William K. Howard

Must-See Films

• The Power and the Glory
• 1933
• Fire Over England
• 1937
• The Prisoner of Zenda
• 1937
• Let's Go
• 1923
• The Gay Deception
• 1935
• ],
• awards
• nominations
• honors
• personalLife
• William K. Howard was married twice during his lifetime. He married actress Frances Rich in 1930, but the marriage ended in divorce. He later married actress Florence Roberts. Howard was known as a hard-working director who maintained professional relationships with many actors and crew members throughout his career. He was respected in the industry for his technical skills and ability to work efficiently on set.
• spouses
• Frances Rich (1930-1933),Florence Roberts (1935-1956)
• children
• education
• studioAffiliations
• Paramount Pictures,Fox Film Corporation,RKO Pictures,MGM
• frequentCollaborators
• Spencer Tracy,Sylvia Sidney,Frances Dee,John Halliday
• mentors
• protégés
• culturalImpact
• William K. Howard contributed to the development of narrative cinema, particularly through his innovative use of non-linear storytelling in 'The Power and the Glory.' This film influenced later filmmakers in its approach to narrative structure and character development. His work during the transition from silent to sound films demonstrated how visual storytelling techniques could be adapted and enhanced with sound. Howard's films also helped launch or advance the careers of several actors who would become major stars. His international work, particularly in Britain, contributed to the cross-pollination of filmmaking techniques between Hollywood and European cinema.
• legacy
• William K. Howard's legacy lies in his technical innovation and versatility as a director. While not as widely remembered as some of his contemporaries, his films, particularly 'The Power and the Glory,' are studied by film scholars for their narrative innovations. The film's use of flashback and non-linear structure was groundbreaking for its time and influenced later developments in film narrative. Howard's ability to work across genres and with both American and British productions demonstrated the adaptability required of directors during Hollywood's golden age. His career serves as an example of the journeyman director who consistently delivered competent, sometimes innovative, films without achieving the auteur status of some of his more famous peers.
• influence
• Howard's influence on cinema is most evident in his narrative innovations. 'The Power and the Glory' is often cited as a precursor to film noir and influenced directors like Orson Welles in its use of non-linear storytelling. His technical proficiency and ability to work efficiently set standards for studio filmmaking. The actors who worked with him benefited from his direction, with several going on to major stardom. His work in British cinema helped bridge stylistic approaches between Hollywood and European filmmaking traditions.
• trivia
• Let's Go (1923) was one of his earliest directorial efforts,The Power and the Glory was written by Preston Sturges,He directed both silent films and talkies successfully,Fire Over England featured Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh before they became Hollywood icons,The Prisoner of Zenda (1937) was co-directed with John Cromwell,He worked with major stars of the era including Spencer Tracy and Sylvia Sidney,His career spanned from the silent era through World War II,He was born in a leap year and died on February 29th,His films often featured strong visual compositions and innovative camera work,Despite directing over 40 films, he never achieved the auteur status of some contemporaries
• famousQuotes
• controversies
• externalLinks
• [object Object]
• faq
• [object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]