Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia William A. Seiter (June 10, 1890 - July 26, 1964) was an American film director. He was born in New York City. After attending Hudson River Military Academy, Seiter broke into films in 1915 as a bit player at Mack Sennett's Keystone Studios, doubling a cowboy. He graduated to director in 1918. At Universal Studios in the mid-1920s, Seiter was principal director of the popular Reginald Denny vehicles, most of which co-starred Seiter's then wife Laura La Plante (his second wife was actress Marian Nixon). This period also included The Beautiful and Damned and The Family Secret. In the early talkie era, Seiter helped nurture the talents of RKO's comedy duo Wheeler & Woolsey in such rollicking features as Caught Plastered (1931) and Diplomaniacs (1933). He also directed the Laurel and Hardy feature Sons of the Desert (1933), their only film together. Other films include Sunny, Going Wild, Kiss Me Again, Hot Saturday, Way Back Home, Girl Crazy, Rafter Romance, Roberta, Room Service, Susannah of the Mounties, Allegheny Uprising, You Were Never Lovelier, Up in Central Park, and One Touch of Venus. Among the many stars directed by Seiter during his long career were Shirley Temple, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Henry Fonda, Margaret Sullavan, Jack Haley, Deanna Durbin, Jean Arthur, John Wayne, Fred MacMurray, Lucille Ball, Rita Hayworth and the Marx Brothers. While many of his films were minor gems, Seiter was capable of turning out bad movies once in a while. For example, if he ran into friction from his star—as was the case with Lou Costello in 1946's Little Giant -- Seiter would get even by adhering religiously to the script, refusing to add any nuance or creativity to the project (this pettiness may have been the reason that one prominent actress of the 1930s referred to Seiter as the most unimaginative director she'd ever worked with). On his final four films, before he retired in 1954, Seiter functioned as both producer and director. These films included The Lady Wants Mink (1953), a gentle satire of the then topical "raise your own coat" craze. He died in Beverly Hills, California, of a heart attack, aged 74.
Directed 117
1950s
- 1956
- 1955
The Wild Bunch
Director
- 1954
Make Haste to Live
Director
- 1953
Champ for a Day
Director
The Lady Wants Mink
Director
- 1952
- 1951
Dear Brat
Director
- 1950
1940s
- 1948
One Touch of Venus
Director
Up in Central Park
Director
- 1947
I'll Be Yours
Director
- 1946
Lover Come Back
Director
Little Giant
Director
- 1945
That Night with You
Director
The Affairs of Susan
Director
It's a Pleasure
Director
- 1944
Four Jills in a Jeep
Director
- 1943
Destroyer
Director
- 1942
You Were Never Lovelier
Director
Broadway
Director
- 1941
Appointment for Love
Director
Nice Girl?
Director
- 1940
Hired Wife
Director
It's a Date
Director
1930s
- 1939
Allegheny Uprising
Director
Susannah of the Mounties
Director
- 1938
Thanks for Everything
Director
Room Service
Director
Three Blind Mice
Director
Sally, Irene and Mary
Director
- 1937
Life Begins in College
Director
The Life of the Party
Director
This Is My Affair
Director
- 1936
Dimples
Director
The Case Against Mrs. Ames
Director
The Moon's Our Home
Director
- 1935
If You Could Only Cook
Director
In Person
Director
Orchids to You
Director
The Daring Young Man
Director
- 1934
The Richest Girl in the World
Director
We're Rich Again
Director
Love Birds
Director
Sing and Like It
Director
- 1933
Chance at Heaven
Director
Rafter Romance
Director
Professional Sweetheart
Director
Diplomaniacs
Director
Hello, Everybody!
Director
- 1932
Hot Saturday
Director
Is My Face Red?
Director
Young Bride
Director
Girl Crazy
Director
- 1931
Peach-o-Reno
Director
Way Back Home
Director
Caught Plastered
Director
Too Many Cooks
Director
Big Business Girl
Director
The Aviator
Director
Kiss Me Again
Director
- 1930
Going Wild
Director
Sunny
Director
The Truth About Youth
Director
Back Pay
Director
The Flirting Widow
Director
Strictly Modern
Director
1920s
- 1929
Footlights and Fools
Director
Smiling Irish Eyes
Director
Prisoners
Director
Why Be Good?
Director
Synthetic Sin
Director
- 1928
Outcast
Director
Waterfront
Director
Happiness Ahead
Director
Good Morning, Judge
Director
Thanks for the Buggy Ride
Director
- 1927
The Small Bachelor
Director
Out All Night
Director
- 1926
The Cheerful Fraud
Director
Take It from Me
Director
Rolling Home
Director
Skinner's Dress Suit
Director
What Happened to Jones?
Director
- 1925
The Teaser
Director
Where Was I?
Director
Dangerous Innocence
Director
The Mad Whirl
Director
- 1924
The Fast Worker
Director
Helen's Babies
Director
The Family Secret
Director
Listen Lester
Director
His Forgotten Wife
Director
The White Sin
Director
Daddies
Director
- 1923
Little Church Around the Corner
Director
Bell Boy 13
Director
- 1922
When Love Comes
Director
Up and at 'Em
Director
The Understudy
Director
Gay and Devilish
Director
Boy Crazy
Director
- 1921
Eden and Return
Director
The Foolish Age
Director
Passing Through
Director
- 1920
1910s
- 1918
Camouflage
Director
Oh! What a Day
Director
Produced 8
1950s
- 1953
Champ for a Day
Producer
The Lady Wants Mink
Associate Producer
1940s
- 1944
- 1940
Hired Wife
Producer
1930s
- 1931
Big Business Girl
Producer
- 1930
The Flirting Widow
Producer
1920s
- 1929
The Love Racket
Producer
- 1926
Skinner's Dress Suit
Producer
Wrote 5
1930s
- 1933
1920s
- 1924
Listen Lester
Adaptation
- 1922
Up and at 'Em
Story
- 1921
The Foolish Age
Writer
1910s
- 1918
Oh! What a Day
Writer
Acted in 1
1910s
- 1913
Pierre of the North
The Mail Carrier