About Richard Thorpe
Richard Thorpe (born Rollo Smolt Thorpe; February 24, 1896 – May 1, 1991) was an American film director best known for his long career at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. His obituary called him "a capable and versatile director willing to take on any assignment the studio handed him." He said "I just take them on as they come." Thorpe also said "I'm happy to do any kind of picture. If there's a good script I think any director can make a good picture. Actually if it says in the script what you do, I don't see why anybody can't make it." One associate said “He was a company man, a very pleasant, good-looking, nice, well-behaved guy who took pride in being efficient like some businessman would take pride in the way he ran his bank.” His two favorite films were Night Must Fall (1937) and Two Girls and a Sailor (1944). "They were new and different experiences," said Thorpe. For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Thorpe has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6101 Hollywood Blvd. In 2003 a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars in Palm Springs, California was dedicated to him and his son Jerry. Two Girls and a Sailor would be the first of eleven films Thorpe would make with producer Joe Pasternak. In 1921 he began in motion pictures as an actor and directed his first silent film in 1923. Thorpe later estimated he "did 72 Westerns, four comedies, 12 serials and 36 independent productions before coming to Metro." The first full-length motion picture he directed for MGM was Last of the Pagans (1935) starring Ray Mala.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.