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Personal Info

Gender

Male

Birthday

1896-02-24 (129 years old)

Place of Birth

Hutchinson, Kansas, USA

Richard Thorpe

Biography:

Richard Thorpe (February 24, 1896 - May 1, 1991) was an American film director. Born Rollo Smolt Thorpe in Hutchinson, Kansas, he began his entertainment career performing in vaudeville and onstage. In 1921 he began in motion pictures as an actor and directed his first silent film in 1923. He went on to direct more than one hundred and eighty films. The first full length motion picture he directed for MGM was Last of the Pagans (1935) starring Ray Mala. After directing The Last Challenge in 1967, he retired from the film industry. He died in Palm Springs, California in 1991.

Thorpe is also known as the original director of The Wizard of Oz. He was fired after two weeks of shooting, because it was felt that his scenes did not have the right air of fantasy about them. Thorpe notoriously gave Judy Garland a blonde wig and cutesy "baby-doll" makeup that made her look like a girl in her late teens rather than an innocent Kansas farm girl of about thirteen. Both makeup and wig were discarded at the suggestion of George Cukor, who was brought in temporarily. Stills from Thorpe's work on the film survive today.

For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Thorpe has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6101 Hollywood Blvd.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Known For

Acting

1924

Flames of Desire as Dick Langton

1923

Three O'Clock in the Morning as Clayton Webster

1921

Burn 'Em Up Barnes as Stephen Thompson

Directing

1967

The Last Challenge as Director

1965

That Funny Feeling as Director

1964

The Golden Head as Director

1963

Fun in Acapulco as Director
Follow the Boys as Director

1962

How the West Was Won as Special Guest Director

1961

The Tartars as Director

1957

Jailhouse Rock as Director

1955

Quentin Durward as Director
Bedevilled as Director
The Prodigal as Director

1954

The Student Prince as Director
Athena as Director

1952

Ivanhoe as Director
Carbine Williams as Director

1951

Vengeance Valley as Director
The Unknown Man as Director
It's a Big Country as Director
The Great Caruso as Director

1950

Black Hand as Director
Three Little Words as Director

1949

Malaya as Director
The Sun Comes Up as Director
Big Jack as Director

1948

A Date with Judy as Director

1947

Fiesta as Director

1943

Above Suspicion as Director
Cry 'Havoc' as Director

1942

White Cargo as Director
Apache Trail as Director

1941

The Bad Man as Director
Barnacle Bill as Director

1940

Wyoming as Director
20 Mule Team as Director

1938

The Toy Wife as Director
Man-Proof as Director
Love Is a Headache as Director
The Crowd Roars as Director

1937

Double Wedding as Director
Night Must Fall as Director
Dangerous Number as Director
Lest We Forget as Director

1936

Tarzan Escapes as Director

1935

Last of the Pagans as Director

1934

Green Eyes as Director
City Park as Director
Stolen Sweets as Director
Strange Wives as Director
The Quitter as Director
Cheating Cheaters as Director

1933

Forgotten as Director
Notorious But Nice as Director
A Man of Sentiment as Director
I Have Lived as Director
Strange People as Director

1932

Cross-Examination as Director
Murder at Dawn as Director
The King Murder as Director
The Midnight Lady as Director
Probation as Director
Women Won't Tell as Director
Slightly Married as Director
Beauty Parlor as Director
Thrill of Youth as Director
Escapade as Director

1931

King of the Wild as Director
Wild Horse as Director
Grief Street as Director
Forgotten Women as Director
The Devil Plays as Director
Neck and Neck as Director
The Sky Spider as Director
The Lawless Woman as Director

1930

The Lone Defender as Director
The Utah Kid as Director
Wings of Adventure as Director
The Thoroughbred as Director
The Dude Wrangler as Director

1929

Border Romance as Director
The Fatal Warning as Director
The Bachelor Girl as Director

1926

College Days as Director
Easy Going as Director
Josselyn's Wife as Director
The Roaring Rider as Director
The Fighting Cheat as Director
Double Daring as Director
Twisted Triggers as Director
Ridin' Rivals as Director

1925

On the Go as Director
Tearin' Loose as Director

1924

Thundering Romance as Director
Fast and Fearless as Director

Production

1967

The Last Challenge as Producer

Editing

1931

Grief Street as Editor
The Devil Plays as Editor

Writing

1926

Double Daring as Writer

1925

Tearin' Loose as Writer
On the Go as Writer
Red Clay as Scenario Writer