Directed 2 actors to Oscar nominations: Wallace Beery (Best Actor, The Big House (1930)) and Marie Dressler (Best Actress, Min and Bill (1930)). Dressler won an Oscar for her performance in Hill's film.
Slated to direct The Good Earth (1937), Hill was found dead, an apparent suicide, during pre-production work on the film and director Sidney Franklin was called upon to complete the project.