ARTHUR LUBIN
INFORMATION FROM IMDb
Date of birth
25 July 1898
Los Angeles, California, USA
Date of death
12 May 1995
Glendale, California, USA.
Height
5' 10" (1.78 m)
Mini Biography
A graduate of Carnegie Tech, Arthur Lubin entered films as an actor in the 1920s,
and after appearing in many films turned to directing in 1934, mainly for Universal.
His forte was light comedy, but he helmed many different types of pictures for the studio.
Lubin was the director Universal entrusted with their new comedy team of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello;
he didn't let the studio down, and the team's films with Lubin, such as Buck Privates (1941),
Hold That Ghost (1941) and Ride 'Em Cowboy (1942),
rank among their best. Lubin has said that while shooting an Abbott & Costello film
he would have one camera do nothing but focus on Costello,
who had so much energy that he would run around the set doing wild improvisations,
make up bits of business and mischievously throw actors wrong cues or not cue them at all,
making it impossible to plan a shot before shooting; with one camera focused solely on Costello,
whatever craziness he was engaged in could be edited in (or out; Costello was renowned for his off-color ad libs) later.
Lubin's Abbott & Costello films saved Universal from bankruptcy,
and as a reward he was handed the assignment of directing Universal's remake of its silent classic,
Phantom of the Opera (1943).
It was very successful, and remains as Lubin's highest-grossing and most critically acclaimed film.
In the 1950s he was put in charge of the "Francis the Talking Mule" series, which also became successful,
so much so that Lubin turned to television and developed another talking-animal series, the popular and long-running
"Mister Ed" (1961).
Filmography
Director
1. Little Lulu (1978) (TV)
2. Rain for a Dusty Summer (1971)
3. Hold On! (1966)
... aka Astronautas del ritmo, Los
... aka There's No Place Like Space
4. "The Addams Family" (1964) TV Series (one episode)
5. The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964)
6. Ladro di Bagdad, Il (1961)
... aka The Thief of Bagdad (USA)
... aka Voleur de Bagdad, Le (France)
7. "Mister Ed" (1961) TV Series
8. "New Comedy Showcase" (1960) TV Series (episode "You're Only Young Twice")
9. "Bonanza" (1959) TV Series (episode "Badge Without Honor") (episode "Feet of Clay") (episode "San Francisco Holiday")
... aka Ponderosa (USA: rerun title)
10. "The Deputy" (1959) TV Series
11. "77 Sunset Strip" (1958/I) TV Series
12. "Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse" (1958) TV Series (episode "The Comeback")
... aka Desilu Playhouse
13. "Bronco" (1958) TV Series
14. Escapade in Japan (1957)
15. "Maverick" (1957) TV Series
16. The First Traveling Saleslady (1956)
17. Lady Godiva of Coventry (1955)
... aka Lady Godiva of Coventry (UK)
18. "Cheyenne" (1955) TV Series
19. Francis in the Navy (1955)
20. Footsteps in the Fog (1955)
21. Francis Joins the WACS (1954)
22. Francis Covers the Big Town (1953)
23. South Sea Woman (1953)
24. Gobs in a Mess (1953)
25. Star of India (1953)
... aka Stella dell'India (Italy)
26. It Grows on Trees (1952)
27. Francis Goes to West Point (1952)
28. Rhubarb (1951)
29. Queen for a Day (1951)
... aka Horsie
30. Francis Goes to the Races (1951)
31. Francis (1950)
... aka Francis the Talking Mule
32. Impact (1949)
33. New Orleans (1947)
34. A Night in Paradise (1946)
35. The Spider Woman Strikes Back (1946)
36. Delightfully Dangerous (1945)
37. Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (1944)
38. Phantom of the Opera (1943)
39. White Savage (1943)
... aka White Captive (UK)
40. Keeping Fit (1942)
41. Eagle Squadron (1942)
42. Ride 'Em Cowboy (1942)
43. Keep 'Em Flying (1941)
44. Hold That Ghost (1941)
... aka Oh, Charlie
45. In the Navy (1941)
... aka Abbott and Costello In the Navy
46. Buck Privates (1941)
... aka Rookies (UK)
47. Where Did You Get That Girl? (1941)
48. San Francisco Docks (1940)
49. Meet the Wildcat (1940)
50. I'm Nobody's Sweetheart Now (1940)
51. Who Killed Aunt Maggie? (1940)
52. Gangs of Chicago (1940)
53. Black Friday (1940)
54. The Big Guy (1939)
... aka Warden of the Big House (USA: reissue title)
55. Call a Messenger (1939)
56. Mickey the Kid (1939)
... aka Mickey
57. Big Town Czar (1939)
58. Risky Business (1939)
59. Newsboys' Home (1938) (retakes) (uncredited)
60. Secrets of a Nurse (1938)
61. Prison Break (1938)
62. The Beloved Brat (1938)
... aka A Dangerous Affair (UK)
... aka A Dangerous Age (UK)
63. Midnight Intruder (1938)
64. Adventure's End (1937)
65. Idol of the Crowds (1937)
66. I Cover the War (1937)
67. California Straight Ahead! (1937)
68. Mysterious Crossing (1936)
69. Yellowstone (1936)
70. The House of a Thousand Candles (1936)
71. Frisco Waterfront (1935)
... aka When We Look Back (UK)
72. Two Sinners (1935)
... aka Two Black Sheep
73. Honeymoon Limited (1935)
74. Great God Gold (1935)
75. A Successful Failure (1934)
Actor
1. Times Square (1929) .... Russ Glover/Benjamin Lederwitski
... aka The Street of Jazz
2. Eyes of the Underworld (1929) .... Gang Leader
3. The Bushranger (1928) .... Arthur
4. The Wedding March (1928) (uncredited) .... Mountain Guide
5. Afraid to Love (1927) .... Rafael
6. Millionaires (1926) .... Lew
7. Bardelys the Magnificent (1926) .... King Louis XIII
8. His People (1925) .... Morris Cominsky
... aka Proud Heart
9. The Woman on the Jury (1924) .... Juror
Producer
1. "Mister Ed" (1961) TV Series (producer)
2. Escapade in Japan (1957) (producer)
3. The First Traveling Saleslady (1956) (producer
Miscellaneous Crew
1. Western Melodies (1949) (director: archive footage)