Albert Zugsmith (April 24, 1910 – October 26, 1993) was an American film producer, film director and screenwriter who specialized in low-budget

exploitation film An exploitation film is a film that seeks commercial success by capitalizing on current trends, niche genres, or sensational content. Exploitation films often feature themes such as suggestive or explicit sex, sensational violence, drug use, nudi ...

s through the 1950s and 1960s. With a background in music promotion ( Ted Weems,

Paul Whiteman Paul Samuel Whiteman (March 28, 1890 – December 29, 1967) was an American Jazz bandleader, composer, orchestral director, and violinist. As the leader of one of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s and early 193 ...

), public relations (one of his clients in Depression-era Chicago was

Al Capone Alphonse Gabriel Capone ( ; ; January 17, 1899 – January 25, 1947), sometimes known by the nickname "Scarface", was an American organized crime, gangster and businessman who attained notoriety during the Prohibition era as the co-foun ...

), journalism, and brokering communication properties (radio, newspaper, early television), Zugsmith became independently wealthy and began producing films at RKO during the

Howard Hughes Howard Robard Hughes Jr. (December 24, 1905 – April 5, 1976) was an American Aerospace engineering, aerospace engineer, business magnate, film producer, and investor. He was The World's Billionaires, one of the richest and most influential peo ...

years. Zugsmith's most significant credits are a string of four genre masterpieces produced in the late 1950s, all for

Universal Pictures Universal City Studios LLC, doing business as Universal Pictures (also known as Universal Studios or simply Universal), is an American filmmaking, film production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered at the 10 Universal Ci ...

: the science-fiction classic ''

The Incredible Shrinking Man ''The Incredible Shrinking Man'' is a 1957 American science fiction film directed by Jack Arnold (director), Jack Arnold, based on Richard Matheson's 1956 novel, ''The Shrinking Man''. The film stars Grant Williams (actor), Grant Williams as Sc ...

'', Orson Welles' ''

Touch of Evil ''Touch of Evil'' is a 1958 American film noir written and directed by Orson Welles, who also stars. The screenplay was loosely based on Whit Masterson's novel '' Badge of Evil'' (1956). The cast included Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, Jose ...

'',

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 (film industry), Hollywood melodramas of the 1950s. However, he also directed comedies, westerns, and war f ...

's '' Written on the Wind'', and the camp exploitation films (produced for

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...

) '' High School Confidential'' and '' The Girl in the Kremlin''. An archive of some of his shooting scripts and screenplays are housed in the Special Collections department at the

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (U of I, UIowa, or Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized int ...

Biography

Zugsmith was a journalist, publicist, and lawyer. In 1939 he moved in to brokering sales of communication properties like newspapers and radio and television stations; he was very successful, making up to $250 million worth of sales, and became a millionaire from his commissions. He was a film buff, and wanted to move into film producing.

National Comics lawsuit

In 1947, Zugsmith represented

Jerry Siegel Jerome "Jerry" Siegel ( ; October 17, 1914 – January 28, 1996) Roger Stern. ''Superman: Sunday Classics: 1939–1943'' DC Comics/ Kitchen Sink Press, Inc./ Sterling Publishing; 2006 was an American comic book writer. He was the co-creator of ...

(with whom he served in World War II) and

Joe Shuster Joseph Shuster ( ; July 10, 1914 – July 30, 1992) was a Canadian-American comic book artist best known for co-creating the DC Comics character Superman, with Jerry Siegel, in ''Action Comics'' #1 ( cover-dated June 1938). Shuster was involv ...

in their lawsuit against National Comics. Siegel and Shuster were seeking $5 million and the return of the rights to their creation

Superman Superman is a superhero created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, which first appeared in the comic book ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1, published in the United States on April 18, 1938.The copyright date of ''Action Comics ...

. They ended up settling out of court for $100,000, and National retained the rights. Shuster would later speculate that Zugsmith had cut a deal with National without his clients' knowledge.

American Pictures Corporation

Zugsmith formed American Pictures Corporation, along with Peter Miller,

Aubrey Wisberg Aubrey Lionel Wisberg (October 20, 1909 – March 14, 1990) was a British-American filmmaker. Biography Born in London, Wisberg emigrated to the United States in 1921, attended New York University and Columbia University, and married B ...

and Jack Pollexfen. They planned to make six films a year for five years out of a fund of $3.5 million. They did a three-picture deal with RKO to make '' Captive Women'' (1952), '' Sword of Venus'' (1953), and '' Port Sinister'' (1953). No film cost more than $100,000. It was a film he made for Columbia that established him - '' Invasion, U.S.A.'' (1952), which earned profits of over a million dollars. He followed it with '' Paris Model'' (1953), and '' Top Banana'' (1954, starring

Phil Silvers Phil Silvers (born Phillip Silver; May 11, 1911 – November 1, 1985) was an American entertainer and comedic actor, known as "The King of Chutzpah". His career as a professional entertainer spanned nearly 60 years. He achieved major popularity w ...

), both comedies.

Universal

Zugsmith's success saw him receive a long term contract at Universal. While there he acted as a

script doctor A script doctor is a writer or playwright hired by a film, television, or theatre production company to rewrite an existing script or improve specific aspects of it, including structure, characterization, dialogue, pacing, themes, and other elemen ...

for several Universal-International films and produced '' Female on the Beach'' (1955), a melodrama with

Joan Crawford Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; March 23, 190? was an American actress. She started her career as a dancer in traveling theatrical companies before debuting on Broadway theatre, Broadway. Crawford was signed to a motion-picture cont ...

and Jeff Chandler; '' The Square Jungle'' (1955), a boxing film with Tony Curtis; '' Raw Edge'' (1956), a Western with

Yvonne de Carlo Margaret Yvonne Middleton (September 1, 1922January 8, 2007), known professionally as Yvonne De Carlo, was a Canadian-American actress, dancer and singer. She became a Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film star and sex symbol in the 1940s a ...

and

Rory Calhoun Rory Calhoun (born Francis Timothy McCown, August 8, 1922April 28, 1999) was an American film and television actor. He starred in numerous Westerns in the 1950s and 1960s, and appeared in supporting roles in films such as ''How to Marry a Millio ...

; '' Red Sundown'' (1956), a Western with Calhoun, directed by Jack Arnold; and '' Star in the Dust'' (1956), another Western with

John Agar John George Agar Jr. (January 31, 1921 – April 7, 2002) was an American film and television actor. He is best known for starring alongside John Wayne in the films ''Sands of Iwo Jima'', '' Fort Apache'', and '' She Wore a Yellow Ribbon''. In h ...

and

Mamie Van Doren Mamie Van Doren (; born Joan Lucille Olander; February 6, 1931) is an American actress, singer, and model. A Bombshell (slang), blonde bombshell, she is one of the "Three M's" along with Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield, who were friends and ...

, directed by Charles F. Haas. Zugsmith had a big hit with '' Written on the Wind'' (1956) starring

Rock Hudson Rock Hudson (born Roy Harold Scherer Jr.; November 17, 1925 – October 2, 1985) was an American actor. One of the most popular film stars of his time, he had a screen career spanning more than three decades, and was a prominent figure in the G ...

, Robert Stack, Lauren Bacall and Dorothy Malone, directed by

. Also popular was ''

'' (1957) from the script and novel by

Richard Matheson Richard Burton Matheson (February 20, 1926 – June 23, 2013) was an American author and screenwriter, primarily in the fantasy, horror, and science fiction genres. He is best known as the author of '' I Am Legend'', a 1954 science ficti ...

. Zugmsith produced '' The Tattered Dress'' (1957) with Chandler, '' The Girl in the Kremlin'' (1957), and '' Slaughter on 10th Avenue'' (1957), a film noir. He did ''

The Tarnished Angels ''The Tarnished Angels'' is a 1957 black-and-white American CinemaScope drama film directed by Douglas Sirk and starring Rock Hudson, Robert Stack, Dorothy Malone, Jack Carson, and Robert Middleton. The screenplay by George Zuckerman is ba ...

'' (1957) which reunited Sirk, Hudson, Stack and Malone, and '' Man in the Shadow'' (1957) with Chandler and

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American director, actor, writer, producer, and magician who is remembered for his innovative work in film, radio, and theatre. He is among the greatest and most influential film ...

, directed by Arnold. He did '' The Female Animal'' (1957) with Hedy Lamarr from his own story, directed by

Harry Keller Harry Keller (February 22, 1913 – January 19, 1987) was an American film editor, producer and director, who made a number of Western (genre), westerns and worked for many years at Republic Pictures and Universal Pictures. In 1958, Keller was ta ...

. Zugsmith's next film was ''

'' (1958), which had Welles attached to play the villain;

Charlton Heston Charlton Heston (born John Charles Carter; October 4, 1923 – April 5, 2008) was an American actor. He gained stardom for his leading man roles in numerous Cinema of the United States, Hollywood films including biblical epics, science-fiction f ...

agreed to star if Welles directed, which happened, although some additional scenes were directed by Harry Keller after Zugsmith left the studio.

MGM

Zugsmith says he left Universal because he was unhappy Edward Muhl had been made subservient to Al Daff He moved to MGM, where he signed a six-picture deal. The association started well with '' High School Confidential!'' (1958), starring

Russ Tamblyn Russell Irving Tamblyn (born December 30, 1934), also known as Rusty Tamblyn, is an American film and television actor and dancer. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Tamblyn trained as a gymnast in his youth. He began his career as a child actor ...

and Van Doren, and directed by Jack Arnold. It was a big hit. He followed it with '' Night of the Quarter Moon'' (1958); '' The Beat Generation'' (1959), with Van Doren and Steve Cochran, co-written by Matheson, and directed by Haas; '' The Big Operator'' (1959) with Van Doren, Cochran and Mickey Rooney, directed by Haas; and '' Girls Town'' (1959) with Van Doren, also directed by Haas. All these lost money.. Zugsmith later said "after telling me that I would have decent budgets, MGM never gave me a decent budget while I was there.... I didn't get along very well with Mr Benny Thau.... I never cared for MGM. They gave me all kinds of curves: bad cameramen that happened to be under contract, and so on. I wasn't one of the 'clique'. They wouldn't back me up on the set or anything else." Zugsmith turned director with '' The Private Lives of Adam and Eve'' (1960) which he filmed with Rooney, who also starred; Van Doren was in the cast. It was made independently outside MGM, for Universal."Rooney to Rejoin Albert Zugsmith: 'Platinum High School' Vehicle; Trade Paper Raps High Prices". Scheuer, Philip K., ''Los Angeles Times''. June 5, 1959: A9. "I pick my titles to get 'em into theatres", said Zugsmith. "Thousands of exhibitors say amen to that.""Entertainment: Zugsmith Success Story Is Unusual". ''Los Angeles Times''. November 28, 1959: 12. Back at MGM, Zugmsith produced ''

Platinum High School ''Platinum High School'' is a 1960 American crime drama romance film directed by Charles Haas and starring Mickey Rooney, Terry Moore and Dan Duryea. It was based on the 1960 novel of the same name by Irving Shulman. Plot Sailing to a coastal ...

'' (1960), with Rooney, directed by Haas.

Director

Zugsmith was billed as sole director for '' College Confidential'' (1960) starring Steve Allen, from a story by Zugsmith, at Universal. He then bought stock in Allied Artists and directed three films for that company: '' Sex Kittens Go to College'' (1960) with Van Doren and

Tuesday Weld Tuesday Weld (born Susan Ker Weld; August 27, 1943) is a retired American actress. She began acting as a child and progressed to mature roles in the late 1950s. She won a Golden Globe Award, Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Female Newcome ...

; '' Dondi'' (1961), a

children's film A children's film, or family film, is a film genre that generally relates to children in the context of home and family. Children's films are made specifically for children and not necessarily for a general audience, while family films are made f ...

with

David Janssen David Janssen (born David Harold Meyer; March 27, 1931 – February 13, 1980) was an American film and television actor who is best known for his starring role as Richard Kimble in the television series '' The Fugitive'' (1963–1967). Janssen a ...

and

Patti Page Clara Ann Fowler (November 8, 1927 – January 1, 2013), better known by her stage name Patti Page, was an American singer. Primarily known for Pop music, pop and Country music, country music, she was the top-charting female vocalist and b ...

; and ''

Confessions of an Opium Eater ''Confessions of an Opium Eater'' also known as Souls for Sale and Evils of Chinatown is a 1962 American crime film produced and directed by Albert Zugsmith. It is loosely based on the 1821 autobiographical novel ''Confessions of an English Opiu ...

'' (1963) with

Vincent Price Vincent Leonard Price Jr. (May 27, 1911 – October 25, 1993) was an American actor. He was known for his work in the horror film genre, mostly portraying villains. He appeared on stage, television, and radio, and in more than 100 films. Price ...

. Zugsmith later said "Allied Artists was a very depressing period in my life. Maybe it showed in the films I made there. I was very depressed there. I didn't like it; I felt imprisoned; I had to get away." He produced ''

Zigzag A zigzag is a pattern made up of small corners at variable angles, though constant within the zigzag, tracing a path between two parallel lines; it can be described as both jagged and fairly regular. In geometry, this pattern is described as a ...

'' (1963) in the Philippines, then produced and directed '' The Great Space Adventure'' (1963). He produced

Russ Meyer Russell Albion Meyer (March 21, 1922 – September 18, 2004) was an American filmmaker. He was primarily known for writing and directing a successful series of sexploitation films featuring campy humor, sly satire and large-breasted women, wh ...

's ''

Fanny Hill ''Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure'' – popularly known as ''Fanny Hill'' – is an erotic novel by the English novelist John Cleland first published in London in 1748 and 1749. Written while the author was in debtors' prison in London,Wagne ...

'' (1964), but the two men disliked working together. He directed some scenes of '' Dog Eat Dog'' (1964). He wrote and directed '' The Incredible Sex Revolution'' (1966); directed '' Psychedelic Sexualis'' (1966), '' Movie Star, American Style or; LSD, I Hate You'' (1966) and '' The Chinese Room'' (1968); produced and wrote '' Sappho Darling'' (1968); and directed '' Two Roses and a Golden Rod'' (1969), ''The Very Friendly Neighbors'' (1969), and '' The Phantom Gunslinger'' (1970) with

Troy Donahue Troy Donahue (born Merle Johnson Jr., January 27, 1936 – September 2, 2001) was an American film and television actor, best known for his role as Johnny Hunter in the film '' A Summer Place''. He was a popular sex symbol in the 1950s and ...

. In 1973, he said in an interview "many of the talents that I have developed or worked with have suffered by not continuing with me. And I have suffered by not continuing with them." Zugsmith's last credit was directing '' Violated!'' (1975).

Personal life

His older sister, Leane Zugsmith, was a leading proletarian novelist in the 1930s. He was married to Ruth (Feldman). Zugsmith had two daughters, Suzan and Patricia (Patty) and a son Michael. Sue became the Mayor of

Claremont, California Claremont () is a suburban city in eastern Los Angeles County, California, United States, east of Los Angeles. It lies in the Pomona Valley at the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. As of the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census it had ...

Partial filmography

As producer only

* '' Invasion U.S.A.'' (1952) * '' Paris Model'' (1953) * '' Top Banana'' (1954) * '' Female on the Beach'' (1955) * '' Star in the Dust'' (1956) * '' Written on the Wind'' (1956) * ''

'' (1957) * '' The Girl in the Kremlin'' (1957) * ''

'' (1958) * ''

'' (1958) * '' High School Confidential'' (1958) * '' The Big Operator'' (1959) * '' The Beat Generation'' (1959) * ''

'' (1960)

As director

* '' College Confidential'' (1960) * '' Sex Kittens Go to College'' (1960) * '' The Private Lives of Adam and Eve'' (1960) * '' Dondi'' (1961) * ''

'' (1962) * ''

'' (1964) * '' Psychedelic Sexualis'' (1966) * '' The Phantom Gunslinger'' (1970)

Notes

References

External links

Albert Zugsmith papers
at the

American Heritage Center The American Heritage Center is the University of Wyoming's repository of manuscripts, rare books, and the university archives. Its collections focus on Wyoming and the Rocky Mountain West (including politics, settlement, Native Americans, and W ...

*
Biographical page
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Zugsmith, Albert 1910 births 1993 deaths American male film actors Film producers from New Jersey American male screenwriters 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American businesspeople Film directors from New Jersey Screenwriters from New Jersey 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American screenwriters Writers from Atlantic City, New Jersey