Maurice Henry Hoffman (March 21, 1881 – March 6, 1944) was an American studio owner and film producer. In the 1920s and 30s, Hoffman made films for seven different studios. He is particularly associated with Poverty Row where studios he founded –

Allied Pictures Allied Pictures was an American film production company that operated between 1931 and 1934. Controlled by the producer M.H. Hoffman, it was one of the Poverty Row companies of the era turning out low-budget B pictures. The company's best known f ...

, Liberty Pictures and

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 overa ...

– produced mainly low-budget

B pictures A B movie, or B film, is a type of cheap, low-budget commercial motion picture. Originally, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, this term specifically referred to films meant to be shown as the lesser-known second half of a double feature, ...

Early years

Born in Chicago on March 20, 1881, Hoffman earned a Bachelor of Law degree in 1900 from

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...

. He was admitted to the bar in New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts and practiced law until 1910.

Studio years

From 1910 to 1917, Hoffman was general manager of the Universal Film Company, a

film exchange A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, since ...

in New England. He resigned in 1917 to independently produce and distribute pictures. In 1920 Hoffman co-founded Tiffany Pictures (later Tiffany-Stahl Pictures) in Hollywood with

Mae Murray Mae Murray (born Marie Adrienne Koenig; May 10, 1885 – March 23, 1965) was an American actress, dancer, film producer, and screenwriter. Murray rose to fame during the silent film era and was known as "The Girl with the Bee-Stung Lips" and "Th ...

and her then-husband,

Robert Z. Leonard Robert Zigler Leonard (October 7, 1889 – August 27, 1968) was an American film director, actor, producer, and screenwriter. Biography He was born in Chicago, Illinois. At one time, he was married to Silent film, silent star Mae Murray with t ...

. The largest of the Poverty Row studios, Tiffany Pictures produced eight Mae Murray pictures, considered outstanding productions then. Between 1921 and 1932, the studio released at least 70 silent and sound features. Tiffany-Stahl booked its films into nearly 2,500 theaters but was hurt by the lack of a profitable distribution network. In the 1922-1926 period, Hoffman was General Advisory Director. and then Vice President of

Truart Film Corporation Truart Film Corporation was an American film production and distribution company active during the silent era. Actors Larry Semon and Elaine Hammerstein starred in a number of the company's productions.Slide p.210 Filmography * ''Patsy'' (1921) ...

, a New York production and film exchange company. In 1930 Hoffman founded and was Acting President and General Manager of Liberty Productions. In 1931 Hoffman founded and was President of Allied Pictures Corporation. His son, M. H. (Paul E.) Hoffman, Jr., was vice president. At Allied, Hoffman signed

Ginger Rogers Ginger Rogers (born Virginia Katherine McMath; July 16, 1911 – April 25, 1995) was an American actress, dancer and singer during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her starri ...

Lila Lee Lila Lee (born Augusta Wilhelmena Fredericka Appel; July 25, 1905 – November 13, 1973) was a prominent screen actress, primarily a leading lady, of the silent film and early sound film eras. Early life The daughter of Augusta Fredericka App ...

and

Hoot Gibson Edmund Richard "Hoot" Gibson (August 6, 1892 – August 23, 1962) was an American rodeo champion, film actor, film director, and producer. While acting and stunt work began as a sideline to Gibson's focus on rodeo, he successfully transitioned ...

and used the profits from their films to back literary adaptations that he wanted to make, including "Vanity Fair (1932)" and "Unholy Love (1932)." In 1932, Hoffman was president of the Independent Motion Pictures Producers Association (IMPPA). Comparable to the Motion Pictures Producers Association, the organization dealt primarily with production and union problems. A contract dispute with Gibson and growing indebtedness to

Herbert Yates Herbert John Yates (August 24, 1880 – February 3, 1966), a Hollywood mini-mogul, was the founder and President of Republic Pictures. With his contract, he had launched the film careers of such Western stars as Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, and John ...

of Consolidated Film Service for film processing ended Allied in 1934. Hoffman reopened Liberty Pictures and produced thirteen movies, mostly literary adaptions of short stories and popular novels. In 1935, Yates foreclosed on the remaining assets of Allied and Liberty Pictures and merged the studio assets into his newly formed

Republic Pictures Republic Pictures is currently an acquisition-only label owned by Paramount Pictures. Its history dates back to Republic Pictures Corporation, an American film studio that originally operated from 1935 to 1967, based in Los Angeles, California ...

. Hoffman left Republic shortly after that and produced three more films at Grand National before retiring in 1938.

Personal life

Hoffman and his wife, Mary, had a daughter, Hermine Hoffman Ruskin, and two sons, M. H. Jr. (Paul. E. Hoffman) and George F. (adopted). On March 20, 1935, the wild yelping of the Hoffman family dog, Mitzi, was credited with saving the lives of Hoffman and five family members from an early morning house fire. All six escaped the fire through a first-floor window. The fire destroyed the Hoffman home, which contained many valuable works of art. Hoffman died in Los Angeles on March 6, 1944, at age 61. His cremated remains were taken to New York for inurnment.Maurice H. Hoffman, obituaries, ''The Los Angeles Times'', March 8, 1944, p. 11

Selected filmography

* '' Suspicion'' (1918). M.H. Hoffman Productions. Producer * '' Broadway Gold'' (1923). Truart Pictures. Co-producer * '' The Drums of Jeopardy'' (1923). M.H. Hoffman Inc. Producer * '' Let's Go'' (1923). Carlos Productions and Richard Talmadge Productions. Producer * '' Daring Love'' (1924). M. H. Hoffman Productions. Producer * '' In Fast Company'' (1924). Carlos Productions. Producer * ''

Pals Pals () is a medieval town in Catalonia, northern Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of con ...

'' (1925). Truart Pictures. Producer * ''

Three in Exile ''Three in Exile'' is a 1925 American silent Western film directed by Fred Windemere and starring Louise Lorraine, Art Acord, and Tom London. Plot As described in a film magazine review, a dog that is chased by a mob, a man named Art who runs ...

'' (1925). Truart Pictures. Co-producer * ''

Husband Hunters ''Husband Hunters'' is a 1927 American comedy-drama silent film released by Tiffany Productions, directed by John G. Adolfi, and starring Mae Busch, Charles Delaney and Jean Arthur. Plot The film looks at the exploits of chorus girls Marie (Ma ...

'' (1927). Tiffany Productions. Producer * ''

One Hour of Love ''One Hour of Love'' is a 1927 American silent romantic drama film directed by Robert Florey and starring Jacqueline Logan, Robert Frazer and Montagu Love. The film's sets were designed by the art director Edwin B. Willis. Cast * Jacqueline ...

'' (1927). Tiffany Productions. Co-producer * ''

Ex-Flame ''Ex-Flame'' is a 1930 American pre-Code drama film directed by Victor Halperin and starring Neil Hamilton, Marian Nixon, and Norman Kerry. The film is an adaptation of the 1861 Victorian novel ''East Lynne'', but is set in contemporary England ...

'' (1930). Liberty Pictures Corp. Co-producer * '' Forgotten Women'' (1931). Trem Carr Pictures. Co-producer * ''

Hard Hombre ''The Hard Hombre'' is a 1931 American pre-Code Western (genre), Western film directed by Otto Brower and starring rodeo champion Hoot Gibson. Plot A simpleton rancher is mistaken for a notorious outlaw known as ''The Hard Hombre''. Cast *Ho ...

'' (1931). Allied Pictures. Producer * '' The She-Wolf'' (1931). Liberty Pictures. Co-producer * '' The Boiling Point'' (1932). Allied Pictures. Producer * '' Officer Thirteen'' (1932). Allied Pictures. Producer * '' A Parisian Romance'' (1932). Allied Pictures. Producer * ''

The Stoker "The Stoker" (original German: "Der Heizer") is a short story by Franz Kafka. Kafka wrote it as the first chapter of a novel that Max Brod titled '' Amerika'' and that has subsequently been translated as ''The Man Who Disappeared (Amerika)'' and ...

'' (1932). Allied Pictures. Co-producer * ''

The Thirteenth Guest ''The Thirteenth Guest'' is a 1932 American pre-Code mystery comedy thriller film, released on August 9, 1932. The film is also known as ''Lady Beware'' in the United Kingdom. It is based on the 1929 novel ''The Thirteenth Guest'' written by cr ...

'' (1932). Monogram Pictures Corp. Producer * ''

Unholy Love ''Unholy Love'' (released in the United Kingdom as ''Deceit'') is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed and produced by Albert Ray. It was the first film adaptation of Gustave Flaubert's 1857 French novel ''Madame Bovary'' produced. The ...

'' (1932). Allied Pictures. Executive Producer * '' Vanity Fair'' (1932). Allied Pictures. Producer * '' The Eleventh Commandment'' (1933). Allied Pictures. Producer * '' The Fighting Parson'' (1933). Allied Pictures. Producer * ''

File 113 ''File 113'' is a 1933 American pre-Code mystery film directed by Chester Franklin and starring Lew Cody, Mary Nolan and June Clyde.Pitts p.25 Monsieur Lecoq, a Parisian detective solves a series of crimes. It is based on a story by the ninetee ...

'' (1933). Allied Pictures. Producer * ''

The Iron Master ''The Iron Master'' is a 1933 American drama film directed by Chester M. Franklin and starring Reginald Denny, Lila Lee and J. Farrell MacDonald. It was distributed by the independent Allied Pictures.Pitts p.20 It was adapted by Adele Buffing ...

'' (1933) Allied Pictures. Producer * '' The Intruder'' (1933). Allied Pictures. Producer * ''

One Year Later "One Year Later" is a 2006 comic book storyline running through the books published by DC Comics. As the title suggests, it involves a narrative jump exactly one year into the future of the DC Universe following the events of the "Infinite Crisi ...

'' (1933). Allied Pictures. Producer * ''

A Shriek in the Night ''A Shriek in the Night'' is a 1933 American pre-Code mystery crime film with elements of romance directed by Albert Ray and starring Ginger Rogers, Lyle Talbot, and Harvey Clark. It was produced by the independent studio Allied Pictures, and ...

'' (1933). Allied Pictures. Co-producer * ''

West of Singapore ''West of Singapore'' is a 1933 American pre-Code drama film directed by Albert Ray and starring Betty Compson, Weldon Heyburn and Margaret Lindsay.Doherty, p. 255 Plot Cast * Betty Compson as Lou * Weldon Heyburn as Dan Manton * Margare ...

'' (1933). Monogram Pictures. Co-producer * ''

Cheaters A cheater is one who engages in cheating, subversion of the rules to obtain an advantage. Cheater(s) may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Films * ''Cheater'' (film), a 2016 Indian Marathi-language film * ''Cheaters'' (1934 film), an Ameri ...

'' (1934). Liberty Pictures Corp. Producer * '' No Ransom'' (1934). Liberty Pictures Corp. Producer * '' Once to Every Bachelor'' (1934). Liberty Pictures Corp. Producer * ''

Picture Brides ''Picture Brides'' is a 1933 American pre-Code adventure film, directed by Phil Rosen. The film stars Dorothy Mackaill, Regis Toomey and Alan Hale. Plot Four mail order brides from New Orleans and a young girl conned into a non-existing job in ...

'' (1934). Allied Pictures. Producer * ''

Romance in Rhythm ''Romance in Rhythm'' is a 1934 British mystery film directed by Lawrence Huntington and starring Phyllis Clare and David Hutcheson, David Burns. It was made at Cricklewood Studios. The screenplay concerns a songwriter who is accused of murderi ...

'' (1934). Allied Pictures. Producer * '' School for Girls'' (1934). Liberty Pictures Corp. Producer * ''

Take the Stand ''Take the Stand'' is a 1934 American mystery film directed by Phil Rosen and starring Jack LaRue, Thelma Todd, and Gail Patrick. It was released on September 7, 1934. Plot Cast * Jack LaRue as George Gaylord * Thelma Todd as Sally Oxford * ...

'' (1934). Liberty Pictures Corp. Producer * ''

Two Heads on a Pillow ''Two Heads on a Pillow'' is a 1934 American romance film directed by William Nigh and written by Albert DeMond. The film stars Neil Hamilton, Miriam Jordan, Henry Armetta, Hardie Albright, Dorothy Appleby and Mary Forbes. The film was released ...

(Love Can't Lose)'' (1934). Liberty Pictures Corp. Producer * ''

When Strangers Meet ''When Strangers Meet'' is a 1934 American drama film directed by Christy Cabanne and starring Richard Cromwell, Arline Judge, and Lucien Littlefield. It was released on July 20, 1934. Plot Cast * Richard Cromwell as Paul Tarman * Arline Judg ...

'' (1934). Liberty Pictures Corp. Producer * ''

Born to Gamble ''Born to Gamble'' is a 1935 American film directed by Phil Rosen and released by Republic Pictures. Plot Four brothers feel cursed by their family's gambling bug. All four try to overcome the addiction: only one, the youngest, is successful. C ...

'' (1935). Liberty Pictures Corp. Producer * '' Champagne for Breakfast'' (1935). Liberty Pictures Corp. Producer * '' The Crime of Dr. Crespi'' (1935). Liberty Pictures Corp. Producer * ''

Dizzy Dames ''Dizzy Dames'' is a 1935 American musical film directed by William Nigh and written by George Waggner. The film stars Marjorie Rambeau, Florine McKinney, Lawrence Gray, Inez Courtney, Berton Churchill and Fuzzy Knight. The film was released on ...

'' (1935). Liberty Pictures Corp. Producer * '' The Old Homestead'' (1935). Liberty Pictures Corp. Producer * '' The Spanish Cape Mystery'' (1935). Liberty Pictures Corp./ Republic Pictures Corp. Producer * '' Sweepstake Annie'' (1935). Liberty Pictures Corp. Producer * ''

Without Children ''Without Children'', also known as ''Penthouse Party'', is a 1935 American drama film directed by William Nigh and starring Marguerite Churchill, Bruce Cabot and Evelyn Brent.Pitts p.222 Cast * Marguerite Churchill as Sue Cole * Bruce Cabot ...

(Penthouse Party)'' (1935). Liberty Pictures Corp. Producer * '' King of the Sierras'' (1938). Grand National Pictures. Producer

References

Sources

* Donald Crafton. ''The Talkies: American Cinema's Transition to Sound 1926–1931''. The University of California Press, 1997. * E.J. Stephens and Marc Wanamaker, Marc. ''Early Poverty Row Studios''. Arcadia Publishing. 2014 * Michael R. Pitts. ''Poverty Row Studios, 1929–1940: An Illustrated History of 55 Independent Film Companies, with a Filmography for Each.'' McFarland & Company, 2005. *

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hoffman, M.H. 1881 births 1944 deaths Film producers from Illinois Businesspeople from Illinois 20th-century American businesspeople