John S. Waters
Encyclopedia
John Waters was an American
filmmaker whose career began in the early days of silent film
and culminated in two consecutive Academy Award nominations in the newly-instituted category of Best Assistant Director
with the second nomination for MGM's Viva Villa!
. Waters won the award at the 7th Academy Awards
on February 27, 1935.
, John Waters entered the motion picture industry in its formative years. Only a few of his assistant director credits from the 1910s have been recorded, with vehicles for Carlyle Blackwell
(The Shadow of a Doubt, 1916) and Harold Lockwood
(The Avenging Trail, 1917) listed among the earliest titles. During this initial phase of his career, he was billed on at least two occasions as John S. Waters and on at least one occasion as Johnnie Waters.
In 1926 he was offered a position as director with Famous Players-Lasky
and, over a two-year period, turned out ten films, seven of which were based on the series of popular western fiction
novels by Zane Grey
. An eighth western, 1927's Arizona Bound, Waters' sole sagebrush saga not based on Zane Grey, starred Gary Cooper in his first leading role. Although he did not direct Cooper's second starring western, The Last Outlaw, the new star's third lead western, Nevada
, was again assigned to Waters, along with another Cooper vehicle, the French Foreign Legion
saga, Beau Sabreur
, a sequel to Famous Players' biggest hit of 1926, Beau Geste
, which starred Ronald Colman. Rounding out Waters' ten assignments was a single comedy, the W. C. Fields
-Chester Conklin
vehicle, Two Flaming Youths, which he also produced. In 1928, a few months after Famous Players-Lasky's September 1927 reorganization under the name Paramount Famous Lasky Corporation, Waters left the studio to begin a lengthy sojourn with MGM, where his initial directorial assignments consisted of two Tim McCoy
series westerns, The Overland Telegraph and Sioux Blood which, when released in March and April 1929, respectively, were among MGM's last silent features.
transformed Hollywood, Waters, now an MGM contractee, returned to his former profession as assistant director, an industry job title which, during a brief period covering five Academy Award cycles (1932–33 to 1937), became eligible for an Oscar. On March 16, 1934, at the first Awards ceremony featuring the new category, John Waters was among eighteen nominees who were singled out for the totality of their achievement at the studio which employed them, rather than for a single feature. Each studio had two or three nominees, with Charles Dorian
and Orville O. Dull rounding out, along with Waters, the MGM contingent. Ultimately, there were seven winners that year, one of them Dorian. The following year, after considerable streamlining, the nominations were pared down to three and categorized according to each nominee's work on a specific film. Only John Waters, among the previous year's eighteen nominees, was renominated, as his work with Wallace Beery
's Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa
won against two Claudette Colbert
-Warren William
titles represented by assistant directors Scott Beal
(Imitation of Life
) and Cullen Tate (Cleopatra
).
Although known in the industry, Waters, along with other studio-employed assistant directors and second unit directors did not have his name listed in the credits of Viva Villa! or any of the other titles. Other than a one-reel Pete Smith Specialty
, Donkey Baseball in 1935, his sole "talkie" directorial assignment was The Mighty McGurk
, MGM's 1946 vehicle for his old Viva Villa! compatriot, Wallace Beery.
Twelve years later, after working as second unit director on two big-budget 1958 releases, Warner
's The Deep Six
and independently-produced The Big Country
, John Waters retired and, after another seven years, died in Hollywood
at the age of 71.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
filmmaker whose career began in the early days of silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
and culminated in two consecutive Academy Award nominations in the newly-instituted category of Best Assistant Director
Academy Award for Best Assistant Director
In the first year of this award it referred to no specific film.*1933 winners** Charles Barton ** Rick James ** Charles Dorian ** Fred Fox ** Gordon Hollingshead ** Dewey Starkey...
with the second nomination for MGM's Viva Villa!
Viva Villa!
Viva Villa! is a 1934 American film starring Wallace Beery as Pancho Villa and was written by Ben Hecht, adapted from a biography by Edgecumb Pinchon and Odo B. Stade. The picture was directed by Jack Conway. There was special, uncredited help with the script by Howard Hawks, James Kevin...
. Waters won the award at the 7th Academy Awards
7th Academy Awards
The 7th Academy Awards, honoring the best in film for 1934, were held on February 27, 1935 at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, California. They were hosted by Irvin S...
on February 27, 1935.
Assistant director and director during 1910s and 1920s
A native of New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, John Waters entered the motion picture industry in its formative years. Only a few of his assistant director credits from the 1910s have been recorded, with vehicles for Carlyle Blackwell
Carlyle Blackwell
Carlyle Blackwell was an American silent film actor and a minor director and producer.Born in Troy, Pennsylvania, he made his film debut in the 1910 Vitagraph Studios production of Uncle Tom's Cabin directed by J. Stuart Blackton. Between then and 1930, when talkies ended his acting career, he...
(The Shadow of a Doubt, 1916) and Harold Lockwood
Harold Lockwood
Harold A. Lockwood was an American silent film actor and one of the most popular matinee idols of the early film period during the 1910s.-Career:...
(The Avenging Trail, 1917) listed among the earliest titles. During this initial phase of his career, he was billed on at least two occasions as John S. Waters and on at least one occasion as Johnnie Waters.
In 1926 he was offered a position as director with Famous Players-Lasky
Famous Players-Lasky
Famous Players-Lasky Corporation was an American motion picture and distribution company created on July 19, 1916 from the merger of Adolph Zukor's Famous Players Film Company -- originally formed by Zukor as Famous Players in Famous Plays -- and Jesse L...
and, over a two-year period, turned out ten films, seven of which were based on the series of popular western fiction
Western fiction
Western fiction is a genre of literature set in the American Old West frontier and typically set from the late eighteenth to the late nineteenth century. Well-known writers of Western fiction include Zane Grey from the early 1900s and Louis L'Amour from the mid 20th century...
novels by Zane Grey
Zane Grey
Zane Grey was an American author best known for his popular adventure novels and stories that presented an idealized image of the Old West. Riders of the Purple Sage was his bestselling book. In addition to the success of his printed works, they later had second lives and continuing influence...
. An eighth western, 1927's Arizona Bound, Waters' sole sagebrush saga not based on Zane Grey, starred Gary Cooper in his first leading role. Although he did not direct Cooper's second starring western, The Last Outlaw, the new star's third lead western, Nevada
Nevada (1927 film)
Nevada is a 1927 movie based upon a Zane Grey novel and starring Gary Cooper, Thelma Todd, and William Powell. This lavish Western film was remade in 1944 as an early Robert Mitchum B-picture, the only time Cooper and Mitchum played the same role.-Cast:...
, was again assigned to Waters, along with another Cooper vehicle, the French Foreign Legion
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
saga, Beau Sabreur
Beau Sabreur
Beau Sabreur is a 1928 silent film produced by Famous Players-Lasky and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It was directed by John Waters and starred Gary Cooper and Evelyn Brent. The plot was based on a novel by P. C. Wren. Only a trailer exists of this film...
, a sequel to Famous Players' biggest hit of 1926, Beau Geste
Beau Geste (1926 film)
Beau Geste is a 1926 silent film, based on the novel by P. C. Wren. This version starred Ronald Colman as the title character. -Plot:The plot concerns a valuable gem, which one of the Geste brothers, Beau, is thought to have stolen from his adoptive family.-Cast:*Ronald Colman as Michael 'Beau'...
, which starred Ronald Colman. Rounding out Waters' ten assignments was a single comedy, the W. C. Fields
W. C. Fields
William Claude Dukenfield , better known as W. C. Fields, was an American comedian, actor, juggler and writer...
-Chester Conklin
Chester Conklin
Chester Cooper Conklin was an American comedian and actor. He appeared in over 280 films, about half of them in the silent era.-Early life:...
vehicle, Two Flaming Youths, which he also produced. In 1928, a few months after Famous Players-Lasky's September 1927 reorganization under the name Paramount Famous Lasky Corporation, Waters left the studio to begin a lengthy sojourn with MGM, where his initial directorial assignments consisted of two Tim McCoy
Tim McCoy
Col. Tim McCoy was an American actor, military officer, and expert on American Indian life and customs.-Early years:...
series westerns, The Overland Telegraph and Sioux Blood which, when released in March and April 1929, respectively, were among MGM's last silent features.
Assistant director at MGM
At this point, as the talkie revolutionSound film
A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades would pass before sound motion pictures were made commercially...
transformed Hollywood, Waters, now an MGM contractee, returned to his former profession as assistant director, an industry job title which, during a brief period covering five Academy Award cycles (1932–33 to 1937), became eligible for an Oscar. On March 16, 1934, at the first Awards ceremony featuring the new category, John Waters was among eighteen nominees who were singled out for the totality of their achievement at the studio which employed them, rather than for a single feature. Each studio had two or three nominees, with Charles Dorian
Charles Dorian
Charles Dorian was an American assistant director and film actor. He appeared in 26 films between 1915 and 1920. He won an Academy Award in 1933 for Best Assistant Director....
and Orville O. Dull rounding out, along with Waters, the MGM contingent. Ultimately, there were seven winners that year, one of them Dorian. The following year, after considerable streamlining, the nominations were pared down to three and categorized according to each nominee's work on a specific film. Only John Waters, among the previous year's eighteen nominees, was renominated, as his work with Wallace Beery
Wallace Beery
Wallace Fitzgerald Beery was an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Bill in Min and Bill opposite Marie Dressler, as Long John Silver in Treasure Island, as Pancho Villa in Viva Villa!, and his titular role in The Champ, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor...
's Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa
Pancho Villa
José Doroteo Arango Arámbula – better known by his pseudonym Francisco Villa or its hypocorism Pancho Villa – was one of the most prominent Mexican Revolutionary generals....
won against two Claudette Colbert
Claudette Colbert
Claudette Colbert was a French-born American-based actress of stage and film.Born in Paris, France and raised in New York City, Colbert began her career in Broadway productions during the 1920s, progressing to film with the advent of talking pictures...
-Warren William
Warren William
Warren William was a Broadway and Hollywood actor, popular during the early 1930s, who was later nicknamed the "king of Pre-Code". He was born Warren William Krech in Aitkin, Minnesota to parents Freeman E. and Frances Krech. He had a certain physical resemblance to John Barrymore. He attended the...
titles represented by assistant directors Scott Beal
Scott Beal
Scott R. "Scotty" Beal was a film Assistant director.Born in Quinnesec, Michigan, he began his career as an actor in 1915, before switching to the other side of the camera the following year...
(Imitation of Life
Imitation of Life (1934 film)
Imitation of Life is a 1934 American drama film directed by John M. Stahl. The screenplay by William Hurlbut, based on Fannie Hurst's 1933 novel of the same name, was augmented by eight additional uncredited writers, including Preston Sturges and Finley Peter Dunne...
) and Cullen Tate (Cleopatra
Cleopatra (1934 film)
Cleopatra is a 1934 epic film directed by Cecil B. DeMille and distributed by Paramount Pictures, which retells the story of Cleopatra VII of Egypt....
).
Although known in the industry, Waters, along with other studio-employed assistant directors and second unit directors did not have his name listed in the credits of Viva Villa! or any of the other titles. Other than a one-reel Pete Smith Specialty
Pete Smith (film producer)
Pete Smith was a film producer and narrator of "short subject" films from 1931 to 1955....
, Donkey Baseball in 1935, his sole "talkie" directorial assignment was The Mighty McGurk
The Mighty McGurk
The Mighty McGurk is a 1947 film starring Wallace Beery as a boozing ex-boxer working as a bouncer in a Bowery saloon. The movie was directed by John Waters, although not the same John Waters who directed Pink Flamingos and Hairspray .-Cast:*Wallace Beery as Slag McGurk*Dean Stockwell as...
, MGM's 1946 vehicle for his old Viva Villa! compatriot, Wallace Beery.
Twelve years later, after working as second unit director on two big-budget 1958 releases, Warner
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
's The Deep Six
The Deep Six
The Deep Six is a 1958 Warnercolor World War II drama film directed by Rudolph Maté, was based on a novel with the same name by Martin Dibner...
and independently-produced The Big Country
The Big Country
Meanwhile, Terrill insists on riding into the canyon. Initially, Leech refuses to accompany him, and the other men follow his lead. However, after Terrill rides out alone, Leech catches up with him. The remaining hands again align themselves with Leech by following. The group soon rides into a trap...
, John Waters retired and, after another seven years, died in Hollywood
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood is a famous district in Los Angeles, California, United States situated west-northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word Hollywood is often used as a metonym of American cinema...
at the age of 71.