About

Known credits:
117
Birthday:
1903-12-13
Place of birth:
Richmond, Indiana, USA
Website:
N/A

Norman Foster

Overview

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Norman Foster (December 13, 1903 - July 7, 1976) was an American film director and actor.

Born John Hoeffer in Richmond, Indiana, Foster originally became a cub reporter on a local newspaper in Indiana before going to New York in the hopes of getting a better newspaper job but there were no vacancies. He tried a number of theatrical agencies before getting stage work and later appeared on Broadway in the George S. Kaufman / Ring Lardner play June Moon in 1929. He has also acted in London, England.

He started working in crowd scenes in films before moving to bigger parts. His film acting credits include Prosperity (1932), Pilgrimage (1933), Rafter Romance (1933) with Ginger Rogers and State Fair (1933). He has written several plays. He gave up acting in the late 1930s to pursue directing, although he occasionally appeared in movies and television programs.

Some of Foster's directorial efforts include The Sign of Zorro (1958), and the stylish films noir Kiss the Blood Off My Hands (1948), Woman on the Run (1950) and Journey into Fear (1943). Foster directed Rachel and the Stranger and the Davy Crockett segments of Disneyland that were edited into feature films Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier and Davy Crockett and the River Pirates where he did not accept any interference from Walt Disney.

In 1967, he directed Brighty of the Grand Canyon, based on a children's novel by Marguerite Henry about a burro in the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. The film starred Joseph Cotten, Karl Swenson, Dick Foran, and Pat Conway.

It was rumored that Orson Welles took over direction of Journey Into Fear, which Welles later denied. Foster was the director of the "My Friend Bonito" segment of Orson Welles' Pan-American anthology film It's All True until RKO aborted the project.

Foster directed a number of Charlie Chan and Mr. Moto mysteries, including Charlie Chan in Panama (1940), Charlie Chan at Treasure Island (1939), Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation (1939), Charlie Chan in Reno (1939), Mr. Moto's Last Warning (1939), Mysterious Mr. Moto (1938), Mr. Moto Takes a Chance (1938), Thank You, Mr. Moto (1937), and Think Fast, Mr. Moto (1937).

Foster was married to Claudette Colbert from 1928 until their divorce in 1935. In 1937, he wed actress Sally Blane, an older sister of Loretta Young. The couple remained married until his death in 1976 from cancer in Santa Monica at the age of 75. They had two children, Robert and Gretchen.

He is buried in Culver City's Holy Cross Cemetery.

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

Known for

Acting
2018 The Other Side of the Wind Actor Billy Boyle 61
Fair
2018 They'll Love Me When I'm Dead Actor Self (archive footage) 61
Fair
1976 Woman in the Rain Actor Assistant Director for HighShine N/A
N/A
1974 Double Solitaire Actor Ernest Potter N/A
N/A
1972 Play It as It Lays Actor Abortionist 59
Average
1954 The Disneyland Story Actor 59
Average
1938 Mysterious Mr. Moto Actor Hoodlum in Tavern 58
Average
1936 I Cover Chinatown Actor Eddie Barton N/A
N/A
1936 High Tension Actor Eddie Mitchell 58
Average
1936 Fatal Lady Actor Phillip Roberts N/A
N/A
1936 The Leavenworth Case Actor Detective Bob Grice 59
Average
1935 Suicide Squad Actor Larry Barker 59
Average
1935 The Fire-Trap Actor Bill Farnsworth 59
Average
1935 Escape from Devil's Island Actor Andre Dion 59
Average
1935 The Bishop Misbehaves Actor Donald Meadows 59
Average
1935 Ladies Crave Excitement Actor Don Phelan 58
Average
1935 The Hoosier Schoolmaster Actor Ralph Hartsook 58
Average
1935 Behind the Green Lights Actor Detective Lt. Dave Britten N/A
N/A
1935 Behind the Evidence Actor Tony Sheridan 58
Average
1934 Elinor Norton Actor Bill Foster 59
Average
1934 Strictly Dynamite Actor Fleming 59
Average
1934 Orient Express Actor Carlton Myatt N/A
N/A
1933 Walls of Gold Actor Barnes Ritchie N/A
N/A
1933 Rafter Romance Actor Jack 59
Average
1933 Pilgrimage Actor Jim 'Jimmy' Jessop (Hannah's son) 59
Average
1933 Professional Sweetheart Actor Jim Davey 58
Average
1933 State Fair Actor Wayne Frake 59
Average
1932 Prosperity Actor John Warren 58
Average
1932 Strange Justice Actor Wally Baker 58
Average
1932 Skyscraper Souls Actor Tom Shepherd 58
Average
1932 Week-End Marriage Actor Ken Hayes 58
Average
1932 The Cohens and Kellys in Hollywood Actor Maurice Cohen N/A
N/A
1932 Steady Company Actor Jim N/A
N/A
1932 Play Girl Actor Wallace 'Wally' Dennis 58
Average
1932 Alias the Doctor Actor Stephan Brenner 58
Average
1932 Girl of the Rio Actor Johnny Powell 58
Average
1932 Under Eighteen Actor Alf 59
Average
1931 Reckless Living Actor Doggie 58
Average
1931 Confessions of a Co-Ed Actor Hal Evans 59
Average
1931 Up Pops the Devil Actor Steve Merrick 58
Average
1931 Men Call It Love Actor Jack 58
Average
1931 It Pays to Advertise Actor Rodney Martin 58
Average
1931 No Limit Actor Douglas Thayer 59
Average
1930 Young Man of Manhattan Actor Toby McLean 59
Average
1929 Love at First Sight Actor N/A
N/A
1929 Gentlemen of the Press Actor Ted Hanley 59
Average

Directing
2005 The Green Hornet Directing Director N/A
N/A
1993 It's All True Directing Director 59
Average
1990 As Aventuras do General Custer Directing Director N/A
N/A
1974 The Deathhead Virgin Directing Director 58
Average
1974 The Green Hornet Directing Director 59
Average
1968 The Legend of Custer Directing Director 58
Average
1966 Brighty of the Grand Canyon Directing Director 58
Average
1965 Indian Paint Directing Director 58
Average
1962 Von Drake in Spain Directing Director N/A
N/A
1962 Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates: Part 2 Directing Director N/A
N/A
1962 Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates Directing Director 59
Average
1958 The Sign of Zorro Directing Director 60
Fair
1958 The Nine Lives of Elfego Baca Directing Director 59
Average
1957 WALT DISNEY TREASURES - ZORRO - The Complete Fisrt Season Directing Director N/A
N/A
1956 Davy Crockett and the River Pirates Directing Director 59
Average
1955 Davy Crockett's Keelboat Race Directing Director 59
Average
1955 Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier Directing Director 59
Average
1955 Davy Crockett at the Alamo Directing Director 58
Average
1955 Davy Crockett Goes to Congress Directing Director 59
Average
1954 Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter Directing Director 59
Average
1953 Sombrero Directing Director 58
Average
1952 Sky Full of Moon Directing Director 59
Average
1952 Navajo Directing Director 58
Average
1950 Woman on the Run Directing Director 60
Fair
1950 Father Is a Bachelor Directing Director 59
Average
1949 Tell It to the Judge Directing Director 59
Average
1948 Kiss the Blood Off My Hands Directing Director 59
Average
1948 Rachel and the Stranger Directing Director 59
Average
1948 El canto de la sirena Directing Director 58
Average
1946 El ahijado de la muerte Directing Director 59
Average
1945 The Hour of Truth Directing Director 58
Average
1944 La Fuga Directing Director 58
Average
1943 Santa Directing Director 59
Average
1943 Journey into Fear Directing Director 59
Average
1941 Scotland Yard Directing Director N/A
N/A
1941 Ride, Kelly, Ride Directing Director N/A
N/A
1940 Viva Cisco Kid Directing Director 59
Average
1940 Charlie Chan in Panama Directing Director 59
Average
1939 20,000 Men a Year Directing Assistant Director 58
Average
1939 Charlie Chan at Treasure Island Directing Director 59
Average
1939 Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation Directing Director 59
Average
1939 Charlie Chan in Reno Directing Director 58
Average
1939 Mr. Moto's Last Warning Directing Director 58
Average
1938 Mysterious Mr. Moto Directing Director 58
Average
1938 Mr. Moto Takes a Chance Directing Director 58
Average
1938 Walking Down Broadway Directing Director 58
Average
1937 Thank You, Mr. Moto Directing Director 59
Average
1937 Think Fast, Mr. Moto Directing Director 59
Average
1937 Fair Warning Directing Director 59
Average
1936 I Cover Chinatown Directing Director N/A
N/A

Writing
1966 Brighty of the Grand Canyon Writing Writer 58
Average
1965 Indian Paint Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1962 Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates Writing Teleplay 59
Average
1958 The Sign of Zorro Writing Screenplay 60
Fair
1956 Davy Crockett and the River Pirates Writing Writer 59
Average
1955 Davy Crockett's Keelboat Race Writing Writer 59
Average
1953 Sombrero Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1952 Sky Full of Moon Writing Writer 59
Average
1952 Navajo Writing Writer 58
Average
1950 Woman on the Run Writing Screenplay 60
Fair
1949 The Bewitched House Writing Original Story 58
Average
1948 El canto de la sirena Writing Writer 58
Average
1945 The Hour of Truth Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1939 Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1939 Mr. Moto's Last Warning Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1938 Mysterious Mr. Moto Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1938 Mr. Moto Takes a Chance Writing Original Story 58
Average
1937 Thank You, Mr. Moto Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1937 Think Fast, Mr. Moto Writing Writer 59
Average
1937 Fair Warning Writing Screenplay 59
Average

Production
1962 Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates Production Associate Producer 59
Average