About

Known credits:
86
Birthday:
1905-05-01
Place of birth:
Berlin, Germany
Website:
N/A

Henry Koster

Overview

Henry Koster (May 1, 1905 – September 21, 1988), born Hermann Kosterlitz, was a German-born film director, who worked in Europe as well as in Hollywood. Although he never won an Oscar, Koster directed six different actors in Oscar-nominated performances.

In 1932, Koster directed his first film in Berlin, the comedy Thea Roland. In the midst of directing his second film Das häßliche Mädchen, Jewish Koster had been the subject of antisemitism, and knew he had to leave the country. He left Germany for France, where he was rehired by director Curtis Bernhardt, who had also fled. Eventually Koster went to Budapest, where he met and married Kató Király in 1934. There he also met Joe Pasternak, who represented Universal in Europe, and directed three films for him. Through his friend Gabriel Levy he ended up directing Dutch sound film De Kribbebijter, released internationally as The Cross-Patch, which proved a success both in the Netherlands - where it played in cinemas for no less than seven years - and in the UK. Soon after, Koster signed a deal with Universal Pictures in Hollywood and moved to the United States.

Although Koster did not speak English, he convinced the studio to let him make Three Smart Girls, for which he personally coached to-be star Deanna Durbin. This picture, a big success, pulled Universal out of bankruptcy. Koster's second Universal film, One Hundred Men and a Girl, also was successful. After this, Koster discovered Abbott and Costello at a nightclub in New York. He returned to Hollywood and convinced Universal to hire them. Their first picture was One Night in the Tropics; the female lead, Peggy Moran, became Koster's second wife in 1942.

Ironically, despite Koster's escape from Nazi Germany, when the United States entered World War II Koster was considered an enemy alien and had to stay in his house in the evening. Actor Charles Laughton would visit Koster and play chess with him. Nonetheless, Koster's postwar career proved equally successful. He was nominated for an Academy Award for The Bishop's Wife (1947). In 1950, he directed his biggest success: the James Stewart comedy Harvey. He directed Richard Burton's first U.S. film, My Cousin Rachel, and then in 1953, he was given The Robe, the first CinemaScope film. His last picture was The Singing Nun in 1965. Koster retired to Leisure Village in Camarillo, California, where he painted a series of portraits of the movie stars with whom he worked.

Known for

Directing
1966 The Singing Nun Directing Director 58
Average
1965 Dear Brigitte Directing Director 59
Average
1963 Take Her, She's Mine Directing Director 58
Average
1963 Marilyn Directing Director 58
Average
1962 Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation Directing Director 59
Average
1961 Flower Drum Song Directing Director 59
Average
1960 The Story of Ruth Directing Director 60
Fair
1958 The Naked Maja Directing Director 58
Average
1958 Fraulein Directing Director 59
Average
1957 My Man Godfrey Directing Director 59
Average
1956 The Power and the Prize Directing Director 59
Average
1956 D-Day the Sixth of June Directing Director 58
Average
1955 Good Morning, Miss Dove Directing Director 59
Average
1955 The Virgin Queen Directing Director 59
Average
1955 A Man Called Peter Directing Director 59
Average
1954 Désirée Directing Director 59
Average
1953 The Robe Directing Director 61
Fair
1952 My Cousin Rachel Directing Director 59
Average
1952 Stars and Stripes Forever Directing Director 59
Average
1952 O. Henry's Full House Directing Director 59
Average
1951 Elopement Directing Director 59
Average
1951 Mr. Belvedere Rings the Bell Directing Director 59
Average
1951 No Highway in the Sky Directing Director 59
Average
1950 Harvey Directing Director 68
Fair
1950 My Blue Heaven Directing Director 59
Average
1950 Wabash Avenue Directing Director 58
Average
1949 The Inspector General Directing Director 59
Average
1949 Come to the Stable Directing Director 59
Average
1948 The Luck of the Irish Directing Director 59
Average
1947 The Bishop's Wife Directing Director 62
Fair
1947 The Unfinished Dance Directing Director 58
Average
1946 Two Sisters from Boston Directing Director 58
Average
1944 Music for Millions Directing Director 59
Average
1942 Between Us Girls Directing Director 58
Average
1941 It Started with Eve Directing Director 59
Average
1940 Spring Parade Directing Director 59
Average
1939 First Love Directing Director 59
Average
1939 Three Smart Girls Grow Up Directing Director 59
Average
1938 The Rage of Paris Directing Director 59
Average
1937 Сто мужчин и одна девушка Directing Director N/A
N/A
1937 One Hundred Men and a Girl Directing Director 59
Average
1936 Three Smart Girls Directing Director 59
Average
1936 Catherine the Last Directing Director 59
Average
1935 Affairs of Maupassant Directing Director 59
Average
1935 The Ugly Girl Directing Director N/A
N/A
1935 The Crosspatch Directing Director 59
Average
1935 Little Mother Directing Director 59
Average
1934 Peter Directing Director N/A
N/A
1933 The Private Secretary Gets Married Directing Director 59
Average
1932 Married by the Stork Directing Director 59
Average

Writing
1967 Eine Handvoll Helden Writing Writer 59
Average
1937 Farewell Again Writing Writer 59
Average
1935 Affairs of Maupassant Writing Writer 59
Average
1935 Ball at the Savoy Writing Writer 59
Average
1934 Die vertauschte Braut Writing Writer 59
Average
1934 Der Doppelgänger Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1933 Der Tunnel Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1933 Toto Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1933 The Private Secretary Gets Married Writing Writer 59
Average
1933 Le sexe faible Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1932 The Rebel Writing Writer 59
Average
1932 Happy Hearts Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1932 There Goes the Bride Writing Story 59
Average
1932 Five from the Jazzband Writing Writer 59
Average
1931 Stamboul Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1931 Frivolous youth Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1931 His girlfriend Annette Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1931 The indictment Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1931 The Man Who Committed the Murder Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1931 The Man Who Killed Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1931 Woman in the Jungle Writing Dialogue 59
Average
1930 The Last Company Writing Writer 58
Average
1929 Das letzte Fort Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1929 Sündig und süß Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1929 Liebfraumilch Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1929 Sündenfall Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1927 Eins + Eins = Drei Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1927 Children's Souls Accuse You Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1927 Children's Souls Accuse You Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1927 Prinz Louis Ferdinand Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1926 Orphan of Lowood Writing Writer N/A
N/A

Production
1965 Dear Brigitte Production Producer 59
Average
1963 Take Her, She's Mine Production Producer 58
Average
1942 Between Us Girls Production Producer 58
Average
1939 First Love Production Producer 59
Average
1938 The Rage of Paris Production Producer 59
Average