Burt Balaban
Directing
Biography
Burt Balaban was an American film producer and director, recognized for his contributions to mid-20th-century cinema. Born into a family with strong ties to the film industry—his stepfather was Barney Balaban, longtime President of Paramount Pictures—Burt carved out his own niche in filmmaking. He served as a combat photographer with the Marines during World War II, an experience that influenced his cinematic perspective. Balaban's notable works include Stranger from Venus (1954), Murder, Inc. (1960), and Mad Dog Coll (1961). His films often explored crime and drama, reflecting the complexities of human nature.
Known For
Chronicles the rise and fall of the organised crime syndicate known as Murder, Incorporated, focusing on powerful boss Lepke and violent hit man Reles.
Murder, Inc.
Killer Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll moves in on gangster Dutch Schultz in 1920s New York.
Mad Dog Coll
The fated love between a frigid young woman and a grieving man made mute after a tragic personal event.
The Gentle Rain
Stranger from Venus (a.k.a. Immediate Disaster and The Venusian) is the story of a woman who meets a stranger with no pulse who has the power of life and death at his touch. He is here from Venus to warn Earth about the atom.
Stranger from Venus
When publisher William Marshall learns his young ward Melissa Collins has committed suicide, he sets in motion a plan to murder the man who drove Melissa to kill herself. Mistakenly believing that singer Larry Shaw is his intended target, Marshall unwittingly seeks help from the man who actually broke Melissa's heart.
Lady of Vengeance
Tempers and sexual jealousies flare when five men and a woman share a mountain cabin while mining for gold.
High Hell
A man who owns a diamond importing business goes out for a night on the town with his girlfriend, her brother and her brother’s fiancé. The group stops by a circus to see the act of a trapeze artist who’s a friend of the man’s girlfriend. The performer suggests that all the men go out for a few drinks, and the next thing the businessman knows, he’s waking up in his apartment with a terrible hangover and a dead body in his room.
The Lie
An American diplomat and his wife arrive in London, and are soon involved in a series of confusing and sometimes frightening events