · Director
Tearin' Into Trouble
Movie · Director
The Meddlin' Stranger
Movie · Director
Between Dangers
Movie · Director
Roarin' Broncs
Movie · Director
The Obligin' Buckaroo
Movie · Director
Skedaddle Gold
Movie · Director
The Soda Water Cowboy
Movie · Director
The Cyclone Cowboy
Movie · Director
College Days
Movie · Director
Easy Going
Movie · Director
Josselyn's Wife
Movie · Director
Twisted Triggers
Movie · Director
Ridin' Rivals
Movie · Director
The Roaring Rider
Movie · Director
The Fighting Cheat
Movie · Director
Double Daring
Movie · Director
The Bonanza Buckaroo
Movie · Director
The Interferin' Gent
Movie · Director
On the Go
Movie · Director
Tearin' Loose
Movie · Director
The Desert Demon
Movie · Director
Galloping On
Movie · Director
Fast and Fearless
Movie · Director
Thundering Romance
Movie · Director
Bringin' Home the Bacon
Movie · Director
Hard-Hittin' Hamilton
Movie · Director