Keene Thompson (November 15, 1885, in

Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...

– July 11, 1937, in

Hollywood, California Hollywood, sometimes informally called Tinseltown, is a List of districts and neighborhoods in Los Angeles, neighborhood and district in the Central Los Angeles, central region of Los Angeles County, California, within the city of Los Angeles. ...

) was a

story Story or stories may refer to: Common uses * Narrative, an account of imaginary or real people and events ** Short story, a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting ** News story, an event or topic reported by a news orga ...

scenario In the performing arts, a scenario (, ; ; from Italian , "that which is pinned to the scenery") is a synoptical collage of an event or series of actions and events. In the ''commedia dell'arte'', it was an outline of entrances, exits, and actio ...

and

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 ...

who worked in the

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

from 1920 to 1937.

Career

Thompson had a small acting role in the 1917 Douglas Fairbanks Sr. film '' Reaching for the Moon'', but his first writing work was a screenplay for Fairbanks. His last was scripting the

Jack Benny Jack Benny (born Benjamin Kubelsky; February 14, 1894 – December 26, 1974) was an American entertainer who evolved from a modest success as a violinist on the vaudeville circuit to one of the leading entertainers of the twentieth century with ...

musical ''

Artists and Models ''Artists and Models'' is a 1955 American musical romantic comedy film in VistaVision directed by Frank Tashlin, marking Martin and Lewis's 14th feature together as a team. The film co-stars Shirley MacLaine and Dorothy Malone, with Eva Gabor ...

''. Some of his early

silent film A silent film is a film without synchronized 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) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...

work was for the

Christie Film Company Christie Film Company was an American pioneer motion picture company founded in Hollywood, California by Al Christie and Charles Christie, two brothers from London, Ontario, Canada. It made comedies. While Charles served almost exclusively in ...

, but his later screenwriting was associated primarily with

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...

where he became a general story advisor. At Paramount he was known for his work with

Adolphe Menjou Adolphe Jean Menjou (February 18, 1890 – October 29, 1963) was an American actor whose career spanned both silent films and talkies. He became a leading man during the 1920s, known for his debonair and sophisticated screen presence. He was no ...

, and had written scripts and special materials for such stars as

Raymond Griffith Raymond Griffith (January 23, 1895 – November 25, 1957) was an American silent movie actor and comedian. Later in his career, he worked behind the camera as writer and producer. Biography Griffith was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He lost ...

Gary Cooper Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901May 13, 1961) was an American actor known for his strong, silent screen persona and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, ...

and

Clara Bow Clara Gordon Bow (; July 29, 1905 – September 27, 1965) was an American actress who rose to stardom during the silent film era of the 1920s and successfully made the transition to "talkies" in 1929. Her appearance as a plucky shopgirl in the ...

, such as

Clarence G. Badger Clarence G. Badger (June 9, 1880 – June 17, 1964) was an American film director of feature films in the 1910s, 1920s and 1930s. His films include '' It'' and ''Red Hair'', more than a dozen features and shorts starring Will Rogers, and two feat ...

's ''

Paths to Paradise ''Paths to Paradise'' is a 1925 silent comedy directed by Clarence Badger, produced by Famous Players–Lasky and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The film is based on a 1914 play, ''The Heart of a Thief'', by Paul Armstrong, and stars Raymon ...

'',

Victor Fleming Victor Lonzo Fleming (February 23, 1889 – January 6, 1949) was an American film director, cinematographer, and producer. His most popular films were the historical drama ''Gone with the Wind (film), Gone with the Wind'', for which he won an A ...

's '' The Virginian'', and

Frank Tuttle Frank Wright Tuttle (August 6, 1892 – January 6, 1963) was a Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film director and writer who directed films from 1922 (''The Cradle Buster'') to 1959 (''Island of Lost Women''). Biography Frank Tuttle was ...

's ''

True to the Navy ''True to the Navy'' is a 1930 American pre-Code romantic comedy film directed by Frank Tuttle for Paramount Pictures. The film stars Clara Bow as a counter girl at a San Diego drugstore with a predilection for sailors. Eventually, she sets her ...

''. ''

Fighting Caravans ''Fighting Caravans'' is a 1931 American pre-Code Western film directed by Otto Brower and David Burton and starring Gary Cooper, Lili Damita, and Ernest Torrence. Based on the 1929 novel ''Fighting Caravans'' by Zane Grey, the film is about ...

'' (1931), a story of the caravans of wagon trains that supplied freight to the pre-

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

Old West The American frontier, also known as the Old West, and popularly known as the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that bega ...

before the completion of the transcontinental railways, was his adaption of a

Zane Grey Pearl Zane Grey (January 31, 1872 – October 23, 1939) was an American author and dentist. He is known for his popular adventure novels and stories associated with the Western genre in literature and the arts; he idealized the American frontier ...

novel of the same name. His work '' Man Against Woman'' for

Irving Cummings Irving Cummings (October 9, 1888 – April 18, 1959) was an American movie actor and director. Career Born in New York City, Cummings started his acting career at age 16 in ''Diplomacy (play), Diplomacy''. His Broadway theatre, Broadway, p ...

was called a "forceful drama" and an "entertaining film". During the later part of his career Thompson specialized in comedies. The more notable of these included

Leo McCarey Thomas Leo McCarey (October 3, 1898 – July 5, 1969) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was involved in nearly 200 films, including the critically acclaimed '' Duck Soup'', '' Make Way for Tomorrow'', '' The Awf ...

's ''

Six of a Kind ''Six of a Kind'' is an American 1934 pre-Code comedy film directed by Leo McCarey and starring Charles Ruggles, Mary Boland, W.C. Fields, George Burns, and Gracie Allen. A critical and box office success, ''Six of a Kind'' features the fam ...

'' (1934) which used the top Paramount actors of the time, including

Charlie Ruggles Charles Sherman Ruggles (February 8, 1886 – December 23, 1970) was an American comic character actor. In a career spanning six decades, Ruggles appeared in close to 100 feature films, often in mild-mannered and comic roles. He was also the e ...

Mary Boland Mary Boland (born Marie Anne Boland; January 28, 1882 – June 23, 1965) was an American stage and film actress. Early years Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Boland was the daughter of repertory actor William Augustus Boland, and his wife ...

George Burns George Burns (born Nathan Birnbaum; January 20, 1896March 9, 1996) was an American comedian, actor, writer, and singer, and one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, radio, film, and television. His arched eyeb ...

, W.C. Fields,

Gracie Allen Grace Ethel Cecile Rosalie Allen (July 26, 1895 – August 27, 1964) was an American vaudevillian, singer, actress, and comedian who became internationally famous as the zany partner and comic foil of husband George Burns, her straight man, ap ...

Alison Skipworth Alison Skipworth (born Alison Mary Elliott Margaret Groom; 25 July 18635 July 1952) was an English stage and screen actress. Early years Skipworth was born in London. She was the daughter of Dr. Richard Ebenezer Groom and Elizabeth Rodgers, an ...

. The 1945 Frank R. Strayer

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

'' Mama Loves Papa'' was based upon his screenplay for the 1933

Norman Z. McLeod Norman Zenos McLeod (September 20, 1898 – January 27, 1964) was an American film director. McLeod's most acclaimed work was made in collaboration with major comic performers of the 1930s, and included such films as the first original Marx B ...

film of the same name. Keene became ill in June 1937, just after completing the script for the

musical comedy Musical theatre is a form of theatre, theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, ...

''. On July 11, 1937, he died of

lobar pneumonia Lobar pneumonia is a form of pneumonia characterized by inflammatory exudate within the intra-alveolar space resulting in consolidation that affects a large and continuous area of the lobe of a lung. It is one of three anatomic classifications ...

. His body is interred in the Great Mausoleum, Columbarium of the Graces at

Forest Lawn Memorial Park Forest Lawn may refer to: Cemeteries California * Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries, a chain of cemeteries in southern California * Forest Lawn Cemetery (Cathedral City), California * Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale), California * Fore ...

, in

Glendale, CA Glendale is a city located primarily in the Verdugo Mountains region, with a small portion in the San Fernando Valley, of Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is located about north of downtown Los Angeles. As of 2024, Glendale ha ...

Filmography

Silent films

* '' The Inferior Sex'' (1920) * ''

Silk Stockings ''Silk Stockings'' is a musical with a book by George S. Kaufman, Leueen MacGrath, and Abe Burrows and music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The musical is loosely based on the Melchior Lengyel story ''Ninotchka'' and the 1939 film adaptation it ...

'' (1920) * '' Hoodooed'' (1920) * '' Teasing the Soil'' (1920) * '' Beating Cheaters'' (1920) * '' Kissed in a Harem'' (1920) * '' Good Morning, Nurse'' (1920) * '' Why Cooks Go Cuckoo'' (1920) * ''

Oh, Brother! ''Oh, Brother!'' is a British television sitcom starring Derek Nimmo, which aired on BBC1 from September 13, 1968 to February 27, 1970. Synopsis The series was set in the fictional Mountacres Monastery, with Nimmo cast as the well-meaning but ...

'' (1921) * '' Prepared to Die'' (1923) * '' Let's Go'' (1923) * ''Going South'' (1923) * '' Danger Ahead'' (1923) * '' The Godmothers'' (1923) * '' Easy Pickin's'' (1924) * ''

High Gear High may refer to: Science and technology * Height * High (atmospheric), a high-pressure area * High (computability), a quality of a Turing degree, in computability theory * High (tectonics), in geology an area where relative tectonic uplift to ...

'' (1924) * '' Border Women'' (1924) * '' Cornfed'' (1924) * '' A Regular Fellow'' (1925) * ''

'' (1925) * '' The Night Club'' (1925) * '' Why Hesitate?'' (1925) * '' A Rarin' Romeo'' (1925) * '' Love Goofy'' (1925) * ''

Great Guns ''Great Guns'' is a 1941 American comedy film starring Laurel and Hardy. It was directed by Monty Banks, and produced by Sol M. Wurtzel for 20th Century-Fox. Plot Daniel Forrester IV is a wealthy but sheltered and bedridden young bachelor. He ...

'' (1925) * ''

French Pastry French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), a ...

'' (1925) * ''

Going Crooked ''Going Crooked'' is a 1926 American silent film, silent crime film produced and distributed by the Fox Film Corporation. It was directed by George Melford and stars Bessie Love. The film is preserved at the Museum of Modern Art, the George East ...

'' (1926) * '' The Daffy Dill'' (1926) * ''

Now We're in the Air ''Now We're in the Air'' is a 1927 American silent comedy film directed by Frank R. Strayer, starring the late-1920s intermittent comedy team of Wallace Beery and Raymond Hatton. In a supporting role, Louise Brooks plays twins, one raised Fre ...

'' (1927) * '' The Rough Riders'' (1927) * '' Wedding Bill$'' (1927) * '' Someone to Love'' (1928) * '' His Private Life'' (1928) * '' Tillie's Punctured Romance'' (1928) * ''

Feel My Pulse ''Feel My Pulse'' is a 1928 American silent comedy film directed by Gregory La Cava and starring Bebe Daniels. A copy of ''Feel My Pulse'' is preserved in the Library of Congress archives.The Wolf Song'' (1929)

Sound films

* ''

Acquitted In common law jurisdictions, an acquittal means that the criminal prosecution has failed to prove that the accused is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of the charge presented. It certifies that the accused is free from the charge of an o ...

'' (1929) * '' The Virginian'' (1929) * ''

'' (1929) * ''

'' (1930) * '' Only the Brave'' (1930) * ''

'' (1931) * ''

Love Among the Millionaires ''Love Among the Millionaires'' is a 1930 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Frank Tuttle and written by William M. Conselman, Grover Jones, Herman J. Mankiewicz and Keene Thompson. The film stars Clara Bow, Stanley Smith, Stuart Erwin, ...

'' (1930) * ''

Palmy Days ''Palmy Days'' is a 1931 American Pre-Code musical comedy film written by Eddie Cantor, Morrie Ryskind, and David Freedman, directed by A. Edward Sutherland, and choreographed by Busby Berkeley (who makes a cameo appearance as a fortune tel ...

'' (1931) * '' Caught (1931)'' * ''

The Sin Ship ''The Sin Ship'' is a 1931 American pre-Code drama film produced and distributed by RKO Radio Pictures and directed by the actor Louis Wolheim in his only directorial effort. The film marks the last contribution Wolheim made to the film industry ...

'' (1931) * ''

June Moon ''June Moon'' is a play by George S. Kaufman and Ring Lardner. Based on the Lardner short story "Some Like Them Cold," about a love affair that loses steam before it ever gets started, it includes songs with words and music by Lardner but is n ...

'' (1931) * ''

No More Orchids ''No More Orchids'' is a 1932 American pre-Code comedy-drama film starring Carole Lombard and Lyle Talbot as mismatched lovers, based on the novel of the same name by Grace Perkins. Plot The departure of an ocean liner is held up to wait for s ...

'' (1932) * '' Man Against Woman'' (1932) * ''

The Last Man ''The Last Man'' is an apocalyptic, dystopian science fiction novel by Mary Shelley, first published in 1826. The narrative concerns Europe in the late 21st century, ravaged by the rise of a bubonic plague pandemic that rapidly sweeps acros ...

'' (1932) * ''

War Correspondent A war correspondent is a journalist who covers stories first-hand from a war, war zone. War correspondence stands as one of journalism's most important and impactful forms. War correspondents operate in the most conflict-ridden parts of the wor ...

'' (1932) * ''

As the Devil Commands ''As the Devil Commands'' is a 1932 American pre-Code film written by Jo Swerling from a story by Keene Thompson. It is directed by Roy William Neill and stars Alan Dinehart, Mae Clarke and Neil Hamilton. Plot When John Duncan becomes ill, he m ...

'' (1932) * '' Mama Loves Papa'' (1933) * '' The Cheyenne Kid'' (1933) * ''

Air Hostess A flight attendant is a member of the aircrew whose primary responsibility is ensure the safety of passengers in the cabin of an aircraft across all stages of flight. Their secondary duty is to see to the comfort of passengers. Flight attenda ...

'' (1933) * ''

Springtime for Henry ''Springtime for Henry'' is a 1934 American comedy film directed by Frank Tuttle and starring Otto Kruger, Nancy Carroll and Nigel Bruce. It was based on a play of the same name by the British writer Benn W. Levy which enjoyed an eight-month ru ...

'' (1934) * ''

Many Happy Returns "Many happy returns" is a greeting which is used by some on birthdays, and by others in response to "Merry Christmas" and "Happy New Year". Since the 18th century this has been used as a salutation to offer the hope that a happy day being marked ...

'' (1934) * ''

Paris in Spring ''Paris in Spring'' (also released as ''Paris Love Song'') is a 1935 black and white musical comedy film directed by Lewis Milestone for Paramount Pictures. It is based on a play by Dwight Taylor, with a screen play by Samuel Hoffenstein and ...

(1935) * '' Love in Bloom'' (1935) * ''

Wives Never Know ''Wives Never Know'' is a 1936 American black-and-white comedy film directed by Elliott Nugent. Written by Frederick Hazlitt Brennan, Edwin Justus Mayer and Keene Thompson, the film stars Charlie Ruggles, Mary Boland, and Adolphe Menjou, and wa ...

'' (1936) * ''

'' (1937) * '' Mama Loves Papa'' (1945) (story)

References

External links

Keene Thompson
at the

Internet Movie Database IMDb, historically known as the Internet Movie Database, is an online database of information related to films, television series, podcasts, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and biograp ...

Keene Thompson
at the

Allmovie AllMovie (previously All Movie Guide) is an online database with information about films, television programs, television series, and screen actors. , AllMovie.com and the AllMovie consumer brand are owned by RhythmOne. History AllMovie was ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, Keene 1885 births 1936 deaths American male screenwriters Writers from Minneapolis Deaths from pneumonia in California Screenwriters from Minnesota 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American screenwriters