Born September 14, 1898 (or 1899?) Producer Hal B. Wallis
One of Hollywood’s most respected and honored producers, Hal B. Wallis started his entertainment career as a theater manager for a Warners-owned theater in LA. In 1923, after catching the eye of Jack L. Warner, he was hired to work in the publicity department at Warner Brothers Studio. By 1928, he was Studio Manager, and shortly thereafter, Production Manager (before Darryl F. Zanuck, and again after Zanuck). In 1944, he left Warner Brothers (after a clash with Jack Warner) to work as an independent producer, again enjoying both commercial and critical success.
Over the course of his 44-year production career, Wallis worked on over 375 films. There are, of course, too many to mention here, so to name just a few: Casablanca, Dark Victory, The Adventures of Robin Hood, Now Voyager, The Maltese Falcon, Sgt. York, True Grit, The Rose Tattoo, Come Back Little Sheba, Saratoga Trunk, and a number Elvis and Lewis & Martin films…
So, let’s celebrate the artistry and craft of Hal B. Wallis by looking at a few behind-the-scenes photos…
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Hal B. Wallis (right) with Phyllis Kirk and Jerry Lewis on the set of The Sad Sack (1957, director George Marshall)
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Hal B. Wallis (left) and Elvis Presley during the filming of Paradise Hawaiian Style (1966, director Michael D. Moore)
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Hal B. Wallis with Katherine Hepburn during the filming of Wallis’ final film, Rooster Cogburn (1975, director Stuart Millar)
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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub
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