Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Norman Foster (December 13, 1903 - July 7, 1976) was an American film director and actor. Born John Hoeffer in Richmond, Indiana, Foster originally became a cub reporter on a local newspaper in Indiana before going to New York in the hopes of getting a better newspaper job but there were no vacancies. He tried a number of theatrical agencies before getting stage work and later appeared on Broadway in the George S. Kaufman / Ring Lardner play June Moon in 1929. He has also acted in London, England. He started working in crowd scenes in films before moving to bigger parts. His film acting credits include Prosperity (1932), Pilgrimage (1933), Rafter Romance (1933) with Ginger Rogers and State Fair (1933). He has written several plays. He gave up acting in the late 1930s to pursue directing, although he occasionally appeared in movies and television programs. Some of Foster's directorial efforts include The Sign of Zorro (1958), and the stylish films noir Kiss the Blood Off My Hands (1948), Woman on the Run (1950) and Journey into Fear (1943). Foster directed Rachel and the Stranger and the Davy Crockett segments of Disneyland that were edited into feature films Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier and Davy Crockett and the River Pirates where he did not accept any interference from Walt Disney. In 1967, he directed Brighty of the Grand Canyon, based on a children's novel by Marguerite Henry about a burro in the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. The film starred Joseph Cotten, Karl Swenson, Dick Foran, and Pat Conway. It was rumored that Orson Welles took over direction of Journey Into Fear, which Welles later denied. Foster was the director of the "My Friend Bonito" segment of Orson Welles' Pan-American anthology film It's All True until RKO aborted the project. Foster directed a number of Charlie Chan and Mr. Moto mysteries, including Charlie Chan in Panama (1940), Charlie Chan at Treasure Island (1939), Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation (1939), Charlie Chan in Reno (1939), Mr. Moto's Last Warning (1939), Mysterious Mr. Moto (1938), Mr. Moto Takes a Chance (1938), Thank You, Mr. Moto (1937), and Think Fast, Mr. Moto (1937). Foster was married to Claudette Colbert from 1928 until their divorce in 1935. In 1937, he wed actress Sally Blane, an older sister of Loretta Young. The couple remained married until his death in 1976 from cancer in Santa Monica at the age of 75. They had two children, Robert and Gretchen. He is buried in Culver City's Holy Cross Cemetery. Description above from the Wikipedia article Norman Foster, licensed under CC-BY-SA,full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Directed 63
2000s
- 2005
The Green Hornet
Director
1990s
- 1993
It's All True
Director
- 1990
Crazy Horse and Custer: The Untold Story
Director
1970s
- 1974
The Deathhead Virgin
Director
The Green Hornet
Director
1960s
- 1969
The Great Sex War
Director
- 1968
The Legend of Custer
Director
- 1967
Custer
Director
- 1966
Brighty of the Grand Canyon
Director
- 1965
Indian Paint
Director
- 1962
The New Loretta Young Show
Director
Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates
Director
- 1961
1950s
- 1959
- 1958
The Nine Lives of Elfego Baca
Director
- 1957
- 1956
- 1955
Davy Crockett's Keelboat Race
Director
Davy Crockett at the Alamo
Director
Davy Crockett Goes to Congress
Director
- 1954
Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter
Director
Davy Crockett
Director
- 1953
Sombrero
Director
- 1952
Sky Full of Moon
Director
Navajo
Director
- 1950
Father Is a Bachelor
Director
1940s
- 1949
Tell It to the Judge
Director
- 1948
Kiss the Blood Off My Hands
Director
El canto de la sirena
Director
- 1946
El ahijado de la muerte
Director
- 1945
The Hour of Truth
Director
- 1944
La fuga
Director
- 1943
Santa
Director
Journey into Fear
Director
- 1941
Scotland Yard
Director
Ride, Kelly, Ride
Director
- 1940
Viva Cisco Kid
Director
Charlie Chan in Panama
Director
1930s
- 1939
20,000 Men a Year
Assistant Director
Charlie Chan at Treasure Island
Director
Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation
Director
Charlie Chan in Reno
Director
Mr. Moto's Last Warning
Director
- 1938
Mysterious Mr. Moto
Director
Mr. Moto Takes a Chance
Director
Walking Down Broadway
Director
- 1937
Thank You, Mr. Moto
Director
Think Fast, Mr. Moto
Director
Fair Warning
Director
- 1936
I Cover Chinatown
Director
Acted in 44
2010s
- 2018
1970s
- 1978
- 1974
Double Solitaire
Ernest Potter
- 1972
Play It as It Lays
Abortionist
- 1971
1930s
- 1938
Mysterious Mr. Moto
Hoodlum in Tavern
- 1937
Sunday Night at the Trocadero
Norman Foster
- 1936
I Cover Chinatown
Eddie Barton
High Tension
Eddie Mitchell
Fatal Lady
Phillip Roberts
Everybody's Old Man
Ronald Franklin
The Leavenworth Case
Detective Bob Grice
- 1935
Suicide Squad
Larry Barker
Super Speed
Randy Rogers
Escape from Devil's Island
Andre Dion
The Bishop Misbehaves
Donald Meadows
Ladies Crave Excitement
Don Phelan
The Hoosier Schoolmaster
Ralph Hartsook
Behind the Green Lights
Detective Lt. Dave Britten
- 1934
Elinor Norton
Bill Foster
Strictly Dynamite
Fleming
- 1933
Walls of Gold
Barnes Ritchie
Rafter Romance
Jack
Professional Sweetheart
Jim
State Fair
Wayne Frake
- 1932
Prosperity
John Warren
Strange Justice
Wally Baker
Skyscraper Souls
Tom Shepherd
Week-End Marriage
Ken Hayes
The Cohens and Kellys in Hollywood
Maurice Cohen
Steady Company
Jim
Play Girl
Wallace 'Wally' Dennis
Alias the Doctor
Stephan Brenner
Girl of the Rio
Johnny Powell
Under Eighteen
Alf
- 1931
Confessions of a Co-Ed
Hal Evans
Up Pops the Devil
Steve Merrick
Men Call It Love
Jack
It Pays to Advertise
Rodney Martin
No Limit
Douglas Thayer
- 1930
Young Man of Manhattan
Toby McLean
1920s
- 1929
Gentlemen of the Press
Ted Hanley
Wrote 24
1960s
- 1966
Brighty of the Grand Canyon
Writer
- 1965
Indian Paint
Screenplay
- 1962
Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates
Teleplay
1950s
- 1958
- 1957
- 1956
- 1955
Davy Crockett's Keelboat Race
Writer
- 1954
- 1953
Sombrero
Screenplay
- 1952
Sky Full of Moon
Writer
Navajo
Writer
- 1950
1940s
- 1949
The Bewitched House
Story
- 1948
El canto de la sirena
Writer
- 1946
El ahijado de la muerte
Screenplay
- 1945
The Hour of Truth
Screenplay
- 1944
La fuga
Adaptation
1930s
- 1939
Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation
Screenplay
Mr. Moto's Last Warning
Screenplay
- 1938
Mysterious Mr. Moto
Screenplay
Mr. Moto Takes a Chance
Original Story
- 1937
Thank You, Mr. Moto
Screenplay
Think Fast, Mr. Moto
Writer
Fair Warning
Screenplay
Produced 1
1960s
- 1962
Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates
Associate Producer
Appearances2
1950s
- 1954
The Disneyland Story
Self