Richard Thorpe

Personal Info

Known For Director

Gender Male

Birthday 1896-02-24

Deathday 1991-05-01 (95 years old)

Place of Birth Hutchinson, Kansas, USA

Also Known As Frank L. Inghram, Frank Inghram, Rollo Smolt Thorpe

Richard Thorpe

Biography

Richard Thorpe (February 24, 1896 - May 1, 1991) was an American film director. Born Rollo Smolt Thorpe in Hutchinson, Kansas, he began his entertainment career performing in vaudeville and onstage. In 1921 he began in motion pictures as an actor and directed his first silent film in 1923. He went on to direct more than one hundred and eighty films. The first full length motion picture he directed for MGM was Last of the Pagans (1935) starring Ray Mala. After directing The Last Challenge in 1967, he retired from the film industry. He died in Palm Springs, California in 1991. Thorpe is also known as the original director of The Wizard of Oz. He was fired after two weeks of shooting, because it was felt that his scenes did not have the right air of fantasy about them. Thorpe notoriously gave Judy Garland a blonde wig and cutesy "baby-doll" makeup that made her look like a girl in her late teens rather than an innocent Kansas farm girl of about thirteen. Both makeup and wig were discarded at the suggestion of George Cukor, who was brought in temporarily. Stills from Thorpe's work on the film survive today. For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Thorpe has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6101 Hollywood Blvd. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Known For

Director

1967
The Last Challenge

as Director

1967
1965
That Funny Feeling

as Director

1965
1964
The Golden Head

as Director

1963
Fun in Acapulco

as Director

1963
Follow the Boys

as Director

1962
How the West Was Won

as Special Guest Director

1961
1961
The Tartars

as Director

1959
1957
Jailhouse Rock

as Director

1957
1957
1955
Quentin Durward

as Director

1955
Bedevilled

as Director

1955
The Prodigal

as Director

1954
The Student Prince

as Director

1954
Athena

as Director

1952
Ivanhoe

as Director

1952
1952
Carbine Williams

as Director

1951
Vengeance Valley

as Director

1951
The Unknown Man

as Director

1951
It's a Big Country

as Director

1951
The Great Caruso

as Director

1950
Black Hand

as Director

1950
Three Little Words

as Director

1949
1949
Malaya

as Director

1949
The Sun Comes Up

as Director

1949
Big Jack

as Director

1948
1948
A Date with Judy

as Director

1947
1947
Fiesta

as Director

1945
1944
1944
1943
Above Suspicion

as Director

1943
Cry 'Havoc'

as Director

1943
1942
1942
White Cargo

as Director

1942
Apache Trail

as Director

1941
1941
The Bad Man

as Director

1941
Barnacle Bill

as Director

1940
1940
Wyoming

as Director

1940
20 Mule Team

as Director

1939
1938
1938
The Toy Wife

as Director

1938
Man-Proof

as Director

1938
Love Is a Headache

as Director

1938
1938
The Crowd Roars

as Director

1937
Double Wedding

as Director

1937
Night Must Fall

as Director

1937
Dangerous Number

as Director

1937
Lest We Forget

as Director

1936
Tarzan Escapes

as Director

1936
1935
Last of the Pagans

as Director

1934
Green Eyes

as Director

1934
1934
City Park

as Director

1934
Stolen Sweets

as Director

1934
Strange Wives

as Director

1934
The Quitter

as Director

1934
Cheating Cheaters

as Director

1933
Forgotten

as Director

1933
1933
Notorious But Nice

as Director

1933
1933
A Man of Sentiment

as Director

1933
I Have Lived

as Director

1933
Strange People

as Director

1932
Cross-Examination

as Director

1932
Murder at Dawn

as Director

1932
The King Murder

as Director

1932
The Midnight Lady

as Director

1932
Probation

as Director

1932
Women Won't Tell

as Director

1932
Slightly Married

as Director

1932
Beauty Parlor

as Director

1932
1932
Thrill of Youth

as Director

1932
Escapade

as Director

1931
King of the Wild

as Director

1931
Wild Horse

as Director

1931
Grief Street

as Director

1931
1931
Forgotten Women

as Director

1931
The Devil Plays

as Director

1931
Neck and Neck

as Director

1931
The Sky Spider

as Director

1931
The Lawless Woman

as Director

1930
The Lone Defender

as Director

1930
The Utah Kid

as Director

1930
Wings of Adventure

as Director

1930
1930
The Thoroughbred

as Director

1930
The Dude Wrangler

as Director

1929
Border Romance

as Director

1929
1929
The Fatal Warning

as Director

1929
The Bachelor Girl

as Director

1928
The Vanishing West

as Director

1928
1928
1928
1928
1927
1927
The Ridin' Rowdy

as Director

1927
1927
1926
College Days

as Director

1926
Easy Going

as Director

1926
Josselyn's Wife

as Director

1926
The Roaring Rider

as Director

1926
The Fighting Cheat

as Director

1926
Ridin' Rivals

as Director

1926
Double Daring

as Director

1926
Twisted Triggers

as Director

1925
On the Go

as Director

1925
Tearin' Loose

as Director

1924
Fast and Fearless

as Director

1924
1924
Thundering Romance

as Director

Writer

1928
1928
1927
1926
Double Daring

as Writer

1925
Tearin' Loose

as Writer

1925
On the Go

as Writer

Editor

1931
Grief Street

as Editor

1931
1931
The Devil Plays

as Editor

Actor

1924
Flames of Desire

as Dick Langton

1923
Three O'Clock in the Morning

as Clayton Webster

1921
Burn 'Em Up Barnes

as Stephen Thompson

Producer

1967
The Last Challenge

as Producer

1967