James V. Kern
Encyclopedia
James V. Kern was an American singer, songwriter, screenwriter, actor, and director.
Educated at the Fordham Law School, Kern worked for a while as an attorney. He sang with the George Olsen
Trio, and appeared with the Olsen orchestra in "Good News." From 1927 to 1939, he sang with and wrote for the Yacht Club Boys
quartet, with whom he appeared in several motion pictures.
He became a screenwriter
and later a director. In film, he directed mainly "B" pictures, but after he moved to television, he directed hundreds of series episodes. He was one of the house directors on I Love Lucy in the 1950s and My Three Sons in the 1960s . When he died suddenly of a heart attack at age 57, there were some episodes of My Three Sons
that had only been partially completed for the 1966/67 season, so director James Sheldon was brought in by the Producers of that series to round out the season.
He joined ASCAP in 1955. His popular-song compositions include "Easy Street", "Lover, Lover," "Little Red Fox," and "Shut the Door."
Educated at the Fordham Law School, Kern worked for a while as an attorney. He sang with the George Olsen
George Olsen
George Edward Olsen, Sr. was an American band-leader.Born in Portland, Oregon, he played the drums and attended the University of Michigan, where he was drum major. Here he formed his band, George Olsen and his Music, which continued in the Portland area...
Trio, and appeared with the Olsen orchestra in "Good News." From 1927 to 1939, he sang with and wrote for the Yacht Club Boys
Yacht Club Boys
The Yacht Club Boys was a quartet of American comic singers, popular in the 1920s and 1930s: Charles Adler, George Kelly, Billy Mann, and Jimmie Kern . They made recordings from the 1920s and appeared as a specialty act in several feature films of the 1930s...
quartet, with whom he appeared in several motion pictures.
He became a screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
and later a director. In film, he directed mainly "B" pictures, but after he moved to television, he directed hundreds of series episodes. He was one of the house directors on I Love Lucy in the 1950s and My Three Sons in the 1960s . When he died suddenly of a heart attack at age 57, there were some episodes of My Three Sons
My Three Sons
My Three Sons is an American situation comedy. The series ran from 1960 to 1965 on ABC, and moved to CBS until its end on August 24, 1972. My Three Sons chronicles the life of a widower and aeronautical engineer named Steven Douglas , raising his three sons.The series was a cornerstone of the CBS...
that had only been partially completed for the 1966/67 season, so director James Sheldon was brought in by the Producers of that series to round out the season.
He joined ASCAP in 1955. His popular-song compositions include "Easy Street", "Lover, Lover," "Little Red Fox," and "Shut the Door."
As director
- 1944: The Doughgirls
- 1946: Never Say GoodbyeNever Say Goodbye (1946 film)Never Say Goodbye is a 1946 romantic comedy film about a divorcing couple and the daughter who works to bring them back together.-Cast:* Errol Flynn as Phil Gayley* Eleanor Parker as Ellen Gayley* Lucile Watson as Mrs. Hamilton* S. Z...
- 1947: Stallion RoadStallion RoadStallion Road is a 1947 film starring Ronald Reagan, Alexis Smith and Zachary Scott, and directed by James V. Kern.-Synopsis:Stallion Road is a sweeping romantic melodrama set in the 1940s California pitting a veterinarian and a romance novelist in a bid for the affections of a beautiful rancher...
- 1948: April Showers
- 1950: The Colgate Comedy HourThe Colgate Comedy HourThe Colgate Comedy Hour is an American comedy-musical variety series that aired live on the NBC network from 1950 to 1955. The show stars many notable comedians and entertainers of the era, including Eddie Cantor, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, Fred Allen, Donald O'Connor, Bud Abbott and Lou...
(television series) - 1950: The Jack Benny ProgramThe Jack Benny ProgramThe Jack Benny Program, starring Jack Benny, is a radio-TV comedy series that ran for more than three decades and is generally regarded as a high-water mark in 20th-century American comedy.-Cast:*Jack Benny - Himself...
(television series) - 1951: The Second WomanThe Second WomanThe Second Woman is a black-and-white film noir melodrama directed by James V. Kern-Plot:This psychological thriller tells the story of Jeff Cohalan . He's a successful architect who is tormented by the fact that his fiancée was killed in a mysterious car accident on the night before their wedding...
- 1951: Two Tickets to BroadwayTwo Tickets to BroadwayTwo Tickets to Broadway is a 1951 musical film directed by James V. Kern. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Sound Recording .-Cast:* Tony Martin as Dan Carter* Janet Leigh as Nancy Peterson* Gloria DeHaven as Hannah Holbrook...
- 1953: TopperTopper (TV series)Topper is an American fantasy sitcom based on the 1937 film of the same name. The series was broadcast on CBS from October 9, 1953 to July 15, 1955, and stars Leo G. Carroll in the title role.-Synopsis:...
(television series) - 1955: The Millionaire (television series)
- 1956: Lum and Abner Abroad
- 1956: The Gale Storm ShowThe Gale Storm ShowThe Gale Storm Show is an American sitcom starring Gale Storm. The series premiered on September 29, 1956, and ran until 1960 for 143 half-hour black-and-white episodes, initially on CBS and in its last year on ABC...
(television series) - 1956: I Love Lucy Christmas Show (TV)
- 1957: Date with the AngelsDate with the AngelsDate with the Angels is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from May 10, 1957 to January 29, 1958. The series, which stars Betty White and Bill Williams, began as a late season replacement for The Ray Anthony Show for the same sponsor, Chrysler's Plymouth division...
(television series) - 1957: MaverickMaverick (TV series)Maverick is a western television series with comedic overtones created by Roy Huggins. The show ran from September 22, 1957 to July 8, 1962 on ABC and stars James Garner as Bret Maverick, a cagey, articulate cardsharp. Eight episodes into the first season, he was joined by Jack Kelly as his brother...
(television series) - 1958: The Ann Sothern ShowThe Ann Sothern ShowThe Ann Sothern Show is an American sitcom starring Ann Sothern that aired on CBS for 93 episodes. The series began on October 6, 1958, and ended on September 25, 1961. The Ann Sothern Show was Sothern's second sitcom for CBS...
(television series) - 1958: 77 Sunset Strip77 Sunset Strip77 Sunset Strip is an hour-length American television private detective series created by Roy Huggins and starring Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Roger Smith, and Edd Byrnes....
(television series) - 1960: Pete and GladysPete and GladysPete and Gladys is an American situation comedy broadcast by CBS on Monday night at 8:00pm Eastern and Pacific time for two seasons, beginning on September 19, 1960...
(television series) - 1960: My Three SonsMy Three SonsMy Three Sons is an American situation comedy. The series ran from 1960 to 1965 on ABC, and moved to CBS until its end on August 24, 1972. My Three Sons chronicles the life of a widower and aeronautical engineer named Steven Douglas , raising his three sons.The series was a cornerstone of the CBS...
(television series) - 1961: The Joey Bishop Show (television series)
- 1965: My Favorite MartianMy Favorite MartianMy Favorite Martian is an American television sitcom that aired on CBS from September 29, 1963 to May 1, 1966 for 107 episodes...
(television series)
As writer
- 1939: That's Right You're Wrong
- 1940: If I Had My WayIf I Had My WayIf I Had My Way is a 1940 musical comedy film starring Bing Crosby and Gloria Jean. The film was directed by David Butler.-Plot:Buzz Blackwell, Fred Johnson and Axel Swenson are construction workers who are building a bridge. They are good friends and Buzz and Axel even help Fred raising his...
- 1940: You'll Find OutYou'll Find OutYou'll Find Out is a 1940 comedy film directed by David Butler and starring Boris Karloff. The film was nominated for an Academy Award in 1941 for Best Original Song...
- 1941: Look Who's LaughingLook Who's LaughingLook Who's Laughing is a 1941 film about a radio personality who plans to build an airplane plant in a small town. This film precedes its sequel Here We Go Again.-Cast:* Edgar Bergen - Himself* Charlie McCarthy - Himself* Jim Jordan - Fibber McGee...
- 1941: PlaymatesPlaymates (1941 film)Playmates is a comedy film directed by David Butler, and starring Kay Kyser and John Barrymore. This was Barrymore's final film.-Cast:*Kay Kyser as Kay Kyser*John Barrymore as John Barrymore*Lupe Vélez as Carmen Del Toro...
- 1943: Thank Your Lucky StarsThank Your Lucky Stars (1943 film)Thank Your Lucky Stars is a film made by Warner Brothers as a World War II fundraiser. It was directed by David Butler and starred Eddie Cantor, Dennis Morgan, Joan Leslie, Edward Everett Horton and S. Z...
- 1944: Shine On, Harvest MoonShine On, Harvest Moon (film)Shine On, Harvest Moon, starring Ann Sheridan, is a 1944 musical film biography of the vaudeville team of Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth, who wrote the popular song "Shine On, Harvest Moon".-Cast:*Ann Sheridan as Nora Bayes*Dennis Morgan as Jack Norworth...
- 1944: The Doughgirls
- 1945: The Horn Blows at MidnightThe Horn Blows at MidnightThe Horn Blows at Midnight is a comedy fantasy film directed by Raoul Walsh and starring Jack Benny. Its biggest claim to fame, apart from its star, is its failure at the box office, and this fact was exploited often for laughs in Benny's popular radio and television comedy series The Jack Benny...
- 1946: Never Say GoodbyeNever Say Goodbye (1946 film)Never Say Goodbye is a 1946 romantic comedy film about a divorcing couple and the daughter who works to bring them back together.-Cast:* Errol Flynn as Phil Gayley* Eleanor Parker as Ellen Gayley* Lucile Watson as Mrs. Hamilton* S. Z...
As actor
- 1935: Thanks a MillionThanks A MillionThanks a Million is a 1935 musical film produced and released by 20th Century Fox and directed by Roy Del Ruth. It stars Dick Powell, Ann Dvorak and Fred Allen, and features Patsy Kelly, David Rubinoff and Paul Whiteman and his band with singer/pianist Ramona. The script by Nunnally Johnson was...
: Yacht Club Boy - 1936: The Singing Kid : Yacht Club Boy
- 1936: Stage Struck : Jimmy
- 1937: Artists & Models : Member, Yacht Club Boys
- 1937: Thrill of a LifetimeThrill of a LifetimeThrill of a Lifetime was a television reality series created by Sidney M. Cohen and Willie Stein. It was telecast from 1981 to 1988 in Canada on the CTV network. Thrill of a Lifetime gave viewers the chance to live their dreams, with thrills ranging from daredevil adventures to the romantic...
: Jimmie
As producer
- 1950: The Jack Benny ProgramThe Jack Benny ProgramThe Jack Benny Program, starring Jack Benny, is a radio-TV comedy series that ran for more than three decades and is generally regarded as a high-water mark in 20th-century American comedy.-Cast:*Jack Benny - Himself...
(television series) - 1956: Lum and Abner Abroad