David Butler

Overview

Born
December 17, 1894 · San Francisco, California, USA
Died
June 14, 1979 · Arcadia, California, USA (heart failure)
Nickname
- Dave
Height
1.83 m

Biography

Family

Spouse
Parents

Trivia

A survivor of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, which happened when he was 11 years old. He said the quake shook the city so violently and for so long that he remembered his father saying, "I think this is the end. Get down and pray". He and his family escaped uninjured.
The son of a stage director, Butler was educated at Lowell High school, then attended Hitchcock Military Academy and Stanford University. He began in the film business as an actor in 1910, appearing in films by top directors like D.W. Griffith, Frank Borzage and John Ford. He helmed his first picture in 1927, and, over the next three decades acquired a reputation as a solid, dependable studio director, displaying a particular penchant for turning out light comedies and musicals. Butler spent the first phase of his career (1927-38) at Fox, where he handled popular family fare with stars like Will Rogers and Shirley Temple. The second phase took place at Warner Brothers (1943-44; 1946-56), where he enjoyed his biggest successes directing Bob Hopecomedies (En route pour le Maroc (1942), La princesse et le pirate (1944)) and Doris Day musicals (No, No, Nanette (1950), Escale à Broadway (1951), La blonde du Far-West (1953)).
Directed 2 actors to Oscar nominations: Stuart Erwin (Best Supporting Actor, Parade du football (1936)) and Walter Brennan (Best Supporting Actor, Kentucky (1938)). Brennan won an Oscar for his performance in Butler's film.
Son of players Adele Belgrade and Fred J. Butler.
Became manager of the Morosco Theatre in Los Angeles in 1923.

Quotes

[about his career] I made friends, like buddies, with my crew, with my cutters, with my actors and actresses. I didn't want to have any feeling that I was the big boss and they were nothing. I think that by doing that I was able to last as long as I did.
[about Elle cherche un millionnaire (1951)] That was the worst of the whole bunch I made. I thought it was terrible, and I think the audience agreed with me.
[about C'mon, Let's Live a Little (1967)] I don't even want to talk about that. I tried to do a favor for somebody, and we made it so fast that I don't know what happened . . . They ran short of money to finish the picture. I never got paid a quarter for it.
[about La poursuite dura sept jours (1954)] That picture was made as a filler, and it grossed more money than any other picture that year at Warner Bros.