Monta Bell — Biographical Sketch (1927) 🇺🇸

Monta Bell, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer director, is comparatively a newcomer to the motion picture industry. His first experience with pictures came in 1922, when Charles Chaplin made him assistant director at the Chaplin Studios. He served as literary advisor in the making of A Woman of Paris.

Bell had had some previous experience with the speaking stage. He had been producer, director and actor with the Garrick Players, a theatrical group in Washington, D. C, and had produced for several stock companies in the Eastern and Southwestern States, but the greatest part of his time had been devoted to newspaper work. He was a seasoned newspaper man, had been editor and publisher of the Washington Herald, and editor of McClure’s Newspaper Syndicate, as well as serving in various other editorial capacities.

Bell was born in Washington, D. C, in 1891, and was educated at the Washington high schools, after which he took up his newspaper work.

Following his association with Chaplin, Bell directed “Broadway After Dark” for Harry Rapf, which first brought him into prominence as a director. He also made “How to Educate a Wife” for Warner Brothers. These two productions resulted in his contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, for whom he has made a series of pictures, including “The Snob,” “Lady of the Night,” Norma Shearer’s first starring pictures, “Pretty Ladies,” “Lights of Old Broadway,” Ibáñez’ Torrent, “The Boy Friend,” “Upstage.”

Bell has also made, for Famous Players-Lasky, “Life of Barnum” and “The King on Main Street,” “After Midnight” and “Man, Woman and Sin,” the latter starring John Gilbert with Jeanne Eagels, for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

Although he is at present engrossed in his directorial career, Bell prefers to act, and the theatre is his favorite hobby and pastime. He also enjoys reading, and reads anything and everything. He is six feet and three inches tall, weighs one hundred and eighty pounds, and has blue eyes and brown hair. He lives in Hollywood, drives a Packard car and owns a valuable police dog.

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Monta Bell

Recent Releases

• Upstage
• After Midnight
• Man, Woman and Sin

Collection: Motion Picture News, October 1927 (Booking Guide and Studio Directory)