Phil Whitman (1893–1935) was an American screenwriter,

cinematographer The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the recording of a film, television production, music video or other live-action piece. The cinematographer is the chief of the camera ...

and film director. During the

silent era 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, wh ...

he scripted and directed a large number of

short films A short film is a film with a low running time. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of not more than 40 minutes including all credits". Other film o ...

for

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 ...

including those starring

Billy Bevan Billy Bevan (born William Bevan Harris; 29 September 1887 – 26 November 1957) was an Australian-born vaudevillian who became an American film actor. He appeared in more than 250 American films from 1916 to 1952. He died just before new audie ...

.Walker p.71 In the early

sound era A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades passed befo ...

he began directing feature films for studios such as

Monogram Pictures Monogram Pictures Corporation was an American film studio that produced mostly low-budget films between 1931 and 1953, when the firm completed a transition to the name Allied Artists Pictures Corporation. Monogram was among the smaller studios i ...

Selected filmography

* ''

The Good-Bye Kiss ''The Good-Bye Kiss'' is a 1928 American synchronized sound comedy film directed by Mack Sennett and written by Jefferson Moffitt, Mack Sennett and Carl Harbaugh. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized musica ...

'' (1928) * ''

Air Eagles ''Air Eagles'' is a 1931 American pre-Code action film directed by Phil Whitman and starring Lloyd Hughes, Norman Kerry, and Shirley Grey.Pitts, p. 134 Plot Cast * Lloyd Hughes as Bill Ramsey * Norman Kerry as Otto Schumann * Shirley Grey ...

'' (1931) * '' The Mystery Train'' (1931) * '' A Strange Adventure'' (1932) * ''

The Girl from Calgary ''The Girl from Calgary'' is a 1932 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code musical comedy film directed by Phil Whitman, and starring Fifi D'Orsay and Paul Kelly (actor), Paul Kelly. Plot summary A French-Canadian girl is a champion bronc rider ...

'' (1932) * ''

Stowaway A stowaway or clandestine traveller is a person who secretly boards a vehicle, such as a ship, an aircraft, a train, cargo truck or bus. Sometimes, the purpose is to get from one place to another without paying for transportation. In other c ...

'' (1932) * ''

His Private Secretary ''His Private Secretary'' is a 1933 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Phil Whitman and starring Evalyn Knapp and John Wayne. It is an early Wayne non-Western film appearance, made when he was 26 years old. Plot Dick Wallace has to pr ...

'' (1933) * '' Police Call'' (1933)

References

Bibliography

* Drew, Bernard A. ''Motion Picture Series and Sequels: A Reference Guide''. Routledge, 2013. * Pitts, Michael R. ''Poverty Row Studios, 1929–1940: An Illustrated History of 55 Independent Film Companies, with a Filmography for Each''. McFarland & Company, 2005. * Walker, Brent E. ''Mack Sennett’s Fun Factory: A History and Filmography of His Studio and His Keystone and Mack Sennett Comedies, with Biographies of Players and Personnel''. McFarland, 2013.

External links

* 1893 births 1935 deaths American cinematographers Film directors from New York City 20th-century American screenwriters {{US-film-bio-stub