Earl Felton

Earl Felton (1909–1972) was an American screenwriter.[1]

Earl Felton
BornOctober 16, 1909
Sandusky, Ohio, United States
DiedMay 2, 1972 (aged 62)
Studio City, California
United States
OccupationScreenwriter
Years active1936-1959 (film)

He was a regular collaborator with Richard Fleischer, who later wrote that "Earl was crippled from childhood with polio. He had no use of his legs, but he navigated beautifully with a crutch and cane... Earl normally hated anybody [helping]... him and would sometimes lay about him with his cane."[2]

Fleischer added that "in spite of his lifeless legs and total reliance of a crutch and cane to get around, Felton was much given to self-indulgences and debaucheries."[3]

Career

He sold the story Freshman Love to Warner Bros B movie unit.[4] He also sold the story Man Hunt.[5]

His story The Wizard of St Germaine was sold but not made.[6]

His story The Bengal Killer was filmed as The Bengal Tiger.[7]

In August 1937 he was reported working on a script Half Way House for MGM.[8]

World Premiere (1941) was based on an original scenario by Felton.[9]

In 1942 he wrote Heart of the Golden West for Roy Rogers.[10]

In 1944 he sold A Likely Story to MGM.[11] He wrote Pardon My Past for Fred MacMurray.[12]

In 1947 he sold a novelette of his, Another Dawn, to Republic. It became Drums Along the Amazon.[13][14]

He sold The Odyssey of Eddie Arcaro to MGM as a vehicle for Robert Taylor.[15] He wrote the original story for The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend.[16]

Richard Fleischer

Felton began working with Richard Fleischer on Trapped. They went on to collaborate on Armored Car Robbery, His Kind of Woman, and Target which became The Narrow Margin.[17]

He sold an original to Columbia, Feather in the Breeze.[18]

Fleischer took Felton with him when they left RKO to work on The Happy Time. After The Happy Time he was to write and produce The Right Size of Me for Fleischer about the Doss family but it was not made.[19] They were also meant to make Full of Life for Stanley Kramer but it was never filmed.[20]

They did collaborate on 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) for Disney and Bandido for Robert Mitchum.[21]

He wrote The Catwalk for MGM,[22] Line of Fire for John Champion,[23] The Lawless Decade for David L. Wolper[24] and The Proving Flight for Fleischer.[25]

Kramer used him on The Pride and the Passion (1957).[26] The producer got him to do a draft of Inherit the Wind.[27]

In 1960 Fleischer was going to direct a musical script by Felton, Willing is My Love starring Joni James.[28] He did another for Fleischer, One Minute to Midnight.[29] He wrote a film about LSD, East of the Moon.[30] He wrote We Sing Tomorrow for Mort Sahl.[31] None of these films were made.

In the mid 1960s he produced The Man from UNCLE.[32]

In 1969 he wrote Brutes in Brass for GMF but it was not made.[33]

Selected filmography

References
  1. Shelley p.143
  2. Fleischer, Richard (1993). Just Tell Me When to Cry: A Memoir. Carroll and Graf. p. 52.
  3. Fleischer, Richard (1993). Just Tell Me When to Cry: A Memoir. Carroll and Graf. p. 130.
  4. Ann Harding Will Return to Her Home Studio, R-K-O, in Near Future: New Subject Waiting for Screen Star Walpole Back Soon; Cesar Romero Cast in Tibbett Film Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times 25 July 1935: A11.
  5. Warner Baxter Will Supplant Fredric March as Star of "Shark Island": Studio Seeks Miss Colbert for 'Adverse' Taylor and Rosalind Keith Teamed; Miss Churchill Cast Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times 24 Oct 1935: 15.
  6. Mildred Davis, Wife of Harold Lloyd, Contemplates Return to Pictures: Actress May Produce Own Film Dramas Jean Hersholt Will Play Dr. Dafoe in "Quint's" Cinema Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times 28 Nov 1935: 19.
  7. Harold Lloyd Planning to Produce His Next Screen Drama Independently: Comic Might Play Lead in 'Horse' Yarn South Sea Story for Crosby and Oakie; Grid Film Set Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times 2 Apr 1936: A19.
  8. Newspaper Film Cycle Hits Hollywood Scott, John. Los Angeles Times 8 Aug 1937: C1.
  9. News in Hollywood Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES. New York Times 19 Feb 1941: 25.
  10. SCREEN NEWS HERE AND IN HOLLYWOOD: Vera Zorina to Appear in 'The Hour Before Dawn,' a Story by Somerset Maugham INVISIBLE AGENT' OPENS Arrives at Criterion Today -'Pride of the Yankees' Sets Record at the Astor By Telephone to THE NEW YORK TIMES.5 Aug 1942: 16.
  11. Romania Oil Bombing Inspiration for Film: Fred Brady Borrowed for Masculine Leading Role in 'Three Is a Family' Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times 10 June 1944: 6.
  12. MacMurray In Debut As Co-Producer By Frank Daugherty Special to The Christian Science Monitor. The Christian Science Monitor 22 June 1945: 4.
  13. WARNERS TO FILM 'THE TURQUOISE': Studio Revives Plans to Do Picture on Seton's Novel--Harry Brown Scenarist By THOMAS F. BRADY Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES. 22 July 1947: 31.
  14. FIVE ADDED TO CAST OF REPUBLIC MOVIE: Brent, Aherne, Bennett, Bedoya and Bonanova Will Appear in 'Drums Along Amazon' By THOMAS F. BRADY New York Times 24 Apr 1948: 11.
  15. FILM ACADEMY POST TO HOWARD WALLS: Arts, Sciences Group Names Former Library of Congress Aide Curator of Archives By THOMAS F. BRADY Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES. 10 Nov 1947: 21.
  16. STURGES TO MAKE SECOND FOX FILM: Signs for 'Beautiful Blonde From Bashful Bend' -- Grable to Have the Lead By THOMAS F. BRADY Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES. New York Times 11 May 1948: 29.
  17. LEAD IN R.K.O. FILM TO DANA ANDREWS: Studio Borrows Actor From Samuel Goldwyn for Role in 'The Gaunt Woman' By THOMAS F. BRADY New York Times 30 May 1950: 22.
  18. INDUSTRY WARNED OF FILM SHORTAGE: Producers Told That Federal Needs Cut Into Raw Stock --Conservation Is Urged By THOMAS F. BRADY Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES. New York Times 15 Feb 1951: 42.
  19. FILMLAND BRIEFS Los Angeles Times 14 Mar 1952: B7.
  20. Drama: Massey Will Help Ready Own Drama in England; Mary Philips With Marx Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times 3 July 1952: A7.
  21. HOLLYWOOD CONTEST: Labor Election Battle Looms -- Other Items By THOMAS M. PRYOR New York Times 6 June 1954: X5.
  22. BRANDO ACCEPTS 'SAYONARA' ROLE: Delays Entering Independent Production Field--Filming Will Start in Japan By THOMAS M. PRYOR Special to The New York Times 2 Nov 1956: 32.
  23. MOVIELAND EVENTS: Champion Reslates 'Line of Fire' Film Los Angeles Times (1923-1995); Los Angeles, Calif. [Los Angeles, Calif]04 Jan 1957: A7.
  24. FILM EVENTS: Tamblyn to Act on Furlough Los Angeles Times 20 June 1959: A7.
  25. Maria Schell and Hubby to Make Film Hopper, Hedda. Chicago Daily Tribune 28 Apr 1959: a2.
  26. VAN JOHNSON OUT OF COLUMBIA FILM: Actor Quits Cast of Friday the 13th,' Which Is to Start in Production Monday Directorial Assignments Of Local Origin By THOMAS M.PRYOR Special to The New York Times 12 Feb 1957: 31.
  27. KRAMER REVEALS PLANS FOR 3 FILMS: Director-Producer Will No Longer Play Lone Hand-- Beachcomber Story Due At Home With the Hedleys By THOMAS M. PRYOR Special to The New York Times. New York Times (13 Dec 1957: 44.
  28. 'Cimarron' Again Near Homestretch: Land Rush 'Made' Original; Fleischer Pacts Joni James Scheuer, Philip K. Los Angeles Times 16 Feb 1960: A9.
  29. Entertainment: Fleischer Set for 'Midnight' in Paris Los Angeles Times 10 Dec 1959: C11.
  30. New Foreman Film Has All-Star Cast: Quinn, Boyer, Ingrid Team; Franciosa May Buy Movie Hopper, Hedda. Los Angeles Times 16 Nov 1960: C8.
  31. Sab Adds Another 'Tomorrow' Movie: Never Was Fan of 'Fantasia,' Composer Stravinsky Insists Scheuer, Philip K. Los Angeles Times (1923-1995); Los Angeles, Calif. [Los Angeles, Calif]21 Mar 1960: C9.
  32. The Teen-agers Cry 'U.N.C.L.E.' By HOWARD THOMPSON. New York Times 20 June 1965: X15.
  33. MOVIE CALL SHEET: Start Date for 'Brutes' Set Martin, Betty. Los Angeles Times 22 Aug 1969: d13.
  34. Guild Picks Nominees for Film Achievements: Screen Writers Will Name Best in Three Categories--Comedy, Drama and Musicals Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times 16 Feb 1953: 5.

Bibliography
  • Shelley, Peter. Frances Farmer: The Life and Films of a Troubled Star. McFarland, 2010.


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