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Profile - Director - Lew Landers

Compiled for ctva by Sal Crisanti <crisanti52@netscape.net>

*IF ONE WANTS TO THINK OF A FILM DIRECTOR WHO HAS MASTERED THE ART OF
VERSATILITY IN FILMS. THE NAME THAT STANDS OUT IS LEW LANDERS. HIS CAREER
BEGAN IN THE MID-30'S UNDER HIS REAL NAME LOUIS FRIEDLANDER. AFTER SEVERAL
FILMS LATER HE CHANGED IT TO LEW LANDERS.

HIS FIRST FILM WAS A UNIVERSAL 12-EPISODE SERIAL"
"THE VANISHING SHADOW" (1934).

BUT THE FILM THAT REALLY TOOK NOTICE OF HIS TALENTS AS
A DIRECTOR, WAS THE 1935 UNIVERSAL HORROR CLASSIC:
"THE RAVEN", STARRING BELA LUGOSI AND BORIS KARLOFF.
THE FILM WAS A GENUINE THRILLER TAKEN FROM THE WORK'S OF EDGAR ALLEN POE.
MOST CRITIC'S AGREE THAT THIS WAS LEW LANDERS BEST WORK.

DURING HIS LONG HOLLYWOOD CAREER, LANDERS WORKED FOR JUST ABOUT EVERY
STUDIO IN TOWN.
UNIVERSAL PICTURES,
PRODUCERS RELEASING CORPORATION (PRC),
PARAMOUNT PICTURES,
MONOGRAM PICTURES.

BUT MOST OF HIS TIME WAS SPENT AT COLUMBIA PICTURES
AND RKO. THE TYPE OF FILMS HE DIRECTED RANGED FROM LOW-BUDGET ADVENTURE
EPICS, THRILLERS, AND WESTERNS.

AT COLUMBIA HE HELMED TWO JOHNNY WEISSMULLER
'JUNGLE JIM' FEATURES.
"JUNGLE MANHUNT'(1951)AND
"JUNGLE JIM IN THE FORBIDDEN LAND"(1952).

ALSO AT COLUMBIA HE WAS BEHIND THE CAMERA FOR A SERIES OF SWASHBUCKLERS.
"LAW OF THE BARBARY COAST"(1949),
"BARBARY PIRATE"(1949)AND
"LAST OF THE BUCCANEERS"(1950).

AT UNITED ARTISTS HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR A SOMEWHAT
HISTORICAL ADVENTURE CALLED:
"CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH AND POCAHONTAS"(1953),
AND AN UNDERRATED SWASHBUCKLER TITLED:
"CAPTAIN KIDD AND THE SLAVE GIRL"(1954).

AT RKO HE TURNED OUT MOSTLY THRILLERS AND WESTERNS, WHICH INCLUDED A
NUMBER OF ENTRIES IN THE 'TIM HOLT' WESTERN SERIES.

BESIDES WORKING ON FEATURES AND WESTERNS DURING THE 40'S AND 50'S,
LANDERS TURNED TO SERIES TELEVISION.
HIS TV CREDITS INCLUDED:
"ADVENTURES OF KIT CARSON"(1951-1955),
"ADVENTURES OF RIN-TIN-TIN"(1954-1959),
"MR.&MRS. NORTH"(1952-1953),
"THE CISCO KID"(1951-1956),
"SCIENCE FICTION THEATER"(1955-1957),
"TALES OF THE TEXAS RANGERS"(1955-1959),
"HIGHWAY PATROL"(1955-1959),
"CASEY JONES"(1958-1959).
AND THE LIST GOES ON.

DURING THE REMAINDER OF HIS CAREER, LEW LANDERS CONTINUED TO ALTER HIS
DIRECTORIAL ASSIGNMENTS BETWEEN FEATURES AND TELEVISION UNTIL HIS
DEATH IN 1962. 

Compiled for ctva by Sal Crisanti <crisanti52@netscape.net>

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