Meet Richard Whorf (1950) 🇺🇸
Richard Whorf was born in Minthrop, Mass., and has been active in every phase of show business and motion picture production ever since he was old enough to distinguish the difference between an actor and an audience.
by Paul Manning
Whorf didn’t want to remain in the audience. He knew that the stage was the place for him, and started in that direction. That he made a resounding success of this trek is no secret, as he has already directed, staged, and acted in more productions than most actors participate in in a lifetime. To list them would make this appear a regular encyclopedia. Take our word for it. To his Hollywood credit, Whorf has acted in 10 films, and has directed nine. His most recent film assignment, which followed closely on the heels of Champagne for Caesar, was Illegal Bride [The Groom Wore Spurs (1951)], with Jack Carson and Ginger Rogers.
He has also written 20 plays, held four important painting exhibitions, and written two widely read books on the art of makeup and production. Before he came to New York, where he designed, produced, and directed 24 plays, he did the same for about 150 plays in and around Boston. He got his start as an actor in the Mariarden Players, a stock company near Boston, where Bette Davis also got her start. He became a close friend of Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, and worked with them in many of their shows. It was Lunt who persuaded Whorf to accept a writing-acting-directing contract with Warners, who had noticed the amazing flexibility of this young Broadwayite.
Whorf accepted an assignment from the government to go to Biarritz to establish an American School of the theatre for the G.I.’s. His production of Richard III at the school was so outstanding that it was brought back to New York, and cast with professionals, and staged on Broadway, with Whorf appearing as director, designer, and star.
The Future for this prolific artist seems limitless. No matter what the need, designing, acting, sculpturing, painting, or building boats, he can acquit himself admirably. — P. M.
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Good Things to Come from Hollywood… Fancy Pants
by Paul Manning
Paramount bids fair to cut some fancy didos at the box office with Monsoor Hope’s newest belly-buster, “Fancy Pants.”
Geared for hi-tension laffs, this comes off as planned, with Hope and his partner Lucille Ball socking the ribs for a home run. Producer Robert L. Welch and director George Marshall have given this the lighthearted treatment which best frames Hope’s mischievous antics. This stacks up with Hope’s best, and that says a lot, doesn’t it? It looks like a sure fire bet to make the grade in high in every situation, with plenty of power to spare. — P. M.
Produced by Robert Welch, upper left. Paramount’s latest Bob Hope starrer, Fancy Pants, teams the comedian with Lucille Ball, upper right, who gets romance with her billiards instructions from Hope, in a scene from the film, lower left. George Marshall, lower right, directed.
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Arthur Reports to WB Studio
Hollywood — Robert Arthur last fortnight reported to Jack L. Warner to join the ranks of Warner producers.
His initial assignment on the Burbank lot will be determined later.
Arthur, who was signed to a Warner contract several weeks ago, recently wound up his duties at Universal-International, where his credits include “Francis” and “Louisa.”
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Margaret Field, star, Monogram’s A Modern Marriage, recently shared a Domestic Court bench with Judge Carl H. Allen, San Francisco, prior to the world premiere of the film at the Golden Gate. She was accompanied by three models dressed as bridesmaids as an appropriate bit of bally for the film.
Collection: Exhibitor Magazine (Studio Survey), August 1950