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{{Infobox person
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| spouse = {{marriage|[[Dusty Anderson]]|1946}}
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'''Jean Negulesco''' (born '''Ioan Negulescu'''; 29 February 1900 ([[Adoption of the Gregorian calendar#Adoption in Eastern Europe|O.S.]]) &ndash; 18 July 1993) was a [[Romanian-American]] [[film director]] and [[screenwriter]].<ref>David Shipman, [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-jean-negulesco-1486414.html "Obituary: Jean Negulesco"], ''The Independent'' (London), 22 July 1993.</ref>
'''Jean Negulesco''' (born '''Ioan Negulescu'''; 29 February 1900 ([[Adoption of the Gregorian calendar#Adoption in Eastern Europe|O.S.]]) &ndash; 18 July 1993) was a [[Romanian-American]] [[film director]] and [[screenwriter]].<ref>David Shipman, [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-jean-negulesco-1486414.html "Obituary: Jean Negulesco"], ''The Independent'' (London), 22 July 1993.</ref><ref name="times">Jean Negulesco;Obituary
The Times22 July 1993. </ref>


He was called "the first real master of CinemaScope".<ref name="times"/>
==Biography==
==Biography==
===Early life===
⚫
Born in [[Craiova]], he attended [[Carol I National College|Carol I High School]]. In 1915 he moved to [[Vienna]], and then went to [[Bucharest]] in 1919, where he worked as a painter before becoming a stage decorator in Paris. In 1927, he visited New York City for an [[Art exhibition|exhibition]] of his paintings and settled there. He then made his way to California, at first working as a portraitist.<ref>{{cite web|title=Jean and Dusty Negulesco papers|url=http://catalog.oscars.org/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=66443|website=Margaret Herrick Library|publisher=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences|accessdate=21 May 2015}}</ref>
Born in [[Craiova]], he was the son of a hotel keeper and attended [[Carol I National College|Carol I High School]].


When he was 15 he was working in a military hospital. [[Georges Enesco]] the Romanian composer, came to play the violin to the war wounded; Negulesco drew a portrait of him, and Enesco bought it. Negulesco decided to be a painter and studied art in Bucharest.<ref name="times"/><ref name="york">JEAN NEGULESCO'S WORK.
⚫
In 1934, he entered the [[Cinema of the United States|film industry]], first as a [[sketch comedy|sketch artist]], then as an assistant [[film producer|producer]], [[second unit]] director. In the late 1930s, he became a director and screenwriter. He made his reputation at [[Warner Brothers]] by directing short subjects, particularly a series of band shorts featuring unusual camera angles and dramatic use of shadows and silhouettes.
New York Times 6 Nov 1927: X11.</ref><ref name="new">Jean Negulesco, 93, Director of '3 Coins' Who Began as Artist: [Obituary (Obit); Biography]
New York Times 22 July 1993: D.24. </ref>


He went to Paris in 1920, and enrolled in the [[Academie Julian]]. He worked as a professional dance partner on occasion and sold one of his paintings to [[Rex Ingram]]. He had exhibits in London and Paris.<ref name="times"/><ref name="new"/>
⚫
Negulesco's first feature film as director was ''[[Singapore Woman]]'' (1941). In 1948 he was nominated for an [[Academy Award for Directing]] for ''[[Johnny Belinda (1948 film)|Johnny Belinda]]''. In 1955 he got a nomination the [[BAFTA Award for Best Film]] for ''[[How to Marry a Millionaire]]''. His 1959 movie, ''[[The Best of Everything (film)|The Best of Everything]]'', was on [[Entertainment Weekly]]'s ''Top 50 Cult Films of All-Time'' list.
===America===
In 1927, he visited New York City for an [[Art exhibition|exhibition]] of his paintings and settled there. <ref name="times"/><ref name="york"/>

⚫
He then made his way to California, at first working as a portraitist.<ref>{{cite web|title=Jean and Dusty Negulesco papers|url=http://catalog.oscars.org/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=66443|website=Margaret Herrick Library|publisher=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences|accessdate=21 May 2015}}</ref>

He became interested in movies and made an experimental feature film, financed as well as written and directed by himself, called ''Three And A Day''. Through his contact with the film's star, [[Mischa Auer]], he managed to get a job at Paramount.<ref name="times"/>
===Paramount===
He did the opening montage for the film musical ''[[Tonight We Sing]]'' and worked on ''[[The Story of Temple Drake]]'' and ''[[A Farewell to Arms (1932 film)|A Farewell to Arms]]'' (1952).<ref name="new"/>

He worked his way up to assistant [[film producer|producer]], [[second unit]] director. <ref name="los">Jean Negulesco; Directed `How to Marry a Millionaire': Oliver, Myrna. Los Angeles Times 22 July 1993: 22. </ref>
===Warner Bros===
⚫
Negulesco went to Warner Bros in 1940. He made his reputation at [[Warner Brothers]] by directing short subjects, particularly a series of band shorts featuring unusual camera angles and dramatic use of shadows and silhouettes.

⚫
Negulesco's first feature film as director was ''[[Singapore Woman]]'' (1941). In 1948 he was nominated for an [[Academy Award for Directing]] for ''[[Johnny Belinda (1948 film)|Johnny Belinda]]''.

According to one obituary, "the secret of these films' success often seemed to lie in the excellent script writers they used... and the powerful production team at Warner Brothers, where most films were drawn out frame by frame by imposing designers like Anton Grot before a director was ever assigned to them, rather than in any very distinctive qualities of the director himself. All the same, Negulesco had a sure touch with actors, and a refined sense of detail. He was the very last person ever to consider himself as an auteur, with his own personal philosophy to put over: he was a director rather like such other ex-designers as Vincente Minnelli and Mitchell Leisen, where the message was entirely in the style."<ref name="times"/>
===20th Century Fox===
In 1948 Negulesco went over to 20th Century Fox.

In 1955 he got a nomination the [[BAFTA Award for Best Film]] for ''[[How to Marry a Millionaire]]''.<ref name="guardian">The glory that was Rome in CinemaScope Obituary: Jean Negulesco
Bergan, Ronald. The Guardian 23 July 1993. </ref>

His 1959 movie, ''[[The Best of Everything (film)|The Best of Everything]]'', was on [[Entertainment Weekly]]'s ''Top 50 Cult Films of All-Time'' list.


From the late 1960s he lived in [[Marbella]], Spain, where he died, at age 93, of heart failure.
From the late 1960s he lived in [[Marbella]], Spain, where he died, at age 93, of heart failure.

Revision as of 01:58, 11 January 2019

Jean Negulesco
Jean Negulesco in 1986
Born29 February 1900 (O.S.)
Craiova, Dolj, Romania
Died18 July 1993 (aged 93)
Marbella, Andalusia, Spain
Cause of deathHeart failure
Spouse
​
(m. 1946)​

Jean Negulesco (born Ioan Negulescu; 29 February 1900 (O.S.) – 18 July 1993) was a Romanian-American film director and screenwriter.[1][2]

He was called "the first real master of CinemaScope".[2]

Biography

Early life

Born in Craiova, he was the son of a hotel keeper and attended Carol I High School.

When he was 15 he was working in a military hospital. Georges Enesco the Romanian composer, came to play the violin to the war wounded; Negulesco drew a portrait of him, and Enesco bought it. Negulesco decided to be a painter and studied art in Bucharest.[2][3][4]

He went to Paris in 1920, and enrolled in the Academie Julian. He worked as a professional dance partner on occasion and sold one of his paintings to Rex Ingram. He had exhibits in London and Paris.[2][4]

America

In 1927, he visited New York City for an exhibition of his paintings and settled there. [2][3]

He then made his way to California, at first working as a portraitist.[5]

He became interested in movies and made an experimental feature film, financed as well as written and directed by himself, called Three And A Day. Through his contact with the film's star, Mischa Auer, he managed to get a job at Paramount.[2]

Paramount

He did the opening montage for the film musical Tonight We Sing and worked on The Story of Temple Drake and A Farewell to Arms (1952).[4]

He worked his way up to assistant producer, second unit director. [6]

Warner Bros

Negulesco went to Warner Bros in 1940. He made his reputation at Warner Brothers by directing short subjects, particularly a series of band shorts featuring unusual camera angles and dramatic use of shadows and silhouettes.

Negulesco's first feature film as director was Singapore Woman (1941). In 1948 he was nominated for an Academy Award for Directing for Johnny Belinda.

According to one obituary, "the secret of these films' success often seemed to lie in the excellent script writers they used... and the powerful production team at Warner Brothers, where most films were drawn out frame by frame by imposing designers like Anton Grot before a director was ever assigned to them, rather than in any very distinctive qualities of the director himself. All the same, Negulesco had a sure touch with actors, and a refined sense of detail. He was the very last person ever to consider himself as an auteur, with his own personal philosophy to put over: he was a director rather like such other ex-designers as Vincente Minnelli and Mitchell Leisen, where the message was entirely in the style."[2]

20th Century Fox

In 1948 Negulesco went over to 20th Century Fox.

In 1955 he got a nomination the BAFTA Award for Best Film for How to Marry a Millionaire.[7]

His 1959 movie, The Best of Everything, was on Entertainment Weekly's Top 50 Cult Films of All-Time list.

From the late 1960s he lived in Marbella, Spain, where he died, at age 93, of heart failure.

During his Hollywood career and in his 1984 autobiography Things I Did and Things I Think I Did, Negulesco claimed to have been born on 29 February 1900; he was apparently motivated to make this statement because birthdays on Leap Year Day are comparatively rare (and even though 1900 was not a Leap Year in the Gregorian calendar, it was under the Julian calendar, which applied in Romania at that time).

He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6212 Hollywood Blvd.

Filmography

Shorts

  • Alice in Movieland (1940)
  • The Flag of Humanity (1940)
  • Joe Reichman and His Orchestra (1940)
  • Henry Busse and His Orchestra (1940)
  • Skinnay Ennis and His Orchestra (1941)
  • The Dog in the Orchard (1941)
  • Jan Garber and His Orchestra (1941)
  • Cliff Edwards and His Buckaroos (1941)
  • Freddie Martin and His Orchestra (1941)
  • Marie Green and Her Merry Men (1941)
  • Hal Kemp and His Orchestra (1941)
  • Those Good Old Days (1941)
  • University of Southern California Band and Glee Club (1941)
  • Carioca Serenaders (1941)
  • At the Stroke of Twelve (1941)
  • The Gay Parisian (1941)
  • Carl Hoff and His Orchestra (1942)
  • Calling All Girls (1942)
  • The Playgirls (1942)
  • Spanish Fiesta (1942)
  • The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady (1942)
  • Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra (1942)
  • The Spirit of Annapolis (1942)
  • Six Hits and a Miss (1942)
  • United States Marine Band (1942)
  • Borrah Minevitch and His Harmonica School (1942)
  • The United States Army Air Force Band (1942)
  • A Ship Is Born (1942)
  • Army Show (1942
  • Ozzie Nelson and His Orchestra (1943)
  • Three Cheers for the Girls (1943)
  • The All American Bands (1943)
  • All Star Melody Masters (1943)
  • Childhood Days (1943)
  • Hit Parade of the Gay Nineties (1943)
  • Women at War (1943)
  • Cavalcade of Dance (1943)
  • Sweetheart Serenade (1943)
  • Food and Magic (1943)
  • Over the Wall (1943)
  • The Voice That Thrilled the World (1943)
  • The United States Service Bands (1943)
  • The United States Army Band (1944)
  • Roaring Guns (1944)
  • Grandfather's Follies (1944)
  • South American Sway (1944)
  • Listen to the Bands (1944)
  • The Dark Wave (1956)

Feature Films

Notes

  1. ^ David Shipman, "Obituary: Jean Negulesco", The Independent (London), 22 July 1993.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Jean Negulesco;Obituary The Times22 July 1993.
  3. ^ a b JEAN NEGULESCO'S WORK. New York Times 6 Nov 1927: X11.
  4. ^ a b c Jean Negulesco, 93, Director of '3 Coins' Who Began as Artist: [Obituary (Obit); Biography] New York Times 22 July 1993: D.24.
  5. ^ "Jean and Dusty Negulesco papers". Margaret Herrick Library. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  6. ^ Jean Negulesco; Directed `How to Marry a Millionaire': Oliver, Myrna. Los Angeles Times 22 July 1993: 22.
  7. ^ The glory that was Rome in CinemaScope Obituary: Jean Negulesco Bergan, Ronald. The Guardian 23 July 1993.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jean Negulesco.

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