Malcolm St. Clair (May 17, 1897 – June 1, 1952) was a

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

film director, writer, producer and actor. St. Clair's film career spanned the silent and

sound In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by the br ...

era during the

Hollywood Golden Age In film criticism, Classical Hollywood cinema is both a narrative and visual style of filmmaking that first developed in the 1910s to 1920s during the later years of the silent film era. It then became characteristic of United States cinema du ...

. His work is characterized by a “dynamic visual style” evident in all the genres he treated.Dwyer, 1996 p 1, p. 2: “...the peak of his career in 1926...” And p. 5: On Keaton The zenith of St. Clair's filmmaking occurred during the silent film era, demonstrating his flexibility in wielding the medium as a director of comedies. His films included

slapstick Slapstick is a style of humor involving exaggerated physical activity that exceeds the boundaries of normal physical comedy. Slapstick may involve both intentional violence and violence by mishap, often resulting from inept use of props such as ...

for Sennett, outrageous gag routines with Keaton and sophisticated comic-romances for

Paramount Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to: Entertainment and music companies * Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. **Paramount Picture ...

. His performance as a director declined with the advent of

, suffering from the increased censorship, and his difficulty adapting to a less mobile camera and studio editing of his work. His later films were often limited to

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

“family” comedies, such as the Jones Family series,

Lum and Abner ''Lum and Abner'' was an American network radio comedy program created by Chester Lauck and Norris Goff that was produced from 1931 to 1954. Modeled on life in the small town of Waters, Arkansas, near where Lauck and Goff grew up, the show pr ...

and the later

Laurel and Hardy Laurel and Hardy were a British-American double act, comedy duo during the early Classical Hollywood cinema, Classical Hollywood era of American cinema, consisting of Englishman Stan Laurel (1890–1965) and American Oliver Hardy (1892–1957) ...

features.Dwyer, 1996 p. 2: “...his career as a ‘B’ director in the 1930s at 20th Century Fox...” And p. 160-161 Most of St. Clair's silent films are lost or have limited access in archives.

Career

Mack Sennett and Triangle studios: 1915-1921

Malcolm St. Clair worked for a comedy movie producer

Mack Sennett Mack Sennett (born Michael Sinnott; January 17, 1880 – November 5, 1960) was a Canadian-American producer, director, actor, and studio head who was known as the "King of Comedy" during his career. Born in Danville, Quebec, he started acting i ...

and Triangle-Keystone studio for five years “a period in which he established most of his basic film vocabulary he was to use throughout his entire career.”Dwyer, 1996 p. 7: With Sennett for “five years, from 1915 to 1921...” At age 17, St. Clair was hired by the '' Los Angeles Express'' to draw sports caricatures. A former associate at the Express, Lige Conley, was performing as a

Keystone Kop The Keystone Cops (often spelled "Keystone Kops") are fictional, humorously incompetent policemen featured in silent film slapstick comedies produced by Mack Sennett for his Keystone Film Company between 1912 and 1917. History Hank Mann creat ...

for Mack Sennett, and introduced St. Clair to actor

Owen Moore Owen Moore (12 December 1886 – 9 June 1939) was an Irish people, Irish-born American actor, appearing in more than 279 movies spanning from 1908 to 1937. Early life and career Moore was born in Fordstown Crossroads, County Meath, Ireland. A ...

who co-starred with

Mabel Normand Amabel Ethelreid Normand (November 9, 1893 – February 23, 1930), better known as Mabel Normand, was an American silent film actress, comedienne, director and screenwriter. She was a popular star and collaborator of Mack Sennett in their K ...

. Moore convinced producer Sennett that St. Clair, whose only demonstrable skill was drawing, would excel as a “ gag” writer for the studio. Sennett, on this specious recommendation, engaged St. Clair, and was quickly disabused: the teen—“thin and spindly”—St. Clair was provided a bit part as a Keystone Kop. Thus began his acting apprenticeship, performing often dangerous stunt work in the summer of 1915 during the filming of

My Valet ''My Valet'' is a 1915 short comedy film written, produced, and directed by Mack Sennett and starring Raymond Hitchcock, Sennett, and Mabel Normand. The film was released by the Keystone Film Company and Triangle Distributing with a running ti ...

(1915), earning $3 per day. His fellow comedians included veteran actors

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is considered o ...

, Eddie Cline and Al St. John. St. Clair left the Keystone Kops in early 1916 under the auspices of Mabel Normand, joining the company of players who performed comic roles at

Triangle studios Triangle Studios is a mid-sized computer game development company based in Leeuwarden, Netherlands, founded in 2005. It has developed several games for the PC, the Nintendo DS and iOS. On March 2, 2010, the company opened a new branch office in ...

. St. Clair appeared in 13 of these Sennett films, nine of which he was credited. His first credited film was ''Dollars and Sense'' (1916), in which he was cast as “the Englishman.” His final role at Triangle was as “The Crown Prince" in Yankee Doodle in Berlin (1919) and its associated release '' The Mack Sennett Bathing Beauties in Why Beaches Are Popular''(1919), in which represents a post-

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

comic “Teutonic heavy.” Between 1919 and 1921 St. Clair graduated to directing and made about two dozen 2-reel comedies for Sennett, inventing some of the characteristic gag routines. His first directing credit was ''Rip & Stitch Tailors'' (1919).Dwyer, 1996 pp. xiii-xviii: List of Film Titles, chronological

Keaton-St. Clair collaborations: 1921-1922

Near the end of his employment by Sennett, St. Clair co-directed two pictures with comic actor and filmmaker

Buster Keaton Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton (October 4, 1895 – February 1, 1966) was an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. He is best known for his silent films during the 1920s, in which he performed physical comedy and inventive stunts. He frequently ...

: The Goat (1921) and The Blacksmith (1922). Keaton's approach to cinematic comedy integrated the “gag” scenes with the thematic elements of the story. St. Clair adopted Keaton's methods in his future films: “the humor in his work stems from well-constructed gags which are connected to each other and/or to the central plot line, a comic style refined while working with Buster Keaton.”

Warner Bros. 1924-1925

The 25-year-old Mal St. Clair directed '' The Telephone Girl'' in a flurry of activity in late 1923 and early 1924. St. Clair signed in December 1923 with FBO to direct the series to begin filming in February 1924. Warner Bros. studios, which had been impressed with his ''Fighting Blood'' series for FBO, enlisted St. Clair to make his first feature film, ''George Washington, Jr.'', which he shot in the month of January 1924, then returned to FBO to complete his contract for The Telephone Girl. Biographer Ruth Anne Dwyer notes that St. Clair's love of boxing is “reflected in the remarkable number of films he made about the sport: seventeen.” Photographer

Lee Garmes Lee Garmes, A.S.C. (May 27, 1898 – August 31, 1978) was an American cinematographer. During his career, he worked with directors Howard Hawks, Max Ophüls, Josef von Sternberg, Alfred Hitchcock, King Vidor, Nicholas Ray and Henry Hathaway, w ...

acted as cameraman on both the ''Fighting Blood'' and ''The Telephone Girl'' series and later followed St. Clair to Warner Bros. and then Paramount Pictures where he would win Academy Awards for his cinematography. After completing a

Rin Tin Tin Rin Tin Tin or Rin-Tin-Tin (October 10, 1918 – August 10, 1932) was a male German Shepherd born in Flirey, France, who became an international star in motion pictures. He was rescued from a World War I battlefield by an American soldier, ...

feature ''

Find Your Man ''Find Your Man'' is a 1924 American silent action/melodrama film starring Rin Tin Tin and June Marlowe. It was directed by Mal St. Clair who persuaded Warner Bros. to hire his friend, Darryl F. Zanuck, to write the screenplay; this began a lo ...

'' and the crime drama '' On Thin Ice'', both 1924, Warner Bros. terminated St. Clair despite the box office successes of the pictures.

Columbia pictures

After his dismissal from the “budget conscious” Warner Bros. studios, St. Clair was engaged by

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Columbia Pictures, is an American film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution company that is the flagship unit of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group ...

- at that time considered a “ Poverty Row” studio - to direct '' After Business Hours'' (1925). A “society drama,” this lost film was well received by reviewers. After Business Hours first appeared in a 71-minute version, the picture was re-released after editing to 56 minutes. The shorter version was profitable, and its “artistic and financial success” garnered the attention of Paramount Picture executives. St. Clair was noted for providing a relaxed and supportive production unit, which contributed to his popularity among actors and technicians. A measure of “clowning” and “high jinks” as well as intramural baseball games “stimulated the cheerful atmosphere necessary to the comic mood of his films.”

Paramount Pictures: 1926-1929

St. Clair's 1925 ''After Business Hours'', filmed for Columbia Pictures was both a financial and critical success. In 1925 Paramount executives placed the 28-year-old filmmaker under contract. St. Clair's tenure at Paramount would be “the most important phase of his career.” Film historian Ruth Anne Dwyer observes:

St. Clair and Louise Brooks ''contretemps''

St. Clair directed a number of screen stars of the silent era while under contract to Paramount among them

Pola Negri Pola Negri (; born Barbara Apolonia Chałupiec ; 3 January 1897 – 1 August 1987) was a Polish stage and film actress and singer. She achieved worldwide fame during the silent and golden eras of Hollywood and European film for her tragedienn ...

Florence Vidor Florence Vidor (née Cobb, later Arto; July 23, 1895 – November 3, 1977) was an American silent film actress. Early life Vidor was born in Houston on July 23, 1895, to John and Ida Cobb. Her parents had married in Houston on March 3, 1894, bu ...

Esther Ralston Esther Ralston (born Esther Louise Worth, September 17, 1902 – January 14, 1994) was an American silent films, silent film star. Her most prominent sound picture was ''To the Last Man (1933 film), To the Last Man'' in 1933. Early life and c ...

, Tom Moore,

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 ...

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 ...

and

Louise Brooks Mary Louise Brooks (November 14, 1906 – August 8, 1985) was an American film actress during the 1920s and 1930s. She is regarded today as an cultural icon, icon of the flapper culture, in part due to the bob cut, bob hairstyle that she helped ...

. In a 1989 interview with biographer Barry Paris, Brooks denounced St. Clair, who had directed her in three Paramount feature films, alleged that he was an incompetent and a drunkard. Ruth Anne Dwyer, in her research for a 1996 biography on St. Clair, could find no corroboration for Brooks’ claims, concluding that her “unpleasant assessment of St. Clair's directing technique ashighly inaccurate.” Dwyer adds that her own account “should correct any misconceptions caused by Brooks’ assertions.” Despite professional friction, the director and the actress maintained a friendly relationship. In John Kobal's book of interviews, ''People Will Talk'', Brooks described St. Clair as "a charming man, a lovely man." Around the time of the filming of ''The Show Off'', St. Clair drew two caricatures of Brooks, both of which were published in magazines and newspapers.

Transition to sound

St. Clair struggled to adapt to sound technology with the establishment of the new technology in 1930 in the United States. St. Clair's performance as a director declined, suffering from the increased censorship, and his difficulty adapting to a less mobile camera and studio editing of his work. He made a handful of pictures during the early 1930s at various studios, including MGM, ''(

Montana Moon ''Montana Moon'' is a 1930 pre-Code Western musical film which introduced the concept of the singing cowboy to the screen. Starring Joan Crawford, Johnny Mack Brown, Dorothy Sebastian, and Ricardo Cortez, the film focuses on the budding relat ...

'', ''

Remote Control A remote control, also known colloquially as a remote or clicker, is an consumer electronics, electronic device used to operate another device from a distance, usually wirelessly. In consumer electronics, a remote control can be used to operat ...

''), Paramount (''

Dangerous Nan McGrew ''Dangerous Nan McGrew'' is a 1930 Pre-Code American musical comedy film starring Helen Kane, Victor Moore and James Hall and directed by Malcolm St. Clair. Plot Dangerous Nan McGrew is the lead entertainer in a traveling medicine show. Muld ...

''), Universal ('' The Boudoir Diplomat''), Fox (''Olsen's Night Out''), and RKO (''

Goldie Gets Along ''Goldie Gets Along'' is a 1933 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Malcolm St. Clair and starring Lili Damita, Charles Morton and Sam Hardy. The screenplay was written by William A. Drake, based on the 1931 novel of the same title by ...

'').

20th Century Fox

St. Clair joined 20th Century-Fox in 1936 and served with the studio for 12 years. He directed an assortment of comedies and dramas, including the Jones Family series of domestic comedies and a

Milton Berle Milton Berle (born Mendel Berlinger; ; July 12, 1908 – March 27, 2002) was an American actor and comedian. His career as an entertainer spanned over eight decades, first in silent films and on stage as a child actor, then in radio, movies and ...

feature. He also accepted freelance assignments, including two

features. Mal St. Clair is perhaps best known in his late career as the director of four

comedies, released by Fox between June 1943 and May 1945.

Scott MacGillivray Scott MacGillivray (born June 29, 1957) is an American non-fiction author specializing in motion picture history. His book '' Laurel & Hardy: From the Forties Forward,'' revised and expanded in 2009, chronicles the later films of Stan Laurel and ...

, ''Laurel & Hardy: From the Forties Forward, Second Edition'', iUniverse, 2009, p. 160. Fox closed its B unit in December 1944, leaving St. Clair inactive until 1948, when he directed two low-budget features for Fox release. In 1950, he wanted to direct

in a television series, but ill health prevented him from directing again. Malcolm St. Clair died on June 1, 1952, at age 55.

Camera technique and style

St. Clair was noted for using an array of “signature” camera shots as cinematic devices with which to tell a story, among these the “back shot” and “hand and foot shot.” In addition, highly compressed sequences of facial close-ups in reaction to one another or an event are widely identified as characteristic of St. Clair's story-telling method.

”Back shot” device

A camera shot notable in St. Clair's oeuvre, this cinematic technique presents an actor engaged in some action, but facing away from the audience or perhaps another character in the frame and, as such, concealing the subject's true behavior or condition. The subject is then suddenly revealed, disabusing the audience of their momentary misapprehension. Film historian Ruth Anne Dwyer explains that the function of these shots serve to “fool” the observer and was “a recognizable St. Clair ‘signature.’” Dwyer offers as an example from '' Canary Murder Case'' (1929) in which ‘Canary’ Odell (

) is viewed through a keyhole, seated with her back to the camera, a lighted cigarette visible in her hand: evidently alive, she has actually just been murdered.

”Hand and Foot” shots

The purpose of these “hand and foot” shots is to reveal the emotional state of a character, as well as to advance the narrative. Close-ups of hands or feet may reveal the social and economic status of the subject in a St. Clair film: the bejeweled hands of a woman clutches a packet of letters, opens one briefly, then discards them all into a waste basket (''

Are Parents People? ''Are Parents People?'' is a 1925 American silent comedy film starring Betty Bronson, Florence Vidor, Adolphe Menjou, George Beranger, and Lawrence Gray. The film was directed by Malcolm St. Clair and released by Paramount Pictures ...

'' (1925)). A woman's feet clad in elegant evening slippers are shown pacing up and down, then stamping violently: the camera cuts to a trembling chandelier on the ceiling of the room below in ('' The Grand Duchess and the Waiter'' (1926)) Dwyer observes that this “hand and foot” device was widely used by St. Clair's contemporaries, among them

Ernst Lubitsch Ernst Lubitsch (; ; January 29, 1892November 30, 1947) was a German-born American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His urbane comedies of manners gave him the reputation of being Hollywood's most elegant and sophisticated director; a ...

and

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English film director. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featu ...

, serving as a means to paint “a psychological portrait of their owner.” Dwyer adds that “St. Clair had been using this technique since 1920 and it is possible that other filmmakers may have borrowed it from St. Clair.”

Rapidly spaced close-ups

St. Clair began using a technique of “close-ups in close succession,” where actor's expressive faces appear to communicate with one another, providing insights into their relationship. A notable application from '' Gentlemen Prefer Blondes'' (1928) presents “a rapidly spaced exchange of glances between the heroines uth Taylor and Alice White each of the shots reflecting a change of mood or expression.”Dwyer, 1996 p. 110 St. Clair used this device successfully in his boxing-themed films, including Knockout Reilly (1927).

Filmography

Actor

Note: All films as actor were made at Triangle-Keystone studios. *''

'' (1915) *''Dollars and Sense'' (1916) *''A la Cabaret'' (1916) *''Her Circus Knight'' (1917) *“The Camera Cure” (1917) *''

Cactus Nell Cactus Nell is a 1917 silent short comedy film starring Polly Moran. It was directed by Fred Hibbard and was produced by the Keystone Company with distribution through Triangle. Fontaine La Rue and Wally Beery appear in the film. Cast *Polly Mo ...

'' (1917) *''His Perfect Day'' (1917) *''An Innocent Villain'' (1917) *''Their Domestic Deception'' (1917) *''His Baby Doll'' (1917) *''Lost - A Cook'' (1917) *'' Yankee Doodle in Berlin'' (1919)

Director

Film studios are listed next to each film title.Dwyer, 1996 pp. xiii-xviii: List of Film Titles and studios, chronological

Silent films

1919 * ''Rip & Stitch Tailors'' - Triangle-Keystone * ''The Little Widow'' - Triangle-Keystone * ''No Mother to Guide Him'' - Triangle-Keystone 1920 * ''He Loved Like He Lied'' - Rainbow/ Universal * ''Young Man's Fancy'' - Triangle-Keystone * ''A Kitchen Cinderella'' - Triangle-Keystone * ''Welcome Home'' - Reelcraft 1921 * ''Wedding Bells Out of Tune'' - Triangle-Sennett *''Sweetheart Days'' - Triangle-Sennett *'' The Goat'' (1921) - Buster Keaton Productions * ''The Night Before'' -

Fox Film The Fox Film Corporation (also known as Fox Studios) was an American independent company that produced motion pictures and was formed in 1914 by the theater "chain" pioneer William Fox. It was the corporate successor to his earlier Greater Ne ...

* ''Call a Cop'' (1921) - Triangle-Keystone 1922 *''Bright Eyes'' - Triangle-Keystone * '' The Blacksmith'' - Comique Film Corporation/

First National Pictures First National Pictures was an American motion picture production and distribution company. It was founded in 1917 as First National Exhibitors' Circuit, Inc., an association of independent theatre owners in the United States, and became the count ...

, * ''Rice and Old Shoes'' - /Robertson-Cole Corp. * ''Their First Vacation'' - Robertson-Cole * ''Entertaining the Boss'' - Robertson-Cole * ''Christmas'' - Robertson-Cole * ''Keep ‘em Home'' - Robertson-Cole 1923 *''Fighting Blood'' - FBO 1924 *'' George Washington, Jr.'' -

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...

*'' The Telephone Girl'' - FBO *''

'' - Warner Bros. *'' The Lighthouse by the Sea'' - Warner Bros. 1925 *'' On Thin Ice'' - Warner Bros. *'' After Business Hours'' -

*''

'' -

Famous Players-Lasky Famous may refer to: Companies * Famous Brands, a South African restaurant franchisor * Famous Footwear, an American retail store chain * Famous Music, the music publishing division of Paramount Pictures * Famous Studios, the animation division ...

*'' The Trouble with Wives'' - Famous Players-Lasky *'' A Woman of the World'' - Famous Players-Lasky 1926 *'' The Grand Duchess and the Waiter'' -

*'' A Social Celebrity'' - Paramount *'' Good and Naughty'' - Paramount *''

The Show-Off ''The Show-Off'' is a 1924 stage play by George Kelly about a working-class North Philadelphian family's reluctance to accept their daughter's suitor Aubrey Piper, an overly confident Socialist buffoon. The play has been revived five times on B ...

'' - Paramount *'' The Popular Sin'' - Paramount 1927 *'' Knockout Reilly'' - Paramount *''

Breakfast at Sunrise ''Breakfast at Sunrise'' is a 1927 silent film comedy directed by Malcolm St. Clair and produced by and starring Constance Talmadge. It was distributed by First National Pictures. ''Breakfast at Sunrise'' is one of the “sophisticated comedie ...

'' - Paramount 1928 *'' Gentlemen Prefer Blondes'' - Paramount *''

Sporting Goods Sports equipment, also called sporting goods, are the tools, materials, apparel, and gear, which varies in shapes, size, and usage in a particular sport. It includes balls, nets, rackets, protective gears like helmets, goggles, etc. Since the p ...

'' - Paramount *'' Beau Broadway'' - Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer *''

The Fleet's In ''The Fleet's In'' is a 1942 movie musical produced by Paramount Pictures, directed by Victor Schertzinger, and starring Dorothy Lamour and William Holden. Although sharing the title of the 1928 Paramount film starring Clara Bow and Jack Oaki ...

'' - Paramount 1929 *'' The Canary Murder Case'' - Paramount *'' Welcome Danger'' -

RKO Pictures RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, is an American film production and distribution company, historically one of the major film studios, "Big Five" film studios of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood's Clas ...

*''

Side Street A side road is a minor highway typically leading off a main road.Main road — definition

'' - RKO

Sound films

1929 *'' Night Parade'' - RKO 1930 *''

'' - Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer *''

'' - Paramount *''

'' - Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer 1931 *'' The Boudoir Diplomat'' -

Universal Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company that is a subsidiary of Comcast ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of N ...

1933 *''Olsen's Night Out'' -

*''

'' - RKO *''

Time Out for Romance ''Time Out for Romance'' is a 1937 American romantic comedy film directed by Malcolm St. Clair, written by Lou Breslow and John Patrick, and starring Claire Trevor, Michael Whalen, Joan Davis, Chick Chandler, Douglas Fowley and Benny Bartlet ...

'' - Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer 1936 *'' Crack-Up'' -

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc., formerly 20th Century Fox, is an American film studio, film production and Film distributor, distribution company owned by the Walt Disney Studios (division), Walt Disney Studios, the film studios division of the ...

1937 *'' Dangerously Yours'' - Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer *'' She Had to Eat'' - 20th Century Fox *'' Meet the Missus'' -

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 ...

*'' Born Reckless'' - 20th Century Fox 1938 *''

A Trip to Paris ''A Trip to Paris'' is a 1938 American comedy film directed by Malcolm St. Clair (filmmaker), Malcolm St. Clair and starring Jed Prouty, Shirley Deane and Spring Byington.Drew p.180 It was part of the Jones Family series of films. The film's sets ...

'' - 20th Century Fox *''

Safety in Numbers Safety in numbers is the hypothesis that, by being part of a large physical group or mass, an individual is less likely to be the victim of a mishap, accident, attack, or other bad event. Some related theories also argue (and can show statistica ...

'' - 20th Century Fox *'' Down on the Farm'' - 20th Century Fox *'' Everybody's Baby'' - 20th Century Fox 1939 *''

The Jones Family in Hollywood ''The Jones Family in Hollywood'' is a 1939 American comedy film directed by Malcolm St. Clair and written by Harold Tarshis. The film stars Jed Prouty, Spring Byington, Kenneth Howell, George Ernest, June Carlson and Florence Roberts. It was r ...

'' - 20th Century Fox *'' Quick Millions'' - 20th Century Fox *''

Hollywood Cavalcade ''Hollywood Cavalcade'' is a 1939 American film featuring Alice Faye as a young performer making her way in the early days of Hollywood, from slapstick silent pictures through the transition from silent to sound. Famous directors and actors fr ...

'' - Paramount 1940 *'' Young as You Feel'' - 20th Century Fox 1942 *'' The Bashful Bachelor'' - RKO *'' The Man in the Trunk'' - 20th Century Fox *'' Over My Dead Body'' - 20th Century Fox 1943 *'' Two Weeks to Live'' - RKO *''

Jitterbugs ''Jitterbugs'' is an American 1943 Laurel and Hardy feature-length musical comedy film produced by Sol M. Wurtzel and directed by Mal St.Clair. Plot Stan and Ollie are musicians traveling across the U.S. as "The Original Zoot Suit Band". Durin ...

'' - 20th Century Fox *''

The Dancing Masters ''The Dancing Masters'' is a 1943 black and white American comedy film directed by Malcolm St. Clair, produced by 20th Century-Fox, and featuring Laurel and Hardy. A young Robert Mitchum has a small, uncredited role as a gangster posing as an ...

'' - 20th Century Fox 1944 *'' Swing Out the Blues'' - Columbia Pictures *'' The Big Noise'' - 20th Century Fox 1945 *'' The Bullfighters'' - 20th Century Fox 1948 *'' Arthur Takes Over'' - 20th Century Fox *'' Fighting Back'' - 20th Century Fox

Notes

References

*Dwyer, Ruth Anne. 1996. ''Malcolm St. Clair: His Films, 1915-1948''. ''

The Scarecrow Press Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group is an American independent academic publishing company founded in 1949. Under several imprints, the company offers scholarly books for the academic market, as well as trade books. The company also owns t ...

'', Lantham, Md., and London.

External links

*
Malcolm St. Clair
at Virtual History

with writer Anita Loos and actress Ruth Taylor.
Mal St. Clair photo gallery
ACertainCinema.com) {{DEFAULTSORT:St. Clair, Malcolm 1897 births 1952 deaths American male film actors American male silent film actors Film directors from California Filmmakers from California Mass media people from Greater Los Angeles 20th-century American male actors Male actors from California Film producers from California Burials at Mountain View Cemetery (Altadena, California)