Felix E. Feist

Felix Ellison Feist (/fst/; February 28, 1910 – September 2, 1965) was an American film and television director and writer born in New York City.

Felix E. Feist
Feist c. 1940
Born
Felix Ellison Feist

(1910-02-28)February 28, 1910
New York City, United States
DiedSeptember 2, 1965(1965-09-02) (aged 55)
Encino, California, United States
NationalityAmerican
EducationColumbia University, New York
OccupationDirector, writer
Years active1930–1965
Spouse(s)Lisa Howard (Divorced)
ChildrenRaymond (Writer)

History

Feist was the son of a MGM sales executive, Felix F. Feist (1884–1936), and nephew of a publishing house magnate, Leo Feist. He was educated at Columbia University. In the late 1920s he found work as a newsreel cameraman, and he was on staff at MGM from 1929-1932, directing screen tests and producing one-reel travelogues.[1]

He is probably best remembered for Deluge (1933), for writing and directing the film noirs The Devil Thumbs a Ride (1947) and The Threat (1949), and for helming the second screen version of the Curt Siodmak sci-fi tale Donovan's Brain (1953), which starred Nancy Davis before she became known as Nancy Reagan.

He directed Judy Garland and Deanna Durbin in their first significant screen appearances, in the 1936 short film Every Sunday.[2] Feist was the adoptive father of fantasy author Raymond E. Feist and was also briefly married to Lisa Howard, a pioneering female journalist and television news anchor, who also appeared in a few of his films such as The Man Who Cheated Himself, Guilty of Treason and Donovan's Brain. They had a daughter, Fritzi. Before his marriage to Lisa Howard, Feist was married to Dorothy O'Reagan. The two met in New York, NY, and traveled to Los Angeles together where Feist began his career with MGM. They had two daughters, Marjory and Jacqueline Ellison Feist.

Filmography

Year Film Functioned as
Director Producer Screenwriter Music Actor
1930 The Sea Bat Yes[I]
1932 Football Footwork Yes
1933 Deluge Yes
1934 My Grandfather's Clock Yes Yes[II] Yes[III]
Strikes and Spares Yes
MGM's March on in 1934-35 with Metro Goldwyn Mayer: Convention of the Century Yes
1935 Football Teamwork Yes
1936 Every Sunday Yes
Hollywood Extra! Yes
Hollywood - The Second Step Yes
How to Train a Dog Yes[IV]
How to Vote Yes
How to Be a Detective Yes
1937 The Romance of Digestion Yes Yes[V]
Give Till It Hurts Yes
Decathlon Champion: The Story of Glenn Morris Yes
What Do You Think? Yes
1938 The Magician's Daughter Yes Yes[VI]
Follow the Arrow Yes
1939 Double Diving Yes
Happily Buried Yes Yes[IV]
Prophet Without Honor Yes
Radio Hams Yes
Take a Cue Yes
Set 'em Up Yes
Let's Talk Turkey Yes
1940 Pound Foolish Yes
Golden Gloves Yes
Dreams Yes
1943 All by Myself Yes
You're a Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith Yes
1944 Pardon My Rhythm Yes
This Is the Life Yes
Reckless Age Yes Yes
1945 George White's Scandals Yes
1947 The Devil Thumbs a Ride Yes Yes[IV]
1948 The Winner's Circle Yes
1949 The Threat Yes
1950 Guilty of Treason Yes
The Golden Gloves Story Yes Yes[II]
The Man Who Cheated Himself Yes
1951 Fixin' Fool Yes[IV]
Tomorrow Is Another Day Yes
The Basketball Fix Yes
1952 The Big Trees Yes
This Woman Is Dangerous Yes
Babes in Bagdad Yes[VII]
Battles of Chief Pontiac Yes
1953 The Man Behind the Gun Yes
Donovan's Brain Yes Yes[II]
1955 Pirates of Tripoli Yes

^ I Credited for the lyrics of "Lo-Lo"
^ II Credited for the screenplay
^ III Credited as a composer
^ IV Credited as a writer
^ V Uncredited
^ VI Credited for the story
^ VII Credited for the original screenplay

Television

Year Title Credited as
Series Episode Director Producer
1953 The Revlon Mirror Theater "Lullaby" Yes
General Electric Theater "The Eye of the Beholder" Yes
1956 Star Stage "The Mountain That Moved" Yes
Telephone Time "The Man in the Black Robe" Yes
1956–1957 Zane Grey Theater 5 episodes Yes
1957 Highway Patrol "Gem Robbery" Yes
Dr. Christian "Amnesia" Yes
Tombstone Territory unknown episodes Yes
1958 Sea Hunt "Sixty Feet Below" Yes
Harbourmaster "Strangers in Town" Yes
The Texan unknown episodes Yes
1958–1959 The Californians 5 episodes directed, 3 episodes produced Yes Yes
1959 The Deputy "Back to Glory" Yes
Riverboat 2 episodes Yes
1960 Bonanza "Blood on the Land" Yes
1960–1961 Adventures in Paradise 17 episodes Yes
1961–1962 Follow the Sun 2 episodes Yes
1962 Bus Stop "Verdict of 12" Yes
1964 Peyton Place unknown episodes Yes
1964–1965 Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea 6 episodes Yes
1965 The Outer Limits "The Probe" Yes

References

  • "Felix E. Feist > Filmography". Allmovie. Retrieved December 22, 2009.
  1. Quinlan, David (1983). The Illustrated Guide to Film Directors. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 91. ISBN 0389204080. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  2. Dixon, Wheeler Winston (2012). Death of the Moguls: The End of Classical Hollywood. Rutgers University Press. p. 100. ISBN 978-0813553788.
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