Richard Thorpe(1896-1991)
- Director
- Writer
- Actor
After working in vaudeville, on the stage and in early movies, Richard
Thorpe launched his directing career in 1923. After directing dozens of
low-budget comedies and westerns, his talents were recognized in the
mid-'30s when he went to work for MGM.
Studio chief Louis B. Mayer valued efficiency in his directors, and Thorpe prided himself on bringing a production in under budget--that would be key to his
remarkable longevity in Hollywood. He had no particular style,
directing mechanically on the premise of keeping the camera rolling
until an actor blew a line--or a scene suffered a mechanical
malfunction--and then going back and completing it with a close-up or
reaction shot. Mechanical or not, his technique worked. Though he never
directed any blockbusters, he was solid and dependable, directing
hundreds of movies of all genres for over four decades. He retired in
1967.
