John Malcolm Stahl (January 21, 1886 – January 12, 1950) was an American film director and producer.

Life and work

He was born Jacob Morris Strelitsky in Baku (

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of t ...

) to a

Russian Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

family. When he was a child, his family left the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...

and moved to the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

, settling in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

. At a young age he took the name John Malcolm Stahl and began working, first as a theatre actor and then in the city's growing

motion picture industry The film industry or motion picture industry comprises the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking, i.e., film production companies, film studios, cinematography, animation, film production, screenwriting, pre-production, post pr ...

. He directed his first

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized Sound recording and reproduction, recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) ...

short in 1913. Sowing the Wind (1921) - 2

In 1919 he signed on with Louis B. Mayer Pictures in Hollywood. In 1924 he was part of the Mayer team that founded

MGM Studios Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...

. In 1927, Stahl was one of the thirty-six founding members of the

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization with the stated goal of advancing the arts and sciences of motio ...

. With the industry's transition to

talkies A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades passed before ...

and

feature-length film A feature film or feature-length film is a narrative film (motion picture or "movie") with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole presentation in a commercial entertainment program. The term ''feature film'' originall ...

s, Stahl successfully made the adjustment. From 1927 through 1929 Stahl was an

executive Executive ( exe., exec., execu.) may refer to: Role or title * Executive, a senior management role in an organization ** Chief executive officer (CEO), one of the highest-ranking corporate officers (executives) or administrators ** Executive dir ...

at the short-lived

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

studio

Tiffany Pictures Tiffany Pictures, which also became Tiffany-Stahl Productions for a time, was a Hollywood motion picture studio in operation from 1921 until 1932. It is considered a Poverty Row studio, whose films had lower budgets, lesser-known stars, and overall ...

, and renamed the company "Tiffany-Stahl Productions". In 1930 he joined

Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...

where he directed in 1934 the film '' Imitation of Life,'' which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. The following year, he directed ''

Magnificent Obsession ''Magnificent Obsession'' is a 1929 novel by American author Lloyd C. Douglas. It was one of four of his books that were eventually made into blockbuster motion pictures, the other three being '' The Robe'', '' White Banners'' and ''The Big Fisher ...

'', starring

Irene Dunne Irene Dunne (born Irene Marie Dunn; December 20, 1898 – September 4, 1990) was an American actress who appeared in films during the Golden Age of Hollywood. She is best known for her comedic roles, though she performed in films of other gen ...

and Robert Taylor. Both films were later remade in the 1950s by director

Douglas Sirk Douglas Sirk (born Hans Detlef Sierck; 26 April 1897 – 14 January 1987) was a German film director best known for his work in Hollywood melodramas of the 1950s. Sirk started his career in Germany as a stage and screen director, but he left for ...

. John Stahl continued to produce and direct major productions as well as filler shorts up to the time of his death. Some of his other notable directorial work was for ''

The Keys of the Kingdom ''The Keys of the Kingdom'' is a 1941 novel by A. J. Cronin. Spanning six decades, it tells the story of Father Francis Chisholm, an unconventional Scottish Catholic priest who struggles to establish a mission in China. Beset by tragedy in h ...

'' in 1944 and the 1945 film noir, ''

Leave Her to Heaven ''Leave Her to Heaven'' is a 1945 American psychological thriller film noir melodrama directed by John M. Stahl and starring Gene Tierney, Cornel Wilde, Jeanne Crain, and Vincent Price. It follows a socialite who marries a prominent novelist, ...

'' starring

Gene Tierney Gene Eliza Tierney (November 19, 1920 – November 6, 1991) was an American film and stage actress. Acclaimed for her great beauty, she became established as a leading lady. Tierney was best known for her portrayal of the title character in the ...

, who was

nominated A candidate, or nominee, is the prospective recipient of an award or honor, or a person seeking or being considered for some kind of position; for example: * to be elected to an office — in this case a candidate selection procedure occurs. * ...

for

Best Actress Best Actress is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organisations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actresses in a film, television series, television film or play. The first Best Actress aw ...

. Stahl died in Hollywood in 1950. He is interred at

Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries is an American corporation that owns and operates a chain of cemeteries and mortuaries in Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside counties in Southern California. History The company was founded by a group of ...

in Glendale, California. He was married to actress and writer Frances Irene Reels from 1918 to her death in 1926, and to actress

Roxana McGowan Roxana McGowan (March 15, 1897 – November 22, 1976), born in Chicago, Illinois, was an actress in Mack Sennett comedies in the silent film era. Her screen career was brief, lasting from 1917–1919. Movie comic ''Her Screen Idol'' (19 ...

from 1931 to his death. On February 8, 1960, for his contributions to the motion pictures industry, Stahl received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6546

Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It begins in the east at Sunset Boulevard in the Los Feliz district and proceeds to the west as a major thoroughfare through Little Armenia and Thai Town, Hollywoo ...

Mollie King Women Men Forget Film Daily 1919

Filmography

Director

* '' A Boy and the Law'' (1913) (uncredited) (Lost) * '' The Lincoln Cycle'' (1917) (uncredited) * ''

Wives of Men ''Wives of Men'' is a 1918 American silent drama film directed by John M. Stahl and starring Florence Reed. Stahl also wrote the screenplay with movie being produced by Grace Davison, who has a role in the film. Cast * Florence Reed as Lucille ...

'' (1918) (Lost) * ''

Suspicion Suspicion is a feeling of mistrust. Suspicion(s), The Suspicion, or Suspicious may also refer to: Film and television Film * ''Suspicion'' (1918 film), an American silent film directed by John M. Stahl * ''Suspicion'' (1941 film), an American ...

'' (1918) (Lost) * '' Her Code of Honor'' (1919) * ''

The Woman Under Oath ''The Woman Under Oath'' is a 1919 American silent mystery film directed by John M. Stahl and starring stage star Florence Reed. As with the previous Stahl and Reed film, ''Her Code of Honor'', it was produced by Tribune Productions and released ...

'' (1919) * (1920) (Lost) * '' The Woman in His House'' (1920) (Lost) * '' Sowing the Wind'' (1921) * ''

The Child Thou Gavest Me ''The Child Thou Gavest Me'' is a 1921 American drama film directed by John M. Stahl and written by Chester L. Roberts. The film stars Barbara Castleton, Adele Farrington, Winter Hall, Lewis Stone, William Desmond, and Richard Headrick. The f ...

'' (1921) * '' Suspicious Wives'' (1921) * '' One Clear Call'' (1922) * '' The Song of Life'' (1922) * ''

The Dangerous Age ''The Dangerous Age'' is a 1923 American silent drama film directed by John M. Stahl and written by J.G. Hawks, Bess Meredyth, and Lenore Coffee. The film stars Lewis Stone, Cleo Madison, Edith Roberts, Ruth Clifford, Myrtle Stedman, and Jam ...

'' (1923) (Lost) * '' The Wanters'' (1923) (Lost - one reel survives) * '' Why Men Leave Home'' (1924) * '' Husbands and Lovers'' (1924) * '' Fine Clothes'' (1925) (Lost) * '' The Gay Deceiver'' (1926) (Lost) * '' Memory Lane'' (1926) * '' Lovers?'' (1927) (Lost) * '' In Old Kentucky'' (1927) * '' A Lady Surrenders'' (1930) * ''

Seed A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiospe ...

'' (1931) * '' Strictly Dishonorable'' (1931) * '' Back Street'' (1932) * '' Only Yesterday'' (1933) * '' Imitation of Life'' (1934) * ''

'' (1935) * '' Parnell'' (1937) * ''

Letter of Introduction ''Letter of Introduction'' is a 1938 American comedy-drama film directed by John M. Stahl. In 1966, the film entered the public domain in the United States because the claimants did not renew its copyright registration in the 28th year after p ...

'' (1938) * ''

When Tomorrow Comes "When Tomorrow Comes" is a song recorded by British pop music duo Eurythmics. It was written by group members Annie Lennox, David A. Stewart and guest keyboardist Pat Seymour. With this single and its parent album ''Revenge'', Lennox and Stewart ...

'' (1939) * ''

Our Wife Our Wife may refer to: * Our Wife (1931 film) ''Our Wife'' is a 1931 American pre-Code Hal Roach comedy film starring Laurel and Hardy. It was directed by James W. Horne and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Plot Oliver is making plans to be ma ...

'' (1941) * ''

Immortal Sergeant ''Immortal Sergeant'' is a 1943 American war film directed by John M. Stahl for 20th Century Fox. Set in the North African desert during World War II, it stars Henry Fonda as a corporal lacking in confidence in both love and war, Maureen O'Hara ...

'' (1943) * '' Holy Matrimony'' (1943) * '' The Eve of St. Mark'' (1944) * ''

'' (1944) * ''

'' (1945) * ''

The Foxes of Harrow ''The Foxes of Harrow'' is a 1947 American adventure film directed by John M. Stahl. The film stars Rex Harrison, Maureen O'Hara, and Richard Haydn. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Production Design ( Lyle R. Wheeler, Mau ...

'' (1947) * '' The Walls of Jericho'' (1948) * ''

Father Was a Fullback ''Father Was a Fullback'' is a 1949 black-and-white film from 20th Century Fox based on a comedy by Clifford Goldsmith. The film is about a college American football star and his woes. The film stars Fred MacMurray, Maureen O'Hara, Natalie Wood, ...

'' (1949) * '' Oh, You Beautiful Doll'' (1949)

Producer

* ''

'' (1921) * '' Husbands and Lovers'' (1924) * '' Memory Lane'' (1926) * '' Lovers'' (1927) * '' Wild Geese'' (1927) * '' In Old Kentucky'' (1927) * '' The Haunted Ship'' (1927) * ''

Streets of Shanghai ''Streets of Shanghai'' is a 1927 American silent drama film directed by Louis J. Gasnier and written by Harry Braxton and Jack Natteford. The film, starring Pauline Starke, Kenneth Harlan, and Eddie Gribbon, was released by Tiffany-Stahl Produ ...

'' (1927) * '' A Woman Against the World'' (1928) * ''

The Devil's Skipper ''The Devil's Skipper'' is a 1928 American silent drama film directed by John G. Adolfi and starring Belle Bennett, Montagu Love and Gino Corrado. It was based on a short story by Jack London.Goble p.736 It is now considered a lost film. Cast * ...

'' (1928) * '' Nameless Men'' (1928) * ''

The Man in Hobbles ''The Man in Hobbles'' is a 1928 American silent comedy film directed by George Archainbaud and starring John Harron, Lila Lee and Lucien Littlefield.Babington & Barr p.133 The film's sets were designed by the art director Hervey Libbert. Ca ...

'' (1928) * ''

The Tragedy of Youth ''The Tragedy of Youth'' is a 1928 American silent drama film directed by George Archainbaud and starring Patsy Ruth Miller, Warner Baxter and William Collier Jr.Munden p.825 It was produced and released by Tiffany Pictures, one of the largest ...

'' (1928) * '' Their Hour '' (1928) * ''

Bachelor's Paradise ''Bachelors' Paradise'' (german: Paradies der Junggesellen) is a 1939 German comedy film directed by Kurt Hoffmann and starring Heinz Rühmann, Josef Sieber, and Hans Brausewetter. It was based on a novel by Johannes Boldt. It was shot at the B ...

'' (1928) * ''

The House of Scandal ''The House of Scandal'' is a 1928 American silent drama film directed by King Baggot and starring Pat O'Malley, Dorothy Sebastian and Gino Corrado.Munden p.366 Cast * Pat O'Malley as Pat Regan * Dorothy Sebastian as Ann Rourke * Harry Murray ...

'' (1928) * '' The Scarlet Dove'' (1928) * ''

Ladies of the Night Club ''Ladies of the Night Club'' is a 1928 American comedy film directed by George Archainbaud and starring Ricardo Cortez, Barbara Leonard and Lee Moran.Munden p.413 It was produced during the transition to sound film and is essentially a silent fil ...

'' (1928) * '' Stormy Waters'' (1928) * '' Clothes Make the Woman'' (1928) * '' Green Grass Widows'' (1928) * ''

Prowlers of the Sea ''Prowlers of the Sea'' is a 1928 American silent film, silent adventure film directed by John G. Adolfi and starring Carmel Myers, Ricardo Cortez and George Fawcett.Van Neste p.68 It is based on Jack London's story ''The Siege of the Lancashire ...

'' (1928) * ''

Lingerie Lingerie (, , ) is a category of primarily women's clothing including undergarments (mainly brassieres), sleepwear, and lightweight robes. The choice of the word is often motivated by an intention to imply that the garments are alluring, fash ...

'' (1928) * ''

Beautiful But Dumb ''Beautiful But Dumb'' is a 1928 American silent romantic comedy film directed by Elmer Clifton and starring Patsy Ruth Miller, Charles Byer and George E. Stone.Munden p.45 A stenographer has a makeover and schemes to snare her boss. Cast * ...

'' (1928) * '' The Grain of Dust'' (1928) * ''

Domestic Meddlers ''Domestic Meddlers'' is a 1928 American silent comedy film directed by James Flood and starring Claire Windsor, Lawrence Gray and Roy D'Arcy.Darby p.373 Cast * Claire Windsor as Claire * Lawrence Gray as Walter * Roy D'Arcy as Lew * Jed ...

'' (1928) * '' The Toilers'' (1928) * '' The Naughty Duchess'' (1928) * ''

The Power of Silence ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' (1928) * ''

The Cavalier ''Woodstock, or The Cavalier. A Tale of the Year Sixteen Hundred and Fifty-one'' (1826) is a historical novel by Sir Walter Scott, one of the Waverley novels. Set just after the English Civil War, it was inspired by the legend of the Good Devil ...

'' (1928) * ''

Marriage by Contract ''Marriage by Contract'' is a 1928 American drama film directed by James Flood and starring Patsy Ruth Miller, Lawrence Gray and Robert Edeson. It was one of the first sound films produced by Tiffany Pictures, one of the largest independent stu ...

'' (1928) * '' The Floating College'' (1928) * ''

The Gun Runner ''The Gun Runner'' is a 1969 action movie,''The Gun Runner''
at

Tropical Nights'' (1928) *'' George Washington Cohen'' (1928) * ''

Broadway Fever ''Broadway Fever'' is a 1929 American silent comedy film directed by Edward F. Cline and starring Sally O'Neil, Roland Drew and Corliss Palmer.Pitts p.408 It is now considered a lost film. Cast * Sally O'Neil as Sally McAllister * Roland Drew ...

'' (1929) * ''

The Rainbow ''The Rainbow'' is a novel by British author D. H. Lawrence, first published by Methuen & Co. in 1915. It follows three generations of the Brangwen family living in Nottinghamshire, focusing particularly on the individual's struggle to growth ...

'' (1929) * '' Lucky Boy'' (1929) * ''

The Spirit of Youth ''The Spirit of Youth'' is a 1929 American silent drama film directed by Walter Lang. A complete print of the film exists. Cast * Dorothy Sebastian as Betty Grant * Larry Kent as Jim Kenney * Betty Francisco as Claire Ewing * Maurice Murphy ...

'' (1929) * '' The Devil's Apple Tree'' (1929) * ''

Molly and Me ''Molly and Me'' is a 1945 American comedy film directed by Lewis Seiler and starring Monty Woolley, Gracie Fields, Reginald Gardiner and Roddy McDowall and released by 20th Century Fox. The screenplay was based on the novel written by Frances ...

'' (1929) * ''

My Lady's Past ''My Lady's Past'' is a 1929 American drama film directed by Albert Ray and starring Belle Bennett, Joe E. Brown and Alma Bennett.Pitts p.409 After completing his first novel, a writer abandons his wife for his secretary. It is now considered a ...

'' (1929) * ''

The Lost Zeppelin ''The Lost Zeppelin'' is a 1929 sound adventure film directed by Edward Sloman and produced and distributed by Tiffany-Stahl. The film stars Conway Tearle, Virginia Valli and Ricardo Cortez. Tearle plays a navy officer modeled on U. S. Navy Com ...

'' (1929) * ''

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

'' (1929) * '' Two Men and a Maid'' (1929) * ''

Midstream The oil and gas industry is usually divided into three major components: upstream, midstream and downstream. The midstream sector involves the transportation (by pipeline, rail, barge, oil tanker or truck), storage, and wholesale marketing of crud ...

'' (1929) * '' Whispering Winds'' (1929) * ''

Mister Antonio ''Mister Antonio'' is a 1929 love story based on a 1916 Booth Tarkington Broadway play of the same name. Leo Carrillo stars in the title role of Antonio Camaradino, originated on Broadway by Otis Skinner, as a hurdy-gurdy street artist who falls ...

'' (1929) * ''

Painted Faces ''Painted Faces'' (Chinese: 七小福) is a 1988 Hong Kong biographical drama film co-written and directed by Alex Law and starring Sammo Hung as his mentor, Master Yu Jim-yuen of the China Drama Academy. For his portrayal as Master Yu, Hung ...

'' (1929) * ''

'' (1931) * '' Strictly Dishonorable'' (1931) * ''

'' (1935) * '' Parnell'' (1937) * ''

'' (1938) * ''

'' (1939) * ''

'' (1941)

References

External links

*
John M. Stahl; AllMovie/biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stahl, John M. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences founders American film producers Film directors from New York City 1886 births 1950 deaths Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) American people of Azerbaijani-Jewish descent American people of Russian-Jewish descent Russian Jews People from Baku Deaths from coronary artery disease Emigrants from the Russian Empire to the United States