W.S. Van Dyke

Birth Name:

Woodbridge Strong Van Dyke

Birth Place:

San Diego, California, United States

Profession

Director, Writer, Producer, Assistant director, Actor

Served as a major in the U․S․ Marines during World War II and set up a recruitment center at MGM to encourage his colleagues to join the war effort
Was nominated for a Venice Film Festival Award for "Marie Antoinette" in 1938
Was a California delegate to the 1940 Democratic National Convention
Started out as a child actor on the vaudeville circuit with his mother, Laura Winston
Worked several odd jobs, including janitor, railroad attendant, gold prospector, and lumberjack, before venturing to Hollywood in 1915 and working as D․W․ Griffith's assistant on "Intolerance" in 1916
Best known as a film director who worked on "The Thin Man" series and "Tarzan the Ape Man․"
Had a reputation for being efficient, always finishing his films on time and under budget, earning him the nickname "One Take Woody․"
Directed several famous film stars of his day, four of whom received Oscar nominations for his films: William Powell, Spencer Tracy, Norma Shearer, and Robert Morley
Was often asked to help a movie that was struggling during filming, beginning when he was sent to Tahiti to rescue the slow-paced production of "White Shadows of the South Seas" in 1928
Was a member of the Explorers Club, International Adventures Club, the Royal Geographic Society of London and dozens of other fraternal, professional, athletic and honorary organizations

Fast Facts