Humphrey Pearson
Writing
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Humphrey Pearson (November 30, 1893 – February 24, 1937) was an American screenwriter and playwright of the 1930s. During his brief career, he penned a Broadway play and 22 screenplays. His promising career was cut short when he was found shot to death, under mysterious circumstances in his home, in early 1937. Pearson was born on November 30, 1893 in Columbus, Ohio. He would break into the film industry in 1929, writing the dialogue and titles to Mervyn LeRoy's Hot Stuff, which was one of the few films Hollywood produced which was a silent film with sound sequences. Pearson's play, Shoestring, would serve as the basis for Robert Lord's screenplay On With the Show!, which in 1929 became the first color sound film. In the next two years Pearson would pen another seven screenplays, including Bride of the Regiment, starring Vivienne Segal and Allan Prior, and featuring Walter Pidgeon and Myrna Loy; Michael Curtiz' Bright Lights (1930); Going Wild, starring Joe E. Brown, and Walter Pidgeon; and another Mervyn Leroy film, Top Speed, again starring Joe E. Brown. 1930 would also see Pearson's play, They Never Grow Up, be produced. It would be the only play written by Pearson produced on Broadway, having a short run at the Theatre Masque, lasting for 24 performances. Its cast included Florence Auer, and Otto Kruger. Between 1931 and 1936 Pearson would be responsible for another fourteen screenplays. These would include Consolation Marriage, with Irene Dunne and Pat O'Brien; George Archainbaud's The Lost Squadron, starring Richard Dix, Mary Astor, Robert Armstrong, Joel McCrea, and Erich von Stroheim; Westward Passage, starring Ann Harding, Laurence Olivier, and ZaSu Pitts; Face in the Sky, starring Spencer Tracy; 1935's Ruggles of Red Gap, which stars Charles Laughton, Mary Boland, Charlie Ruggles, ZaSu Pitts, Roland Young, and Leila Hyams, which The Film Daily rated one of the ten best films of 1935; and Red Salute, starring Barbara Stanwyck. Pearson's last screenplay was 1936's Palm Springs. In February 1937, after a night of drinking, Pearson was killed by a gunshot wound to the chest at his home in Palm Springs, California. His death occurred under mysterious circumstances. Initially, it was not clear whether the death was a suicide or at the hand of his wife, Rive King Pearson, but eventually the Palm Springs chief of police ruled it accidental.
Known For
The rebellious daughter of an army general gets involved with a Communist agitator, mainly to annoy her father. He arranges to have her kidnapped and taken to Mexico--hoping that she will forget her "Red" boyfriend--by a young, handsome soldier named Jeff who, while somewhat of a goof-up, the general believes is still better for her.
Red Salute
A showgirl falls for a society boy but has to win over his family.
Sunny
A salesman gets in trouble with a party girl and a debutante in Detroit.
Traveling Husbands
When World War I comes to an end, three pilots find themselves on hard times. They wind up in Hollywood, where they work as stunt fliers for a sadistic director.
The Lost Squadron
A milquetoast trucker is bullied by his domineering wife.
Elmer and Elsie
A gambler in need of cash plots a romance between his daughter and a wealthy Englishman. The daughter, however, has plans of her own.
Palm Springs
An order clerk poses as a millionaire.
Top Speed
New York girl has a dull boyfriend and seems destined for a dull marriage when she meets a rich playboy who has money to burn and places to go.
Playing Around
Joe and Lucky travel around New England painting barns in exchange for an advertisement on one side. The meet Madge, who is cruelly treated by a her father who plans to marry her off to someone she despises.
Face in the Sky
A struggling writer divorces his wife to pursue his career without interference, but they meet in Europe years later after she has remarried.
Westward Passage
With unpaid actors and staff, the stage show Phantom Sweetheart seems doomed. To complicate matters, the box office takings have been robbed and the leading lady refuses to appear. Can the show be saved?
On With the Show!
A sportswriter jilted by his globe-trotting girlfriend marries a woman jilted by her boyfriend.
Consolation Marriage
Rollo and Lane just happen to be tossed off the train at White Beach where Robert Story -Air ace and writer- is supposed to stop. It is a case of mistaken identity as no one knows what Story looks like. So they get free room and meals at the Palm Inn and everything is going well until they want Story to fly in the race on Saturday. Rollo has never even be up in a plane, never mind fly one, so he must figure a way out. But the girls have everything bet on his winning the race. Written by Tony Fontana
Going Wild
A successful Broadway star ready to retire from her wild career announces her engagement. But her tumultuous past isn't done with her yet.
Bright Lights
Tough Aggie gives a street guy polish and a rich kid gumption.
Aggie Appleby, Maker of Men
An actor is jealous of his wife's stardom.
The Great Flirtation
As they are leaving the church following their wedding, Count Adrian Beltrami and Countess Anna-Marie are told that the Austrians are marching on the town to quell an Italian uprising. The bride and relatives induce the count to flee to his castle, but Tangy, a silhouette cutter, brings word from the revolutionary committee asking him to return; the count goes, asking Tangy to pose as the count and protect Anna-Marie.
Bride of the Regiment
Bank robbers and killers cause mayhem in a small western town.
Men Of America
Alain's uncle sends him to France to toughen him with his aviator friend Pierre. He meets Suzanne on the voyage and fights for her love against José in an airplane.
The Aviator
An uptight society aunt sends her too sexy niece to college so she can land a man.