Sol M. Wurtzel
Encyclopedia
Sol M. Wurtzel was an American
motion picture producer.
Born in New York City, New York, Sol M. Wurtzel worked as an executive assistant to William Fox
, founding owner of the Fox Film Corporation. In 1917, Fox sent him to California
to oversee the studio's West Coast
productions. An incredible passion for work and detail he often did the job of three men. He developed the formula for creating consistently money making "B" rated movies that are heralded today. (source-Early Fox Film Corporation-letters)
Wurtzel eventually became involved in production and between 1932 and 1949 he produced more than one hundred and fifty-nine films including a large number of both the Charlie Chan
and Mr Moto series as well as other successes such as Bright Eyes in 1934, starring Shirley Temple
and featuring her enduring trademark song: "On The Good Ship Lollipop
".
He discovered a brilliant young director named John Ford
who later went on to earn four Academy Awards. He also discovered and made a star of famous cowboy Will Rogers
. (source: Early Fox Film Company- letters)
He put sultry dancer Rita Cansino in his 1935 production Dante's Inferno. The star that became Rita Hayworth
was born. As well, he gave an unknown Norma Jean Baker her first walk-on in his 1947 production of Dangerous Years
appearing as Marilyn Monroe
.
He produced several successful (post-Hal Roach) Laurel and Hardy
, comedies in the 1940s such as Great Guns
(1941), A-Haunting We Will Go (1942), Jitterbugs
(1943), and The Big Noise
(1944). In 1943, he produced Chetniks! The Fighting Guerrillas
on the guerrilla resistance movement in Serbia
.
On his passing in 1958, Wurtzel was interred in the Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery
in Culver City, California
.
Much of Wurtzel's family continued to work at Fox Studios until the late 1980s.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
motion picture producer.
Born in New York City, New York, Sol M. Wurtzel worked as an executive assistant to William Fox
William Fox (producer)
William Fox born Fried Vilmos was a pioneering Hungarian American motion picture executive who founded the Fox Film Corporation in 1915 and the Fox West Coast Theatres chain in the 1920s...
, founding owner of the Fox Film Corporation. In 1917, Fox sent him to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to oversee the studio's West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
productions. An incredible passion for work and detail he often did the job of three men. He developed the formula for creating consistently money making "B" rated movies that are heralded today. (source-Early Fox Film Corporation-letters)
Wurtzel eventually became involved in production and between 1932 and 1949 he produced more than one hundred and fifty-nine films including a large number of both the Charlie Chan
Charlie Chan
Charlie Chan is a fictional Chinese-American detective created by Earl Derr Biggers in 1919. Loosely based on Honolulu detective Chang Apana, Biggers conceived of the benevolent and heroic Chan as an alternative to Yellow Peril stereotypes, such as villains like Fu Manchu...
and Mr Moto series as well as other successes such as Bright Eyes in 1934, starring Shirley Temple
Shirley Temple
Shirley Temple Black , born Shirley Jane Temple, is an American film and television actress, singer, dancer, autobiographer, and former U.S. Ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia...
and featuring her enduring trademark song: "On The Good Ship Lollipop
On the Good Ship Lollipop
"On the Good Ship Lollipop" was the trademark song of child actress Shirley Temple. Temple first sang it in the 1934 movie Bright Eyes. The "ship" in the song is an aircraft; the scene in Bright Eyes where the song appears takes place on an American Airlines Douglas DC-2 which is taxiing. In the...
".
He discovered a brilliant young director named John Ford
John Ford
John Ford was an American film director. He was famous for both his westerns such as Stagecoach, The Searchers, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and adaptations of such classic 20th-century American novels as The Grapes of Wrath...
who later went on to earn four Academy Awards. He also discovered and made a star of famous cowboy Will Rogers
Will Rogers
William "Will" Penn Adair Rogers was an American cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentator, vaudeville performer, film actor, and one of the world's best-known celebrities in the 1920s and 1930s....
. (source: Early Fox Film Company- letters)
He put sultry dancer Rita Cansino in his 1935 production Dante's Inferno. The star that became Rita Hayworth
Rita Hayworth
Rita Hayworth was an American film actress and dancer who attained fame during the 1940s as one of the era's top stars...
was born. As well, he gave an unknown Norma Jean Baker her first walk-on in his 1947 production of Dangerous Years
Dangerous Years
Dangerous Years is a 1947 film produced by Sol M. Wurtzel, directed by Arthur Pierson, starring Billy Halop and Ann E. Todd. Marilyn Monroe makes a cameo appearance as Evie the waitress in the restaurant scene....
appearing as Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
.
He produced several successful (post-Hal Roach) Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy were one of the most popular and critically acclaimed comedy double acts of the early Classical Hollywood era of American cinema...
, comedies in the 1940s such as Great Guns
Great Guns
Great Guns is a 1941 film directed by Monty Banks, and produced by Sol M. Wurtzel for 20th Century Fox starring Laurel and Hardy.- Plot :...
(1941), A-Haunting We Will Go (1942), Jitterbugs
Jitterbugs
Jitterbugs is a 1943 Laurel and Hardy feature film produced by Sol M. Wurtzel.-Synopsis:The plot involves the team as a travelling two-man band selling "gas pills" in gas-short, wartime America.-Analysis:...
(1943), and The Big Noise
The Big Noise
The Big Noise is a 1944 comedy film starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. It was produced by Sol M. Wurtzel and directed by Mal St.Clair. It has been regarded by many film critics and Laurel and Hardy historians as being among the duo's worst films....
(1944). In 1943, he produced Chetniks! The Fighting Guerrillas
Chetniks! The Fighting Guerrillas
Chetniks! The Fighting Guerrillas was a major war film made by Twentieth Century Fox in 1943. The film starred Philip Dorn, Anna Sten, and Martin Kosleck. The movie, originally titled The Seventh Column, was directed by Louis King based on a story by Jack Andrews, who also co-wrote the screenplay....
on the guerrilla resistance movement in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
.
On his passing in 1958, Wurtzel was interred in the Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery
Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery
The Hillside Memorial Park and Mortuary is a Jewish cemetery located at 6001 West Centinela Avenue, in Culver City, California, USA. Many Jewish people from the entertainment industry are buried here.-Notable interments:*Irving Aaronson, composer...
in Culver City, California
Culver City, California
Culver City is a city in western Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 38,883, up from 38,816 at the 2000 census. It is mostly surrounded by the city of Los Angeles, but also shares a border with unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Culver...
.
Much of Wurtzel's family continued to work at Fox Studios until the late 1980s.
External links
- Sol Wurtzel: The Forgotten Mogul
- "William Fox, Sol M. Wurtzel, and the Early Fox Film Corporation" (McFarland and Company, February 2001) ISBN 0-7864-0857-X