Dorothy Howell (May 10, 1899 – June 8, 1971), was an American

screenwriter A screenwriter (also called scriptwriter, scribe, or scenarist) is a person who practices the craft of writing for visual mass media, known as screenwriting. These can include short films, feature-length films, television programs, television ...

active mostly during the 1920s and 1930s.

Biography

Born to Elmer Howell and Carrie Lorenz, Dorothy was raised in Illinois alongside her younger brother Raymond. Raymond would go on to work at Hollywood studios as a technician, according to census records. Howell worked as a scenarist and screenwriter for Columbia for much of her career. She started out at Columbia as

Harry Cohn Harry Cohn (July 23, 1891 – February 27, 1958) was a co-founder, president, and production director of Columbia Pictures, Columbia Pictures Corporation. Life and career Cohn was born to a working-class Jewish family in New York City. His fath ...

's secretary and was appointed assistant general production manager at the company in 1926. Before joining Columbia, she had also worked as a secretary to executives

Irving Thalberg Irving Grant Thalberg (May 30, 1899 – September 14, 1936) was an American film producer during the early years of motion pictures. He was called "The Boy Wonder" for his youth and ability to select scripts, choose actors, gather productio ...

and B.P. Schulberg. She was married to Mendel B. Silverberg, a prominent entertainment lawyer (who had previously been married to

Alice Calhoun Alice Beatrice Calhoun (November 21, 1900 – June 3, 1966) was an American silent film actress. Film star Born in Cleveland, Ohio, she made her film debut in an uncredited role in 1918 and went on to appear in another forty-seven films betw ...

Selected filmography

* ''

Unmarried Wives ''Unmarried Wives'' is a 1924 American silent drama film directed by James P. Hogan and starring Mildred Harris, Gladys Brockwell and Lloyd Whitlock. Plot The plot evolves around a love triangle in New-York City. Cast * Mildred Harris as Pr ...

'' (1924) * ''

The New Champion ''The New Champion'' is a 1925 American silent sports action film directed by B. Reeves Eason and starring William Fairbanks, Edith Roberts and Lotus Thompson. Cast * William Fairbanks as Bob * Edith Roberts as Polly Brand * Lotus Thompson ...

'' (1925) * ''

Fighting Youth ''Fighting Youth'' is a 1935 American drama film directed by Hamilton MacFadden and written by Henry Johnson, Hamilton MacFadden and newspaper reporter Florabel Muir. The film stars Charles Farrell, June Martel, Andy Devine, J. Farrell MacDona ...

'' (1925) * '' A Fight to the Finish'' (1925) * '' The Better Way'' (1926) * '' The Price of Honor'' (1927) * ''

Birds of Prey Birds of prey or predatory birds, also known as (although not the same as) raptors, are hypercarnivorous bird species that actively predation, hunt and feed on other vertebrates (mainly mammals, reptiles and smaller birds). In addition to speed ...

'' (1927) * '' Rich Men's Sons'' (1927) * '' The Romantic Age'' (1927) * '' The Kid Sister'' (1927) * '' Alias the Lone Wolf'' (1927) * '' Playing Straight'' (1927) * '' Stage Kisses'' (1927) * '' The Reckoning'' (1928) * ''

Virgin Lips ''Virgin Lips'' is a lost 1928 American silent drama film directed by Elmer Clifton and starring Olive Borden, John Boles and Arline Pretty.Munden p.859 Plot American mining interests in a Central American country hire an American aviator to ...

'' (1928) * ''

Runaway Girls ''Runaway Girls'' is a lost 1928 silent film drama directed by Mark Sandrich and starring Shirley Mason and Hedda Hopper. It was produced by Harry Cohn and distributed by his Columbia Pictures, then a fledgling studio. Cast * Shirley Mason as ...

'' (1928) * ''

Submarine A submarine (often shortened to sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. (It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability.) The term "submarine" is also sometimes used historically or infor ...

'' (1928) * ''

The Street of Illusion ''The Street of Illusion'' is a 1928 American silent drama film directed by Erle C. Kenton and starring Virginia Valli, Ian Keith, and Harry Myers. Cast * Virginia Valli as Sylvia Thurston * Ian Keith as Edwin Booth Benton * Harry Myers as ...

'' (1929) * '' The Donovan Affair'' (1929) * '' The Squealer'' (1930) * '' For the Love o' Lil'' (1930) * ''

Men Without Law ''Men Without Law'' is a 1930 American pre-Code Western film directed by Louis King and starring Buck Jones, Carmelita Geraghty, Thomas Carr, Lydia Knott, and Harry Woods. The film was released by Columbia Pictures on October 15, 1930. Cast ...

'' (1930) * '' The Last Parade'' (1931) * ''

Lover Come Back Lover Come Back may refer to: *''Lover Come Back'', a 1940 novel by Clair Blank *Lover Come Back (1931 film), ''Lover Come Back'' (1931 film), starring Constance Cummings *New Moon (1940 film), ''New Moon'' (1940 film), a musical also known as ''Lov ...

'' (1931) * '' Fifty Fathoms Deep'' (1931) * '' Men in Her Life'' (1931) * ''

The Final Edition ''The Final Edition'' is a 1932 American crime drama film directed by Howard Higgin and starring Pat O'Brien, Mae Clark and Morgan Wallace. Made by Columbia Pictures, it is based on a story by Roy Chanslor.Langman p.127 Synopsis The squabbl ...

'' (1932) * ''

Whirlpool A whirlpool is a body of rotating water produced by opposing currents or a current running into an obstacle. Small whirlpools form when a bath or a sink is draining. More powerful ones formed in seas or oceans may be called maelstroms ( ). ''Vo ...

'' (1934) * ''

I'll Fix It ''I'll Fix It'' is a 1934 American romantic comedy film directed by Roy William Neill and starring Jack Holt, Mona Barrie and Winnie Lightner. It was produced by Columbia Pictures. Plot An extremely powerful machine politics fixer is frustrate ...

'' (1934) (story) * '' Quest for the Lost City'' (1955)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Howell, Dorothy (screenwriter) 1899 births 1971 deaths American women screenwriters Screenwriters from Chicago 20th-century American women writers 20th-century American screenwriters