Norman Taurog ( Eng. Norman Taurog ; 1899 - 1981 ) is an American filmmaker and screenwriter who shot over 140 films from 1920 to 1968. He received an Oscar for the best director for the film Skippy in 1931 (becoming the youngest recipient in this category in the entire history of the prize). More than any of the directors, he worked with Elvis Presley (9 joint films).
| Norman Taurog | |
|---|---|
| Norman taurog | |
 | |
| Date of Birth | February 23, 1899 |
| Place of Birth | Chicago ( Illinois , USA ) |
| Date of death | April 7, 1981 (82 years old) |
| Place of death | City Ranch Mirage ( California , USA) |
| Citizenship |  USA |
| Profession | film director , screenwriter |
| Career | 1920 - 1968 |
| Awards | Oscar (1931) |
| IMDb | |
Biography
Norman Taurog was born in Chicago in 1899 into a family of Jews who emigrated from the Russian Empire. Biographers divide his career into five chapters. The first is childhood, when at the age of 13 he starred in a short film. The next eight years, before the release of his next picture, he worked in the theater, mainly outside of Broadway .
By the time he returned to the film industry, he had decided to direct. Until the early 1930s, he made 42 short films. During this period, he developed his own style. The tough side of Taurog has always been easy comedy, although he coped well with films with a complex dramatic plot.
In 1931, a qualitative breakthrough occurred when Taurog made the film Skippy , for which he received an Academy Award for Best Director . Director's nephew Jackie Cooper , who starred in this film, was also nominated for his Oscar (the first time a minor actor was nominated). The plot, based on popular comics , the comic nature and the edification typical of films of those years, made the picture extremely popular at the box office.
Over the next few years, Taurog begins the third chapter of his career, revealing his talent as a director who can work in various genres. The paintings “ If I Had a Million ” ( Eng. If I Had a Million , 1932) or “Without Dressing ” ( eng. We're Not Dressing , 1934) showed his ability to work with stars such as Gary Cooper , George Raft , Charles Lawton , W.C. Fields , Bing Crosby , Carol Lombard .
In 1938, Taurog used all his skill and experience to embody one of the most “living” and successful adaptations of classical literature - “ The Adventures of Tom Sawyer ”. In the same year, the director directed Boys Town , which received 5 Academy Award nominations.
With the outbreak of World War II, Taurog returned to the creation of light entertaining films in demand by society during this period. However, in 1947, he shot the film “Beginning or the End” about the creation of the atomic bomb, which was not quite characteristic of his directorial style. Later, he again returned to the comedy genre: “Words and Music” ( English Words and Music , 1948), “Rich, Young and Beautiful” ( English Rich, Young and Pretty , 1952), “Caddy” The Caddy , 1952). With the comic duo of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, the director made five films.
In 1960, he shot his first film with Elvis Presley's " Soldier's Blues " ( Eng. GI Blues ). This was a turning point for Elvis. Prior to that, he embodied images similar to James Dean , pensive sensual rebels from Love Me Tender (1956) or Jailhouse Rock (1957). But Colonel Tom Parker had other plans for the singer. "Soldier's Blues" will set the tone for several future Elvis films - girls, adventures and several hits against the backdrop of an unpretentious plot. It was Taurog who was strong in such films. The work was a success and over the next eight years, the director directed Elvis in eight films. Some of them were better, some were worse (and some are almost identical), but enjoyed success with fans of the singer.
In 1961, Taurogh’s career unexpectedly ended - he went blind. The director died on April 7, 1981 at the age of 82.
Selected Filmography
Director
- 1928 - Lucky Boy / Lucky Boy
- 1931 - Finn and Hattie
- 1931 - Skippy
- 1931 - Huckleberry Finn / Huckleberry Finn
- 1932 - The Phantom President
- 1932 - If I Had a Million
- 1933 - A Bedtime Story
- 1934 - We're Not Dressing
- 1934 - Mrs. Wiggs / Mrs. Wiggs of the cabbage patch
- 1934 - College Rhythm
- 1935 - The Big Broadcast of 1936
- 1936 - Wow / Strike Me Pink
- 1936 - Rhythm on the Range / Rhythm on the Range
- 1937 - Fifty Roads to Town
- 1938 - The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
- 1938 - Mad About Music
- 1938 - Boys Town
- 1938 - The Girl Downstairs
- 1939 - Lucky Night
- 1939 - The Wizard of Oz
- 1940 - Young Tom Edison
- 1940 - Little Nellie Kelly
- 1940 - Broadway Melody of 1940
- 1941 - Men from the "City of Boys" / Men of Boys Town
- 1941 - Married Bachelor / Married Bachelor
- 1941 - Design for Scandal
- 1942 - Are husbands needed? / Are Husbands Necessary?
- 1942 - A Yank at Eton
- 1943 - Presenting Lily Mars
- 1943 - Crazy Girl / Girl Crazy
- 1946 - The Hoodlum Saint
- 1948 - Big City
- 1948 - Song in the Heart / Words and Music
- 1949 - That Midnight Kiss
- 1950 - Please Believe Me / Please Believe Me
- 1950 - The Toast of New Orleans
- 1950 - Mrs. O`Maley and Mr. Melone / Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone
- 1951 - Rich, Young and Pretty / Rich, Young and Pretty
- 1952 - There is room for one more / Room for One More
- 1952 - The Stooge
- 1953 - The Caddy
- 1954 - Burning Life / Living It Up
- 1955 - You're Never Too Young
- 1956 - The Birds and the Bees
- 1956 - Bundle of Joy
- 1960 - Visit to a Small Planet
- 1960 - Soldier Blues / GI Blues
- 1961 - The whole team on deck / All Hands on Deck
- 1961 - Blue Hawaii
- 1962 - Girls! Girls! Girls! / Girls! Girls! Girls!
- 1963 - It Happened at the World's Fair
- 1963 - Palm Springs Weekend Weekend
- 1964 - Tickle Me / Tickle Me
- 1965 - Sergeant Dead Head / Sergeant Dead Head
- 1965 - Dr. Goldfoot and Bikini Machines / Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine
- 1966 - Weekend in California / Spinout
- 1967 - Double Trouble
- 1968 - Speedway
- 1968 - A Little Life, A Little Love / Live a Little, Love a Little
Links
- Norman Taurog- New York Times Filmography
- Taurog, Norman on Find a Grave