Erle C. Kenton

American film director

Erle C. Kenton

Kenton in 1921

Born| (1896-08-01)August 1, 1896

Norborne, Missouri, U.S.

Died| January 28, 1980(1980-01-28) (aged 83)

Glendale, California, U.S.

Occupation| Film director
Years active| 1916-1957

Erle C. Kenton (August 1, 1896 - January 28, 1980) was an American film director. Kenton was director of B films,[1] with his most famous film being Island of Lost Souls starring Charles Laughton.[2]

## Biography

[edit]

Before filmwork, Kenton was a school teacher and later decided to become an animal exhibitor.[3] After working with various dog, pony and other animal shows, he entered the vaudeville circuit as a comedian. This led to him entering the film industry working on the Keystone Cops series of films making various short comedies.[3]

Kenton began as a writer for Mack Sennett in 1914, and he directed feature films for Columbia Pictures, Tiffany Pictures, Paramount Pictures, RKO Pictures, Republic Pictures.[2] He worked for Universal Pictures between 1941 and 1946 making films such as The Ghost of Frankenstein, House of Frankenstein, House of Dracula and The Cat Creeps and several films featuring comedians Abbott & Costello.[2] Kenton was replaced by Charles Lamont on Hit the Ice after problems with Lou Costello.[4]

Producer Paul Malvern stated later that Kenton and him "got along beautifully" and that "He was one director who thought everything out and made sure that he came in on budget and on time. He wasn't real fond of directing the Abbott and Costello films so he got a kick out of the monster films."[5] Kenton spoke about directing horror films in a 1944 interview, stating "They give us a chance to let our imagination run wild. The art department can go to town on creep sets. Prop men have fun with cobwebs. The cameraman has fun with trick lighting and shadows. The director has fun. We have more fun making a horror picture than a comedy."[6]

Kenton and Edward Ludwig were the principal directors of the 1958–1960 television series The Texan. Kenton died on January 28, 1980, of Parkinson's disease in Glendale, California.[2][7] Malvern recalled that when he visited Kenton before his death, Kenton did not recognize him.[7]

## Selected filmography

[edit]

Title | Year | Credited as | Notes | Ref(s)

|
|
|
|

Director | Other
Down on the Farm | 1920  | Yes  |  |  | [8]
Love, Honor and Behave | 1920  | Yes  |  |  | [9]
A Small Town Idol | 1921  | Yes  |  |  | [10]
Tea – With a Kick | 1921  | Yes  |  |  | [10][11]
The Haunted House | 1922  | Yes  |  |  | [12]
A Fool and His Money | 1925  | Yes  |  |  | [10]
Red Hot Tires | 1925  | Yes  |  |  | [13]
The Love Toy | 1926  | Yes  |  |  | [14]
Other Women's Husbands | 1926  | Yes  |  |  | [15]
The Palm Beach Girl | 1926  | Yes  |  |  | [16]
The Sap | 1926  | Yes  |  |  | [17]
Wedding Bill$ | 1927  | Yes  |  |  | [18]
The Rejuvenation of Aunt Mary | 1927  | Yes  |  |  | [19]
The Girl in the Pullman | 1927  | Yes  |  |  | [20]
Bare Knees | 1928  | Yes  |  |  | [21]
The Sporting Age | 1928  | Yes  |  |  | [22]
Golf Widows | 1928  | Yes  |  |  | [23]
Name the Woman | 1928  | Yes  | Yes  | Screenwriter  | [24]
The Street of Illusion | 1928  | Yes  |  |  | [25]
Companionate Marriage | 1928  | Yes  |  |  | [26]
Nothing to Wear | 1928  | Yes  |  |  | [27]
The Sideshow | 1928  | Yes  |  |  | [28]
Father and Son | 1929  | Yes  |  |  | [29]
Trial Marriage | 1929  | Yes  |  |  | [30]
Song of Love | 1929  | Yes  |  |  | [31]
Mexicali Rose | 1929  | Yes  |  |  | [32]
A Royal Romance | 1930  | Yes  |  |  | [33]
The Last Parade | 1931  | Yes  |  |  | [34]
Lover Come Back | 1931  | Yes  |  |  | [35]
Left Over Ladies | 1931  | Yes  |  |  | [36]
X Marks the Spot | 1931  | Yes  |  |  | [37]
Guilty as Hell | 1932  | Yes  |  |  | [38]
Stranger in Town | 1932  | Yes  |  |  | [39]
Island of Lost Souls | 1932  | Yes  |  |  | [40]
From Hell to Heaven | 1933  | Yes  |  |  | [41]
Disgraced | 1933  | Yes  |  |  | [42]
Big Executive | 1933  | Yes  |  |  | [43]
Search for Beauty | 1934  | Yes  |  |  | [44]
You're Telling Me! | 1934  | Yes  |  |  | [45]
The Best Man Wins | 1935  | Yes  |  |  | [46]
Party Wire | 1935  | Yes  |  |  | [47]
The Public Menace | 1935  | Yes  |  |  | [48]
Devil's Squadron | 1936  | Yes  |  |  | [49]
Counterfeit | 1936  | Yes  |  |  | [50]
End of the Trail | 1936  | Yes  | Yes  | Actor, as Theodore Roosevelt | [51]
The Devil's Playground | 1937  | Yes  |  |  | [52]
Racketeers in Exile | 1937  | Yes  |  |  | [53]
She Asked for It | 1937  | Yes  |  |  | [53]
The Lady Objects | 1938  | Yes  |  |  | [54]
Little Tough Guys in Society | 1938  | Yes  |  |  | [55]
Everything's on Ice | 1939  | Yes  |  |  | [56]
Escape to Paradise | 1939  | Yes  |  |  | [57]
South of Pago Pago | 1940  |  | Yes  | Associate producer  | [58]
Remedy for Riches | 1940  | Yes  |  |  | [59]
Petticoat Politics | 1941  | Yes  |  |  | [60]
Melody for Three | 1941  | Yes  |  |  | [61]
Naval Academy | 1941  | Yes  |  |  | [62]
They Meet Again | 1941  | Yes  |  |  | [63]
Flying Cadets | 1941  | Yes  |  |  | [64]
North to the Klondike | 1942  | Yes  |  |  | [65]
The Ghost of Frankenstein | 1942  | Yes  |  |  | [66]
Frisco Lil | 1942  | Yes  |  |  | [67]
Pardon My Sarong | 1942  | Yes  |  |  | [68]
Who Done It? | 1942  | Yes  |  |  | [69]
How's About It | 1943  | Yes  |  |  | [70]
It Ain't Hay | 1943  | Yes  |  |  | [71]
Always a Bridesmaid | 1943  | Yes  |  |  | [72]
Crazy House | 1943  |  | Yes  | Associate producer  | [71]
House of Frankenstein | 1944  | Yes  |  |  | [73][74]
She Gets Her Man | 1945  | Yes  |  |  | [75]
House of Dracula | 1945  | Yes  |  |  | [76]
The Cat Creeps | 1946  | Yes  |  |  | [77]
Little Miss Big | 1946  | Yes  |  |  | [78]
Bob and Sally | 1948  | Yes  |  |  | [79]
One Too Many | 1951  | Yes  |  |  | [80]
Secrets of Beauty | 1951  | Yes  |  |  | [81]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Wilson, Scott (2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons (3 ed.). McFarland. p. 402\. ISBN 978-1476625997.
2. ^ a b c d "Obituaries". The Muscatine Journal. April 30, 1980. p. 48.
3. ^ a b Brosnan 1976, p. 273.
4. ^ Furmanek, Bob and Ron Palumbo (1991). Abbott and Costello in Hollywood. New York: Perigee Books. ISBN 0-399-51605-0)
5. ^ Malvern 2020, p. 26.
6. ^ Mank 2022, p. 337.
7. ^ a b Malvern 2020, p. 27.
8. ^ "Down on the Farm". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
9. ^ "Love, Honor and Behave". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
10. ^ a b c "A Small Town Idol". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
11. ^ Rhodes 2006, p. 295.
12. ^ Workman & Howarth 2016, p. 250.
13. ^ "Red Hot Tires". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
14. ^ "The Love Toy". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
15. ^ "Other Women's Husbands". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
16. ^ "The Palm Beach Girl". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
17. ^ "The Sap". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
18. ^ "Wedding Bill$". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
19. ^ "The Rejuvenation of Aunt Mary". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
20. ^ "The Girl in the Pullman". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
21. ^ "Bare Knees". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
22. ^ "The Sporting Age". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
23. ^ "Golf Widows". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
24. ^ "Name the Woman". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
25. ^ "The Street of Illusion". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
26. ^ "The Companionate Marriage". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
27. ^ "Nothing to Wear". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
28. ^ "The Sideshow". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
29. ^ "Father and Son". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
30. ^ "Trial Marriage". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
31. ^ "Song of Love". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
32. ^ "Mexicali Rose". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
33. ^ "A Royal Romance". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
34. ^ "The Last Parade". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
35. ^ "Lover Come Back". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
36. ^ "Leftover Ladies". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
37. ^ "X Marks the Spot". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
38. ^ "Guilty as Hell". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
39. ^ "Stranger in Town". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
40. ^ "Island of Lost Souls". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
41. ^ "From Hell to Heaven". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
42. ^ "Disgraced". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
43. ^ "Big Executive". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
44. ^ "Search for Beauty". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
45. ^ "You're Telling Me!". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
46. ^ "The Best Man Wins". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
47. ^ "Party Wire". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
48. ^ "The Public Menace". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
49. ^ "Devil's Squadron". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
50. ^ "Counterfeit". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
51. ^ "End of the Trail". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
52. ^ "The Devil's Playground". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
53. ^ a b "Racketeers in Exile". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
54. ^ "The Lady Objects". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
55. ^ "Little Tough Guys in Society". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
56. ^ "Everything's on Ice". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
57. ^ "Escape to Paradise". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
58. ^ "South of Pago Pago". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
59. ^ "Remedy for Riches". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
60. ^ "Petticoat Politics". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
61. ^ "Melody for Three". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
62. ^ "Naval Academy". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
63. ^ "They Meet Again". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
64. ^ "Flying Cadets". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
65. ^ "North to the Klondike". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
66. ^ "The Ghost of Frankenstein". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
67. ^ "Frisco Lil". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
68. ^ "Pardon My Sarong". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
69. ^ "Who Done It?". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
70. ^ "How's About It". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
71. ^ a b "It Ain't Hay". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
72. ^ "Always a Bridesmaid". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
73. ^ "House of Frankenstein". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
74. ^ Mank, Coughlin & Frye 2003, p. 188.
75. ^ "She Gets Her Man". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
76. ^ "House of Dracula". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
77. ^ "The Cat Creeps". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
78. ^ "Little Miss Big". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
79. ^ "The Story of Bob and Sally". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
80. ^ "One Too Many". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
81. ^ "Secrets of Beauty". American Film Institute. Retrieved November 25, 2020.

### Sources

[edit]

* Brosnan, John (1976). The Horror People. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0356083942.
* Malvern, Paul (2020) [1993]. "Forward". In Riley, Philip J. (ed.). House of Dracula. BearManor Media. ISBN 978-1629336169.
* Mank, Gregory William; Coughlin, James T.; Frye, Dwight D. (2003) [1997]. Dwight Frye's Last Laugh. Midnight Marquee Press, Inc. ISBN 1-887664-11-4.
* Mank, Gregory William (2022). Angels and Ministers of Grace Defend Us!. McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-1-4766-6553-5.
* Rhodes, Gary D. (2006). White Zombie: Anatomy of a Horror Film. McFarland. ISBN 0786427620.
* Workman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era. Midnight Marquee Press, Inc. ISBN 978-1936168682.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Erle C. Kenton.

* Erle C. Kenton at IMDb
* Erle C. Kenton at Find a Grave

* v
* t
* e

Films directed by Erle C. Kenton

* Salome vs. Shenandoah (1919)
* Down on the Farm (1920)
* Love, Honor and Behave (1920)
* A Small Town Idol (1921)
* A Fool and His Money (1925)
* Red Hot Tires (1925)
* The Love Toy (1926)
* Other Women's Husbands (1926)
* The Sap (1926)
* The Palm Beach Girl (1926)
* The Rejuvenation of Aunt Mary (1927)
* The Girl in the Pullman (1927)
* Bare Knees (1928)
* Name the Woman (1928)
* Nothing to Wear (1928)
* Companionate Marriage (1928)
* Golf Widows (1928)
* The Street of Illusion (1928)
* The Sideshow (1928)
* The Sporting Age (1928)
* Trial Marriage (1929)
* Father and Son (1929)
* Song of Love (1929)
* Mexicali Rose (1929)
* A Royal Romance (1930)
* X Marks the Spot (1931)
* Left Over Ladies (1931)
* The Last Parade (1931)
* Guilty as Hell (1932)
* Island of Lost Souls (1932)
* From Hell to Heaven (1933)
* Disgraced! (1933)
* Big Executive (1933)
* Search for Beauty (1934)
* You're Telling Me! (1934)
* Party Wire (1935)
* The Best Man Wins (1935)
* The Public Menace (1935)
* Devil's Squadron (1936)
* Counterfeit (1936)
* She Asked for It (1937)
* The Devil's Playground (1937)
* Little Tough Guys in Society (1938)
* The Lady Objects (1938)
* Everything's on Ice (1939)
* Escape to Paradise (1939)
* Remedy for Riches (1940)
* Petticoat Politics (1941)
* Melody for Three (1941)
* Naval Academy (1941)
* They Meet Again (1941)
* Flying Cadets (1941)
* North to the Klondike (1942)
* The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942)
* Frisco Lil (1942)
* Pardon My Sarong (1942)
* Who Done It? (1942)
* It Ain't Hay (1943)
* House of Frankenstein (1944)
* She Gets Her Man (1945)
* House of Dracula (1945)
* The Cat Creeps (1946)
* Little Miss Big (1946)
* Bob and Sally (1948)
* One Too Many (1951)
* Secrets of Beauty (1951)

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