Simon in Review

 

Stephen Michael Shearer, author of acclaimed biographies of Hedy Lamarr and Patricia Neal, among others, recently reviewed S. Sylvan Simon, Moviemaker in his column, The Film Biographer. Here's what he had to say:

"The name of film director/producer S. Sylvan Simon is largely forgotten today for reasons which are misunderstood. Except for his last film which he produced, Born Yesterday (which won Judy Holliday a Best Actress Oscar), Simon who died in 1951, has slipped into the netherworld of forgotten film directors. And this is highly unfair, as brought out in fine detail by author David C. Tucker’s wonderfully researched biography S. SYLVAN SIMON, MOVIEMAKER: ADVENTURES WITH LUCY, RED SKELTON AND HARRY COHN IN THE GOLDEN AGE OF HOLLYWOOD.

S. Sylvan Simon began his career as a young man acting and directing in theatre. Born in 1910, he was an overachiever, and perhaps sensed early in life he would die young. By his mid-20s he was working at MGM directing first film shorts and graduating to decidedly “B” pictures including three gems with upcoming actress Lana Turner – These Glamour Girls (1939), Dancing Co-Ed (1939), and Two Girls on Broadway (1940). Assigned to films starring most of MGM’s leading character actors and second leads – Robert Young, Ann Sothern, Marjorie Main, Ann Rutherford, Wallace Beery, Frank Morgan, etc. – these minor films were highly successful and fed the coffers at Metro.

With his three popular Red Skelton pictures - Whistling in the Dark (1941), Whistling in Dixie (1942), and Whistling in Brooklyn (1943) - along with a couple of Abbott and Costello (on loan to MGM) hits Rio Rita (1942) and Abbott and Costello in Hollywood (1945), S. Sylvan Simon was considered one of the most competent and efficient directors at the studio. His films always turned profits. Signing with Columbia Pictures, Sylvan directed two more very profitable comedies with Red Skelton – The Fuller Brush Man and A Southern Yankee (both in 1948) - plus three hits starring Lucille Ball – Her Husband’s Affairs (1947) which he directed, and Miss Grant Takes Richmond (1949), and The Fuller Brush Girl (1950) - both of which he produced.

By the time he produced Born Yesterday (George Cukor directed), Simon was Vice-President in Charge of Production at Columbia Studios. He had successfully produced Lust for Gold in 1949 starring Glenn Ford and Ida Lupino and was in preparation to start From Here to Eternity when he suffered a fatal heart attack in 1951. He was just 41 years old.

So “Bravo!” to David C. Tucker for giving us S. SYLVAN SIMON, MOVIEMAKER: ADVENTURES WITH LUCY, RED SKELTON AND HARRY COHN IN THE GOLDEN AGE OF HOLLYWOOD. Each film of the director/producer is detailed in the book with fascinating and well-researched back stories. A loving tribute to a fine director...and highly recommended."

Many thanks, Stephen!

A Reader's Reaction

 I recently came across this kind review of S. Sylvan Simon, Moviemaker: Adventures with Lucy, Red Skelton and Harry Cohn in Golden Age Hollywood from Goodreads :

Thank you, Mr. Sparrow! Hope others are enjoying it as well.

All About Simon

The always-interesting Another Old Movie Blog just published a review of S. Sylvan Simon, Moviemaker: Adventures with Lucy, Red Skelton and Harry Cohn in the Golden Age of Hollywood.

You can find it here.

We're rapidly approaching the 60th anniversary of Mr. Simon's tragically early death. It's nice to see that he's getting (albeit belatedly) some of the attention he deserves.

Words from Mr. Watson

You'd be hard-pressed to find many people who know more about the peerless Lucille Ball than Tom Watson. Longtime president of the We Love Lucy fan club, he's also the co-author of Loving Lucy: An Illustrated Tribute to Lucille Ball. Since Lucy looms large in my newly released book S. Sylvan Simon, Moviemaker: Adventures with Lucy, Red Skelton, and Harry Cohn in the Golden Age of Hollywood, I invited Tom to give it a look.

Here's what he had to say:

The newest book on my Lucy Bookshelf is “S. Sylvan Simon, Moviemaker” (subtitled “Adventures with Lucy, Red Skelton and Harry Cohn in the Golden Age of Hollywood”), by author/historian David C. Tucker. I should emphasize the word “historian,” for not only is Mr. Tucker the author of at least 8 other show biz centered books, but this one (like the rest) is published by McFarland & Company, which tends to take a more erudite approach to things: most of their books tend to eschew the “Lucy ran to the bedroom in tears” anecdotes in favor of “just the facts, ma’am.” But (if I can mix in yet another Hollywood metaphor) there are a few “who shot who in the Embarcadero in August, 1879” stories just for fun -- when they reflect on the person or movie being discussed.

 "Her Husband's Affairs," with
Lucy and Franchot Tone.

The book is divided into two main parts: a names, date, places biography, chronicling Simon’s life and career, and an extensive filmography, that lists all of the pictures on which Simon worked, providing not only the official credits for each of the films, but a synopsis of the story, reviews, and comments.

Tucker has done a wonderful job here, shining some light on a little known writer-director-producer who made a profound contribution to the screen careers of both Lucille Ball and Red Skelton (and countless others). At MGM, he directed Skelton in such comedies as “Whistling in the Dark,” and it’s sequels, “Whistling in Dixie” and "Whistling in Brooklyn,” and directed Lucy in the cameo appearance she made in “Abbott and Costello in Hollywood.” Moving over to Columbia where he became a producer and soon took over as head of production, Simon starred Red in “The Fuller Brush Man,” directed Lucy in “Her Husband’s Affairs” and cast her in “Miss Grant Takes Richmond” and “The Fuller Brush Girl” (a follow-up to the Skelton hit).

As Tucker points out, the films Lucy made with Simon both showcased and helped advance her comedic abilities – setting her in motion for the stellar career in television that soon followed. Sadly, Simon himself did not live to see his star’s greatest success – he died in May of 1951 at the age of 41. Here, at last, is a fine chronicle of his life and career.

Thanks, Tom!

It's Here!

It's my ninth published book, but there's still nothing quite like the moment when you receive the first copies of the finished product.

My publisher, McFarland, has done its usual exemplary job of putting my words into a highly professional and attractive format.  Now there's nothing left to do except wait for readers and reviewers to let me know their reactions.

You can order the book from McFarland's website, or any of the usual online vendors.

Red Pen at the Ready!

 Maybe Santa was bringing you new socks and underwear, but at my house he dropped off page proofs for S. Sylvan Simon, Moviemaker: Adventures with Lucy, Red Skelton and Harry Cohn in the Golden Age of Hollywood, due out early next year from McFarland.

Over the next 2-3 weeks, I'll have my final opportunity to keep typos, misspellings, and general boo-boos from finding their way into print. It's a bit of a nervewracking procress, because I always want my books to be as close to flawless as possible.

Another not-terribly fun task is the compilation of the book's index. It's a tedious chore, but it usually pays off in terms of finding at least a few changes I want to make.

The final result, hopefully, will be a book  readers will find helpful and interesting, one that gives my subject the credit he deserves for his many accomplishments. And, hey, I might even make a few bucks.

Here's hoping.

Cover Reveal!

Here's the just-released cover art (and complete title) for my ninth book, coming this fall from McFarland and Company. What's it all about? Read on:

He was Red Skelton’s favorite director, and mentored Lucille Ball in the art of physical comedy. In his 15-year Hollywood career, S. Sylvan Simon (1910-1951) directed and/or produced more than 40 films, with stars like Lana Turner, Abbott and Costello, and Wallace Beery. Though he loved to make moviegoers laugh, he demonstrated his versatility with murder mysteries, war stories, and musicals. After a decade at MGM, he moved to Columbia, where he produced his own projects, including the Western melodrama Lust for Gold, and popular slapstick comedies like The Fuller Brush Girl. As head of production, reporting to irascible Harry Cohn, he produced the award-winning Born Yesterday, and was working on From Here to Eternity when his life ended tragically at the age of 41.

   This first-ever account of Simon’s life and career draws on interviews with family and colleagues, genealogical records, archival materials, and his own annotated scripts to tell the story of a stage-struck boy from Pittsburgh whose talent and tenacity made him a Hollywood success. The filmography provides production histories, critical commentary, and excerpts from published reviews. An appendix covers books written or edited by Simon, including his anthologized plays for amateur groups.

So there you have it. I hope you'll give it a look when it's published later this year. 

New Book on S. Sylvan Simon in 2020

It's official. My ninth book for McFarland & Co., coming in 2020, covers the life and films of producer/director S. Sylvan Simon (1910-1951). If you love Lucille Ball, Abbott and Costello, or Red Skelton, this is for you. 

Lucy (pictured with Simon) credited him with recognizing and honing her slapstick skills (prior to I Love Lucy), when he directed Her Husband’s Affairs (1947) and produced The Fuller Brush Girl (1950). Skelton called Simon his favorite director. From 1949 to 1951, Simon was Vice-President in charge of production at Columbia, second-in-command to the famously demanding Harry Cohn. In that capacity, he produced Born Yesterday (1950), which won its star Judy Holliday an Oscar. Just before Simon's untimely death, he was assigned to produce From Here to Eternity (1953), and had author James Jones as a house guest while they conferred.

Research for the book is enhanced by access to Mr. Simon’s own bound copies of his film scripts, annotated by hand, as well as rare photographs showing him and his stars at work. It is being written with the support and assistance of Simon’s children. Actresses Margaret O'Brien and Jane Powell are among the interviewees who share their memories of this talented man.

A page from Simon's script for I Love Trouble (1948).

Earlier this year, film historian and blogger David Cairns remarked, "The auteurists have been quiet too long about S. Sylvan Simon." Next year, let's see if we can make a little noise on Simon's behalf.