Ellis R. Dungan
Ellis R. Dungan | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Ellis Roderick Dungan May 11, 1909 |
| Died | December 1, 2001 (aged 92) Wheeling, West Virginia, U.S. |
| Occupation | Film director |
| Years active | 1935–87 |
| Spouse | Elaine Dungan |
Ellis Roderick Dungan (May 11, 1909 – December 1, 2001) was an American
Biography
Early life
An Irish-American, Dungan was born in Barton, Ohio.[4] on May 11, 1909.[citation needed] He attended St. Clairsville High School in St. Clairsville, where he played quarterback on the school football team. He bought his first box camera to take pictures for the school yearbook, for which he was editor-in-chief. He later enrolled at the University of Southern California in 1932 in the newly established Cinematography & Motion Picture Production Department.
Career
In 1935, he arrived in
His last Tamil film was Manthiri Kumari in 1950. He returned to America and settled in Wheeling, West Virginia, in 1958. There he started his company - "Ellis Dungan productions" and for the next thirty years made documentary movies for the Hollywood producer Duke Goldstone.[8]
Death
Dungan died in Wheeling on December 1, 2001, at the age of 92.[9]
Legacy
Dungan is credited with having revolutionized Indian cinema and introduced western innovations. In 2013, Indian film maker Karan Bali made a one-hour documentary on Dungan titled An American in Madras by consulting West Virginia State Archives and interviewing people who had known Dungan.
Filmography
Tamil
- Bhakta Nandanar (1935) (uncredited)
- Sathi Leelavathi (1936)
- Seemanthini (1936)
- Iru Sahodarargal (1936)
- Ambikapathy (1937)
- Surya Puthri (1941)
- Sakuntalai (1940)
- Kalamegam (1940)
- Daasi Penn (1943)
- Valmiki (1945)
- Returning Soldier (1945)
- Meera (1945)
- Ponmudi(1950)
- Manthiri Kumari (1950)
Hindi
- Meera (1947)
English
- The Jungle (1952) (as associate producer)
- Smilin' Ed's Gang (1951–1954) (TV show)
- Andy's Gang (1955–1960) (TV show)
- Harry Black and the Tiger(1958)
- Wheeling 1959: Wheels to Progress (1959)
- The Big Hunt (1959)
- Tarzan Goes to India (1962) (as second unit producer)
- For Liberty and Union (1977)
- A Ride of the Future (1977)
- Fox - Architect of the United States First Navy (1987)[8][10]
Bibliography
- A Guide to Adventure - An Autobiography (with Barbara Diane Smik), Pittsburg: Dorrance Publishing Co. (2002)
References
- ^ "The Hindu article on Ellis Dungan". Archived from the original on October 7, 2008. Retrieved June 29, 2007.
- ^ a b c The Hindu article on Americans in Tamil cinema
- ^ Reminiscences on Directing M.S., the Musician-Movie Star on www.sangam.org
- ^ "The Hindu : He made MS a film star". www.thehindu.com. Archived from the original on June 14, 2002. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
- ^ He transcended barriers with aplomb on The Hindu website
- ^ "Full of technical innovations - Article on the movie Meera". Archived from the original on April 25, 2010. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ Blast From the Past - Ponmudi 1950, The Hindu, 4 October 2008
- ^ ISBN 9780977849802.
- ^ "Article on Dungan on West Virginia, Wheeling library webpage". Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved November 23, 2009.
- ISBN 978-0-520-20970-1.