About

Known credits:
67
Birthday:
1913-08-13
Place of birth:
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Website:
N/A

Melvin Frank

Overview

​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Melvin Frank (13 August 1913 in Chicago, Illinois – 13 October 1988 in Los Angeles, California) was an American screenwriter, film producer and film director. He is known for his work on films such as Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948), The Court Jester (1956), and A Touch of Class (1973).

Born to a Jewish family, Frank graduated from the University of Chicago, where he met his future collaborator Norman Panama. They went on to form a writing partnership which endured for three decades. Some of their most notable films as co-writers include Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948) and White Christmas (1954), among many others, and co-directing films such as The Court Jester (1956). They wrote a Broadway play together, which was later adapted into Li'l Abner (1959), directed by Frank. They also worked on two films in the popular Road to ... series, Road to Utopia (1946) and The Road to Hong Kong (1962).

Frank went on to a successful solo career as a film director, most notably directing the acclaimed romantic comedy A Touch of Class (1973), starring George Segal and Glenda Jackson. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture and Jackson won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role. Subsequent films directed by Frank include The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox (1976) and Lost and Found (1979).

Over the course of his career, Frank was nominated for five Academy Awards. In 1984, he received the Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement from the Writers Guild of America.

Frank's first wife was Anne Ray, younger sister of actress Jigee Viertel. At the time of his death he was still married to his second wife, Juliet. He had three children, Pulitzer Prize-winning daughter Elizabeth Frank and sons Andrew and James.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Melvin Frank, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known for

Directing
1987 Walk Like a Man Directing Director 58
Average
1979 Lost and Found Directing Director 58
Average
1976 The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox Directing Director 58
Average
1975 The Prisoner of Second Avenue Directing Director 59
Average
1973 A Touch of Class Directing Director 59
Average
1968 Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell Directing Director 58
Average
1965 Strange Bedfellows Directing Director 58
Average
1960 The Facts of Life Directing Director 58
Average
1959 Li'l Abner Directing Director 59
Average
1959 The Jayhawkers! Directing Director 59
Average
1956 That Certain Feeling Directing Director 58
Average
1955 The Court Jester Directing Director 62
Fair
1954 Knock on Wood Directing Director 59
Average
1953 Above and Beyond Directing Director 59
Average
1951 Callaway Went Thataway Directing Director 58
Average
1951 Strictly Dishonorable Directing Director 58
Average
1950 The Reformer and the Redhead Directing Director 58
Average

Writing
2007 Are We Done Yet? Writing Original Film Writer 58
Average
1979 Lost and Found Writing Writer 58
Average
1976 The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox Writing Writer 58
Average
1973 A Touch of Class Writing Writer 59
Average
1968 Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1966 Not With My Wife, You Don't Writing Story 59
Average
1966 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1965 Strange Bedfellows Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1965 Strange Bedfellows Writing Story 58
Average
1962 The Road to Hong Kong Writing Writer 58
Average
1960 The Facts of Life Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1959 Li'l Abner Writing Writer 59
Average
1959 The Jayhawkers! Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1956 That Certain Feeling Writing Writer 58
Average
1955 The Court Jester Writing Screenplay 62
Fair
1954 White Christmas Writing Writer 65
Fair
1954 Knock on Wood Writing Writer 59
Average
1953 Above and Beyond Writing Writer 59
Average
1951 Callaway Went Thataway Writing Writer 58
Average
1951 Strictly Dishonorable Writing Writer 58
Average
1950 The Reformer and the Redhead Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1948 The Return of October Writing Writer 58
Average
1948 Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House Writing Screenplay 61
Fair
1947 It Had to Be You Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1946 Monsieur Beaucaire Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1946 Our Hearts Were Growing Up Writing Writer 58
Average
1946 Road to Utopia Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1945 Duffy's Tavern Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1944 And the Angels Sing Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1943 Thank Your Lucky Stars Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1943 Happy Go Lucky Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1942 My Favorite Blonde Writing Story 59
Average
1942 Star Spangled Rhythm Writing Screenplay 59
Average

Production
1979 Lost and Found Production Producer 58
Average
1976 The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox Production Producer 58
Average
1975 The Prisoner of Second Avenue Production Producer 59
Average
1973 A Touch of Class Production Producer 59
Average
1968 Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell Production Producer 58
Average
1966 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Production Producer 59
Average
1965 Strange Bedfellows Production Producer 58
Average
1962 The Road to Hong Kong Production Producer 58
Average
1959 The Jayhawkers! Production Producer 59
Average
1959 The Trap Production Producer 59
Average
1956 That Certain Feeling Production Producer 58
Average
1955 The Court Jester Production Producer 62
Fair
1954 Knock on Wood Production Producer 59
Average
1951 Callaway Went Thataway Production Producer 58
Average
1951 Strictly Dishonorable Production Producer 58
Average
1950 The Reformer and the Redhead Production Producer 58
Average
1948 Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House Production Producer 61
Fair