Willard Mack
Encyclopedia
Willard Mack was a Canadian
-born actor
, director
, and playwright
.
Born Charles McLaughlin, in Morrisburg, Ontario, at an early age his family moved to Brooklyn, New York. After two years, they relocated to Cedar Rapids, Iowa
where McLaughlin finished high school. His parents returned to Canada but he went on to study at Georgetown University
in Washington, D. C. where he became involved in student plays. Adopting the stage name, Willard Mack, after graduation he took minor acting jobs for a few years and did Shakespearian repertoire. However, writing scripts was what he was most interested in and his second effort about the North-West Mounted Police
titled "In Wyoming" proved to be a commercial success. It would later be used as a basis for the screenplay for his film "Nanette of the Wilds." Throughout his life Willard Mack frequently returned to Canada. Some of his other plays, including "Tiger Rose" and "The Scarlet Fox," were set in northern Alberta
. The silent film "The Battle of Gettysburg
", was set in Malibu, California, in 1913.
A prolific writer, in 1914 he made his acting
debut on Broadway
in a play he had written. Over the next fourteen years he would write a further twenty-two Broadway productions, acting in ten of them, and producing four. For a time, Willard Mack operated a stock company with actress Maude Leone. In the mid 1920s, he met an aspiring stage actress named Ruby Stevens hired as a chorus girl for his new play. Mack coached Stevens's acting and rewrote parts of the play to expand her role then convinced her to change her name to Barbara Stanwyck
.
During his time on Broadway, Willard Mack began writing for motion pictures and although he performed in fifteen films and directed four, he was primarily a writer. At first he remained on the East Coast
but later moved to Los Angeles
. A number of his plays were made into motion pictures and between 1916 and 1953 he was involved with the writing of more than seventy film scripts.
Starting out in silent film
, he made his talkie debut as actor, director and co-writer of the 1929 film "Voice of the City." In 1933 he directed the acclaimed drama film, "What Price Innocence?" then wrote and directed Broadway to Hollywood
, a backstage musical
spanning nearly five decades that recounts the struggles of a vaudeville
family.
In 1913, Willard Mack married actress Marjorie Rambeau
. Divorced in 1917, he immediately married actress/dancer Pauline Frederick
whom he had met a year earlier while appearing in a film together. Their marriage was short-lived, and they divorced in 1919.
Willard Mack's writing success made him a wealthy man. He died in Brentwood Heights, California
in 1934.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
-born actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, and playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
.
Born Charles McLaughlin, in Morrisburg, Ontario, at an early age his family moved to Brooklyn, New York. After two years, they relocated to Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
where McLaughlin finished high school. His parents returned to Canada but he went on to study at Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
in Washington, D. C. where he became involved in student plays. Adopting the stage name, Willard Mack, after graduation he took minor acting jobs for a few years and did Shakespearian repertoire. However, writing scripts was what he was most interested in and his second effort about the North-West Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
titled "In Wyoming" proved to be a commercial success. It would later be used as a basis for the screenplay for his film "Nanette of the Wilds." Throughout his life Willard Mack frequently returned to Canada. Some of his other plays, including "Tiger Rose" and "The Scarlet Fox," were set in northern Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. The silent film "The Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg (1913 film)
The Battle of Gettysburg is a 1913 silent drama film directed by Charles Giblyn and Thomas H. Ince. The film is now considered to be lost, although some battlefield footage was used by Mack Sennett in his comedy Cohen Saves the Flag, which was shot on location alongside this production. However...
", was set in Malibu, California, in 1913.
A prolific writer, in 1914 he made his acting
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
debut on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
in a play he had written. Over the next fourteen years he would write a further twenty-two Broadway productions, acting in ten of them, and producing four. For a time, Willard Mack operated a stock company with actress Maude Leone. In the mid 1920s, he met an aspiring stage actress named Ruby Stevens hired as a chorus girl for his new play. Mack coached Stevens's acting and rewrote parts of the play to expand her role then convinced her to change her name to Barbara Stanwyck
Barbara Stanwyck
Barbara Stanwyck was an American actress. She was a film and television star, known during her 60-year career as a consummate and versatile professional with a strong screen presence, and a favorite of directors including Cecil B. DeMille, Fritz Lang and Frank Capra...
.
During his time on Broadway, Willard Mack began writing for motion pictures and although he performed in fifteen films and directed four, he was primarily a writer. At first he remained on the East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
but later moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. A number of his plays were made into motion pictures and between 1916 and 1953 he was involved with the writing of more than seventy film scripts.
Starting out in 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...
, he made his talkie debut as actor, director and co-writer of the 1929 film "Voice of the City." In 1933 he directed the acclaimed drama film, "What Price Innocence?" then wrote and directed Broadway to Hollywood
Broadway to Hollywood (1933 film)
Broadway to Hollywood is a film directed by Willard Mack, produced by Harry Rapf, and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The film features many of MGM's stars of the time, including Frank Morgan, Alice Brady, Madge Evans, Jimmy Durante, Mickey Rooney, and Jackie Cooper...
, a backstage musical
Backstage musical
A backstage musical is a genre of musical film with a plot set in a theatrical context that revolves around the production of a play or revue. The film's narrative trajectory often comes to a halt to allow a performance...
spanning nearly five decades that recounts the struggles of a vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
family.
In 1913, Willard Mack married actress Marjorie Rambeau
Marjorie Rambeau
Marjorie Rambeau was an American film and stage actress.-Early life:Rambeau was born in San Francisco, California to Marcel Rambeau and Lilian Garlinda Kindelberger. Her parents split up when she was a girl. She and her mother went to Nome, Alaska where young Marjorie dressed as a boy, sang and...
. Divorced in 1917, he immediately married actress/dancer Pauline Frederick
Pauline Frederick
Pauline Frederick was a leading Broadway actress who later became known for her motion picture work.-Early years:...
whom he had met a year earlier while appearing in a film together. Their marriage was short-lived, and they divorced in 1919.
Willard Mack's writing success made him a wealthy man. He died in Brentwood Heights, California
Brentwood, California
Brentwood is a city in Contra Costa County, California, United States. It is located in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. The population is 51,481 as of 2010....
in 1934.