Darryl F. Zanuck

Personal Info

Known For Producer

Gender Male

Birthday 1902-09-05

Deathday 1979-12-22 (77 years old)

Place of Birth Wahoo, Nebraska, USA

Also Known As Darryl Francis Zanuck, Darryl Zanuck, Mark Canfield, Melville Crossman, Gregory Rogers

Darryl F. Zanuck

Biography

Darryl Francis Zanuck (September 5, 1902 – December 22, 1979) was an American film producer and studio executive; he earlier contributed stories for films starting in the silent era. He played a major part in the Hollywood studio system as one of its longest survivors (the length of his career was rivaled only by that of Adolph Zukor). He produced three films that won the Academy Award for Best Picture during his tenure. Zanuck was born in Wahoo, Nebraska, the son of Sarah Louise (née Torpin), who later married Charles Norton, and Frank Harvey Zanuck, who owned and operated a hotel in Wahoo. He had an older brother, Donald (1893–1903), who died in an accident when he was only 9 years old. Zanuck was of partial Swiss descent, and raised a Protestant. At age six, Zanuck and his mother moved to Los Angeles, where the better climate could improve her poor health. At age eight, he found his first movie job as an extra, but his disapproving father recalled him to Nebraska. In 1917, despite being 15, he deceived a recruiter, joined the United States Army, and served in France with the Nebraska National Guard during World War I. Upon returning to the US, he worked in many part-time jobs while seeking work as a writer. He found work producing movie plots, and sold his first story in 1922 to William Russell and his second to Irving Thalberg. Screenwriter Frederica Sagor Maas, story editor at Universal Pictures' New York office, stated that one of the stories Zanuck sent out to movie studios around this time was completely plagiarized from another author's work. Zanuck then worked for Mack Sennett and FBO (where he wrote the serials The Telephone Girl and The Leather Pushers) and took that experience to Warner Bros., where he wrote stories for Rin Tin Tin and under a number of pseudonyms wrote over 40 scripts from 1924 to 1929, including Red Hot Tires (1925) and Old San Francisco (1927). He moved into management in 1929, and became head of production in 1931. In 1933, Zanuck left Warner Bros. over a salary dispute with studio head Jack L. Warner. A few days later, he partnered with Joseph Schenck to form 20th Century Pictures, Inc. with financial help from Joseph's brother Nicholas Schenck and Louis B. Mayer, president and studio head of Loew's, Inc and its subsidiary Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, along with William Goetz and Raymond Griffith. 20th Century released its material through United Artists. During that short time (1933–1935), 20th Century became the most successful independent movie studio of its time, breaking box-office records with 18 of its 19 films, all profitable, including Clive of India, Les Miserables, and The House of Rothschild. After a dispute with United Artists over stock ownership, Schenck and Zanuck negotiated and used their studio to bring the bankrupt Fox studios in 1935 to create Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation. Zanuck was Vice President of Production of this new studio and took a hands-on approach, closely involving himself in scripts, film editing, and producing. ... Source: Article "Darryl F. Zanuck" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Known For

Producer

1973
Hung Up

as Producer

1970
Tora! Tora! Tora!

as Executive Producer

1965
The Agony and the Ecstasy

as Executive Producer

1964
The Visit

as Producer

1962
The Longest Day

as Producer

1962
The Chapman Report

as Producer

1961
The Big Gamble

as Producer

1961
Sanctuary

as Producer

1960
1958
The Barbarian and the Geisha

as Executive Producer

1958
1957
The Sun Also Rises

as Producer

1957
Island in the Sun

as Producer

1956
The King and I

as Executive Producer

1956
On the Threshold of Space

as Executive Producer

1955
Seven Cities of Gold

as Executive Producer

1955
Good Morning, Miss Dove

as Executive Producer

1955
The View from Pompey's Head

as Executive Producer

1954
The Egyptian

as Producer

1954
Broken Lance

as Executive Producer

1953
Beneath the 12-Mile Reef

as Executive Producer

1952
Viva Zapata!

as Producer

1952
1952
With a Song in My Heart

as Executive Producer

1951
People Will Talk

as Producer

1951
1950
All About Eve

as Producer

1950
Night and the City

as Executive Producer

1950
A Ticket to Tomahawk

as Executive Producer

1950
Under My Skin

as Executive Producer

1950
The Gunfighter

as Executive Producer

1950
No Way Out

as Producer

1949
Pinky

as Producer

1949
Everybody Does It

as Executive Producer

1949
The Forbidden Street

as Executive Producer

1949
Sand

as Executive Producer

1949
The Fan

as Executive Producer

1949
It Happens Every Spring

as Executive Producer

1949
Father Was a Fullback

as Executive Producer

1949
Slattery's Hurricane

as Executive Producer

1949
1949
You're My Everything

as Executive Producer

1948
The Snake Pit

as Executive Producer

1948
The Walls of Jericho

as Executive Producer

1948
Call Northside 777

as Executive Producer

1948
Fury at Furnace Creek

as Executive Producer

1948
Sitting Pretty

as Executive Producer

1948
Cry of the City

as Executive Producer

1948
Give My Regards to Broadway

as Executive Producer

1948
Road House

as Executive Producer

1948
That Wonderful Urge

as Executive Producer

1948
Apartment for Peggy

as Executive Producer

1947
Boomerang!

as Executive Producer

1947
The Shocking Miss Pilgrim

as Executive Producer

1947
The Foxes of Harrow

as Executive Producer

1947
Carnival in Costa Rica

as Executive Producer

1947
Moss Rose

as Executive Producer

1947
The Homestretch

as Executive Producer

1947
Nightmare Alley

as Executive Producer

1947
Forever Amber

as Executive Producer

1947
Captain from Castile

as Executive Producer

1947
1946
Claudia and David

as Executive Producer

1946
Dragonwyck

as Producer

1946
Somewhere in the Night

as Executive Producer

1946
Strange Triangle

as Executive Producer

1946
Centennial Summer

as Executive Producer

1946
The Razor's Edge

as Producer

1945
Leave Her to Heaven

as Executive Producer

1944
The Purple Heart

as Producer

1944
Buffalo Bill

as Executive Producer

1944
Wilson

as Producer

1944
Winged Victory

as Producer

1944
Lifeboat

as Executive Producer

1943
Crash Dive

as Executive Producer

1943
Wintertime

as Executive Producer

1942
Sex Hygiene

as Producer

1942
1942
Song of the Islands

as Executive Producer

1942
This Above All

as Producer

1942
Thunder Birds

as Executive Producer

1942
The Black Swan

as Executive Producer

1942
China Girl

as Producer

1942
The Pied Piper

as Executive Producer

1941
1941
Hudson's Bay

as Producer

1941
Know For Sure

as Producer

1941
Western Union

as Executive Producer

1941
Tobacco Road

as Producer

1941
That Night in Rio

as Producer

1941
Blood and Sand

as Producer

1941
Wild Geese Calling

as Executive Producer

1941
Man Hunt

as Executive Producer

1941
Moon Over Miami

as Executive Producer

1941
1941
Week-End in Havana

as Executive Producer

1941
Sun Valley Serenade

as Executive Producer

1941
Tall, Dark and Handsome

as Executive Producer

1940
1940
The Blue Bird

as Producer

1940
Brigham Young

as Producer

1940
1940
Maryland

as Producer

1940
Star Dust

as Producer

1940
The Man I Married

as Producer

1940
Four Sons

as Producer

1940
The Great Profile

as Producer

1940
Down Argentine Way

as Producer

1940
Public Deb No. 1

as Producer

1940
Chad Hanna

as Producer

1940
The Mark of Zorro

as Executive Producer

1940
Lillian Russell

as Producer

1939
Young Mr. Lincoln

as Producer

1939
1939
1939
1939
The Hound of the Baskervilles

as Executive Producer

1939
Jesse James

as Producer

1939
1939
Tail Spin

as Producer

1939
Second Fiddle

as Executive Producer

1939
Susannah of the Mounties

as Executive Producer

1939
1939
Too Busy to Work

as Producer

1939
Hotel for Women

as Producer

1939
Swanee River

as Producer

1939
The Rains Came

as Producer

1939
The Gorilla

as Executive In Charge Of Production

1938
1938
1938
Submarine Patrol

as Producer

1938
Always Goodbye

as Producer

1938
1938
In Old Chicago

as Producer

1938
Sally, Irene and Mary

as Executive Producer

1938
Happy Landing

as Producer

1938
Kentucky Moonshine

as Producer

1938
Gateway

as Producer

1938
Josette

as Executive Producer

1938
My Lucky Star

as Producer

1938
Kentucky

as Executive Producer

1938
Three Blind Mice

as Producer

1938
1938
Suez

as Producer

1937
Heidi

as Producer

1937
On the Avenue

as Producer

1937
Seventh Heaven

as Producer

1937
Slave Ship

as Producer

1937
Wee Willie Winkie

as Producer

1937
1937
Angel's Holiday

as Producer

1937
Lancer Spy

as Executive Producer

1937
Wake Up and Live

as Producer

1937
Thin Ice

as Producer

1937
1937
This Is My Affair

as Production Manager

1937
Love Is News

as Executive In Charge Of Production

1937
Love and Hisses

as Producer

1936
Private Number

as Production Manager

1936
It Had to Happen

as Producer

1936
The Country Beyond

as Producer

1936
1936
Under Two Flags

as Producer

1936
Half Angel

as Producer

1936
1936
The Road to Glory

as Producer

1936
Sing, Baby, Sing

as Producer

1936
Pigskin Parade

as Producer

1936
White Fang

as Producer

1936
1936
Ramona

as Executive Producer

1936
Reunion

as Executive Producer

1936
White Hunter

as Producer

1936
Banjo on My Knee

as Executive Producer

1936
Ladies In Love

as Executive In Charge Of Production

1936
Lloyd's of London

as Production Manager

1935
Clive of India

as Producer

1935
1935
Metropolitan

as Producer

1935
Cardinal Richelieu

as Producer

1935
Les Misérables

as Producer

1935
Call of the Wild

as Producer

1935
Thanks a Million

as Producer

1935
Folies Bergère

as Producer

1935
1935
The Littlest Rebel

as Production Manager

1934
Moulin Rouge

as Producer

1934
1934
The Last Gentleman

as Producer

1934
1934
The Mighty Barnum

as Producer

1934
Born to Be Bad

as Producer

1934
1933
1933
Blood Money

as Producer

1933
The Bowery

as Producer

1933
Parachute Jumper

as Producer

1933
The Working Man

as Producer

1933
Ex-Lady

as Producer

1933
Gallant Lady

as Producer

1932
Doctor X

as Executive Producer

1932
Three on a Match

as Producer

1932
1932
The Dark Horse

as Producer

1932
Life Begins

as Executive Producer

1932
1931
The Public Enemy

as Producer

1931
Little Caesar

as Producer

1931
Illicit

as Producer

1931
Blonde Crazy

as Executive Producer

1930
Three Faces East

as Producer

1930
The Doorway to Hell

as Executive Producer

1929
Show of Shows

as Producer

1929
On With the Show!

as Producer

1928
Tenderloin

as Producer

1928
Noah's Ark

as Associate Producer

1928
Lights of New York

as Production Supervisor

1928
The Singing Fool

as Producer

1928
The Terror

as Producer

1927
The First Auto

as Producer

1927
The Desired Woman

as Associate Producer

1927
Old San Francisco

as Producer

1926
So This Is Paris

as Producer

1925
1925
Eve's Lover

as Producer

Writer

1960
1944
1942
China Girl

as Screenplay

1942
Thunder Birds

as Story

1935
'G' Men

as Novel

1933
Baby Face

as Story

1933
Lady Killer

as Story

1932
1930
1930
1929
1929
1928
Noah's Ark

as Story

1928
Tenderloin

as Story

1928
My Man

as Story

1928
1928
1928
1927
The Missing Link

as Scenario Writer

1927
Irish Hearts

as Story

1927
Jaws of Steel

as Writer

1927
1927
1927
1927
Simple Sis

as Story

1926
The Little Irish Girl

as Adaptation

1926
The Better 'Ole

as Screenplay

1926
1926
Across the Pacific

as Adaptation

1926
The Cave Man

as Writer

1926
Oh! What a Nurse!

as Scenario Writer

1925
Hogan's Alley

as Writer

1925
Red Hot Tires

as Story

1925
1925
Seven Sinners

as Story

1925
1925
Eve's Lover

as Scenario Writer

1924
Find Your Man

as Writer

1924
Money to Burns

as Co-Writer

1923
Fighting Blood

as Writer

1923
Fighting Blood

as Writer

1923
Fighting Blood

as Writer

Actor

2022
Rat Pack

as Self (archive footage)

2009
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year

as Self (archive footage)

2006
2005
Filmmakers vs. Tycoons

as Self (archive footage)

2001
Backstory: 'Gentleman's Agreement'

as Self (archive footage)

2001
2000
Backstory: 'How Green Was My Valley'

as Self (archive footage)

1997
Frank Capra's American Dream

as Self (archive footage)

1995
1968
1968
The Dick Cavett Show

as Self - Guest

1956
1950
The Screen Writer

as Self (uncredited)

1950
What's My Line?

as Self - Mystery Guest

Crew

1950
No Way Out

as Presenter

1947
I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now

as Additional Writing

1945
Leave Her to Heaven

as Presenter

Director