Ellis R. Dungan

Ellis Roderick Dungan (May 11, 1909 – December 1, 2001) was an American film director, who was well known for working in Indian films, predominantly in Tamil cinema, from 1936 to 1950. He was an alumnus of the University of Southern California and moved to India in 1935. During his film career in South India, Dungan directed the debut films of several popular Tamil film actors, such as M. G. Ramachandran in Sathi Leelavathi, T. S. Balaiya, Kali N. Ratnam and N. S. Krishnan.

Biography

Early life An Irish-American, Dungan was born in Barton, Ohio. on May 11, 1909. He attended St. Clairsville High School in St. Clairsville, where he played quarterback on the school football team. He bought his first box camera to take pictures for the school yearbook, for which he was editor-in-chief. He later enrolled at the University of Southern California in 1932 in the newly established Cinematography & Motion Picture Production Department.

Career Ellis R. Dungan directing M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar and M. R. Santhanalakshmi in Ambikapathy (1937) In 1935, he arrived in British India with his college mate Michael Ormalev at the invitation of another USC student – Manik Lal Tandon of Bombay. Tandon's family was then planning to enter the film industry. When those plans did not take off, Tandon invited them to Calcutta where he was directing the Tamil film Nandanar. There Tandon introduced them to A. N. Marudhachalam Chettiar, a film producer who was making the film Sathi Leelavathi and recommended Dungan be hired to direct the film as he himself was busy directing Nandanar. Thus Dungan made his directing debut with Sathi Leelavathi which was also the first film of the future Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M. G. Ramachandran. He introduced many new techniques to Indian cinema despite the technical limitations of that period. Many of his movies were based on the mythical characters of the Hindu religion and he had to shoot them in Hindu temples where non-Hindus were not allowed in those days. Dungan filmed his movies in the temples by passing himself off as a Kashmiri pandit. Dungan is credited with introducing modern make-up, the mobile camera and cabaret dance numbers to Tamil Cinema and moving it away from the influence of stage plays. For his introduction of intimate love scenes in Ponmudi (1950), Dungan was criticized by the press for introducing "vulgar" scenes and for "corrupting the population with American ways".

His last Tamil film was Manthiri Kumari in 1950. He returned to America and settled in Wheeling, West Virginia, in 1958. There he started his company – Ellis Dungan Productions and for the next thirty years made documentary movies.

Death Dungan died in Wheeling on December 1, 2001, at the age of 92.

Legacy Dungan is credited with having revolutionized Indian cinema and introduced western innovations. In 2013, Indian film maker Karan Bali made a one-hour documentary on Dungan titled An American in Madras by consulting West Virginia State Archives and interviewing people who had known Dungan.

Filmography

Tamil Year Film Credited as Notes Director Editor 1935 Bhakta Nandanar Uncredited 1936 Sathi Leelavathi Seemanthini Iru Sahodarargal 1937 Ambikapathy 1940 Sakuntalai Kalamegam 1941 Surya Puthri 1943 Daasi Penn 1945 Valmiki Returning Soldier Short film starring T. S. Balaiah Meera Partially reshot in Hindi (1947) 1950 Ponmudi Manthiri Kumari

English Year Film/Television Director Producer Cinematographer Notes 1952 The Jungle 1951–1954 Smilin' Ed's Gang 1955–1960 Andy's Gang 1 episode 1958 Harry Black and the Tiger Technical advisor 1959 Wheeling 1959: Wheels to Progress 1959 The Big Hunt 1962 Tarzan Goes to India 1965 A Work of Heart and Hand 1977 A Ride of the Future 1987 Josiah Fox – Architect of the United States First Navy