Jane Murfin, née Macklem (October 27, 1884 – August 10, 1955) was an American playwright and screenwriter. The author of several successful plays, she wrote some of them with actress

Jane Cowl Jane Cowl (December 14, 1883 – June 22, 1950) was an American film and Theatre, stage actress and playwright who was, in the words of author Anthony Slide, "notorious for playing tear jerkers, lachrymose parts". Actress Jane Russell was named ...

—most notably '' Smilin' Through'' (1919), which was adapted three times for motion pictures. In Hollywood Murfin became a popular screenwriter whose credits include ''

What Price Hollywood? ''What Price Hollywood?'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by George Cukor and starring Constance Bennett with Lowell Sherman. The screenplay by Gene Fowler, Rowland Brown, Jane Murfin and Ben Markson is based on a story by ...

'' (1932), for which she received an Academy Award nomination. In the 1920s she lived with

Laurence Trimble Laurence Norwood Trimble (February 15, 1885 – February 8, 1954) was an American silent film film director, director, screenwriter, writer and actor. Trimble began his film career directing Jean (dog), Jean, the Vitagraph Dog, the first canine ...

, writing and producing films for their dog

Strongheart Etzel von Oeringen (October 1, 1917 – June 24, 1929), better known as Strongheart, was a male German Shepherd that was one of the early canine stars of feature films. Biography Born October 1, 1917, Etzel von Oeringen was a male German Shephe ...

, the first major canine star.

Life and career

Jane Macklem was born October 27, 1884, in

Quincy, Michigan Quincy is a village in Branch County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,554 at the 2020 census. The village is centered along U.S. Route 12 within Quincy Township. History The area was first settled by Horace Wilson, who fi ...

. In 1907 she married attorney James Murfin, and retained his surname when the marriage ended fewer than five years later. Murfin began her career with the play ''Lilac Time'', which she co-wrote with actress

. The Broadway production opened February 6, 1917, and ran for 176 performances. Later that year the two women began collaborating, often under pseudonym Allan Langdon Martin, on a series of revivals of World War I melodramas. The pair later collaborated on ''Daybreak'', followed by ''Information Please'' (1918) and '' Smilin' Through'' (1919). In Hollywood, Murfin became a leading screenwriter, writing many romantic comedies and dramas by herself or in collaboration. Jane-Murfin-Directing-1924

In 1920, director

persuaded Murfin to purchase a

German Shepherd The German Shepherd, also known in Britain as an Alsatian, is a German Dog breed, breed of working dog of medium to large size. The breed was developed by Max von Stephanitz using various Old German herding dogs, traditional German herding dog ...

dog—

—that became the first major canine film star. Strongheart starred in four films that Trimble directed from Murfin's screenplays: ''The Silent Call'' (1921), ''

Brawn of the North ''Brawn of the North'' is a lost 1922 American silent Northwoods film. It was produced by Laurence Trimble and Jane Murfin with release through Associated First National Pictures. The film stars Irene Rich and a new canine find by Trimble ...

'' (1922), '' The Love Master'' (1924) and ''White Fang'' (1925). Murfin is credited with directing one film, ''Flapper Wives'' (1924), before the dissolution of her partnership with Trimble. Film historian

Kevin Brownlow Kevin Brownlow (born Robert Kevin Brownlow; 2 June 1938) is a British film historian, television documentary-maker, filmmaker, author, and film editor. He is best known for his work documenting the history of the silent era, having become inter ...

described this partnership as both professional and personal; although some sources describe Trimble and Murfin as a husband-and-wife filmmaking team, no marriage has been substantiated. Murfin's later screenwriting credits include '' Way Back Home'' (1931), ''

Our Betters ''Our Betters'' is a 1933 American pre-Code satirical comedy film directed by George Cukor and starring Constance Bennett, Anita Louise and Gilbert Roland. The screenplay by Jane Murfin and Harry Wagstaff Gribble is based on the 1917 play of ...

'' (1933), '' The Little Minister'' (1934), ''

Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. It was the only British fighter produced continuously throughout the ...

'' (1934), ''

Roberta Roberta is a feminine version of the given names Robert and Roberto. It is a Germanic name derived from the stems *hrod meaning "famous", "glorious", "godlike" and *berht meaning "bright", "shining", "light". People with the name *Roberta Achtenbe ...

'' (1935), '' Alice Adams'' (1935), '' The Women'' (1939), ''

Pride and Prejudice ''Pride and Prejudice'' is the second published novel (but third to be written) by English author Jane Austen, written when she was age 20-21, and later published in 1813. A novel of manners, it follows the character development of Elizabe ...

'' (1940), and '' Dragon Seed'' (1944). Murfin was married to director and actor

Donald Crisp Donald William Crisp (27 July 188225 May 1974) was an English people, English film actor as well as an early producer, director and screenwriter. His career lasted from the early silent film era into the 1960s. He won an Academy Award for Best S ...

from 1932 until 1944.

Personal life

Murfin was married first to lawyer James Murfin from 1907 to 1912.The Detroit Times
June 4, 1914 LAST EDITION, Page 2..retrieved July 31, 2019 Her second marriage was to actor

, for whom she would write parts in her scripts; the marriage lasted from 1932 to 1944.

Accolades

Murfin and Adela Rogers St. Johns were nominated for the

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

for Best Story for ''

'' (1932).

Frances Marion Frances Marion (born Marion Benson Owens; November 18, 1888 – May 12, 1973) was an American screenwriter, director, journalist and author often cited as one of the most renowned female screenwriters of the 20th century alongside June Mathis a ...

received the award, for '' The Champ''.

Theatre credits

Select filmography

Murfin is credited as a writer; additional production credits are noted.

References

External links

* *
Jane Murfin
at the Women Film Pioneers Project
Photo of Jane Cowl (sitting) and Jane Murfin
{{DEFAULTSORT:Murfin, Jane 1884 births 1955 deaths Film producers from Michigan Burials at Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery American women film directors Film directors from Michigan People from Quincy, Michigan American women screenwriters American women dramatists and playwrights 20th-century American dramatists and playwrights 20th-century American women writers Women film pioneers Screenwriters from Michigan American women film producers 20th-century American screenwriters