Sam Zimbalist
Sam Zimbalist | |
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Born | Hillside Memorial Park, Culver City, California | March 31, 1905
Occupations |
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Years active | 1920–1958 |
Spouses |
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Sam Zimbalist (March 31, 1901
Early life
Born to a Ukrainian
He began his career at 16 as an office boy to
He became friendly with actress Alla Nazimova who was under contract to Metro and told her of his desire to be a full editor. She invited him out to Hollywood in 1920 to become second assistant editor on her films. In 1923 when Nazimova's contract with Metro ended, he returned with her to New York and became her assistant stage manager on Broadway.[2][4]
Film editor
In 1924 Zimbalist returned to Los Angeles seeking film work. Metro pictures had merged with Sam Goldwyn's company to become MGM. Zimbalist went to work for them as an assistant editor and soon worked his way up to full editor. He edited the 1925 version of
Film producer
He was promoted to
He produced films including
Based on the success of Quo Vadis, he was made producer of MGM's most elaborate production until that time, the 1959 epic Ben-Hur.[6][7]
Death
Zimbalist collapsed suddenly of a heart attack on set in Rome, Italy, during filming of Ben-Hur.[2] He was taken to his villa where he died.[5]
He was buried at the
He left an estate of $500,000.[9]
Personal life
He married Margaret C. Donovan in 1924. They divorced in 1950. Zimbalist then married Mary Taylor, a former fashion model and actress, in 1952.[10]
Selected filmography
- The Wizard of Oz (1925) – editor
- The Dome Doctor (1925) (short) – editor
- The Cloudhopper (1925) (short) – editor
- The Unchastened Woman (1925) – editor
- Johnny Get Your Hair Cut (1927) – editor
- The Bugle Call (1927) – editor
- Foreign Devils (1927) – editor
- Buttons (1927) – editor
- Baby Mine (1928) – editor
- The Smart Set(1928) – editor
- Diamond Handcuffs (1928) – editor
- The Adventurer (1928) – editor
- While the City Sleeps (1928) – editor
- Alias Jimmy Valentine (1928) – editor
- Gus Edwards' Song Revue (1929) (short) – editor
- The Broadway Melody (1929) – editor
- Song of the Roses (1929) (short) – editor
- Our Modern Maidens (1929) – editor
- Tarzan Escapes (1936) – associate producer
- Married Before Breakfast (1937) – producer
- London by Night (1937) – producer
- Navy Blue and Gold (1937) – producer
- Paradise for Three (1938) – producer
- The Crowd Roars (1938) – producer
- Tarzan Finds a Son(1939) – producer
- Lady of the Tropics (1939) – producer
- These Glamour Girls (1939) – producer
- Boom Town (1940) – producer
- Tortilla Flat (1940) – producer
- 30 Seconds Over Tokyo(1944) – producer
- Adventure(1945) – producer
- Killer McCoy (1947) – producer
- Side Street(1949) – producer
- King Solomon's Mines(1950) – producer
- Too Young to Kiss (1951) – producer
- Quo Vadis?(1951) – producer
- Mogambo (1953) – producer
- Beau Brummell (1954) – producer
- Tribute to a Bad Man (1956) – producer
- The Catered Affair (1956) – producer
- The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1957) – producer
- I Accuse! (1959) – producer
- Ben Hur(1959) – producer
Unmade films
- adaptation of Robinson Crusoe (1947) with Spencer Tracy and later Stewart Granger[11]
References
- ^ Birth year according to naturalisation papers. "Ancestry.com". Ancestry.com.
- ^ Archive.org.
- ^ "Whither Quo Vadis?: Sienkiewicz's Novel in Film and Television" By Ruth Scodel and Anja Bettenworth p. 215
- ^ a b "SAM ZIMBALIST, 57, FILM-MAKER, DEAD". The New York Times. November 5, 1958. p. 39.
- ^ a b "SAM ZIMBALIST, FILM CHIEF, DIES: Noted Producer, 57, Suffers Heart Attack on Supercolossal 'Ben-Hur' Set in Rome". Los Angeles Times. November 5, 1958. p. 4.
- ^ Archive.org.
- ^ Behlmer, Rudy. "King Solomon's Mines: Part I". American Cinematographer. Vol. 70, no. 5 (May 1989). Hollywood. pp. 38–44.
- E! Online.
- ^ "Zimbalist's Family Shares $500,000 Estate". Los Angeles Times. November 13, 1958. p. C11.
- ^ "Paid Death Notices: Mary Taylor Zimbalist". The New York Times. June 29, 2008. p. 25. Retrieved November 13, 2008.
- ^ "CRUSOE' LEAD ROLE TO SPENCER TRACY". New York Times. January 18, 1947. p. 10.
External links
- Sam Zimbalist at IMDb
- Allmovie bio