John E. Burch

John E. Burch (August 17, 1896 – July 28, 1969) was an American film assistant director and production manager during the latter part of the silent era through the 1950s.

Early life Burch was born on August 17, 1896, in Chicago, Illinois to John Sebastian Burch and Mary Ann Pettit. Upon the United States' entry into World War One, Burch enlisted in the Navy, where he served aboard a submarine. At some point after the war, he moved from Chicago to Los Angeles, in an attempt to break into the film industry.

Career Burch's first foray into the cinematic world was as an actor in 1925's White Fang, adapted by Jane Murfin from the novel of the same name by Jack London. This would be his only on-screen appearance. The following year, as the assistant director on The Arizona Streak (1926), would see him begin a long career behind the camera as an assistant director, production manager and supervisor. The remainder of the 1920s would see him continue in the role of assistant director, as well as prop manager. Over the course of his career, Burch would be involved in over 65 films. 1942's A Guy Named Joe, starring Spencer Tracy and Irene Dunne, on which he would be one of Victor Fleming's assistant directors; and Brewster's Millions (1945), starring Dennis O'Keefe, and directed by Allen Dwan, assisted by Burch. In 1936, Burch would be one of the early members of the Directors Guild of America. His final work in film would be on 1958's Thunder Road, starring Robert Mitchum, on which he worked as the production manager. After leaving the film industry, Burch would work for a short time in television, doing a few episodes for shows like The Untouchables, before working steadily as an assistant director on Bonanza from 1960 to 1962.

Burch died from pneumonia on July 28, 1969, in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Filmography (as per AFI's database) Year Title Role Notes 1925 White Fang Cast-Bill Morry 1926 Assistant director 1926 Assistant director 1926 Flaming Fury Assistant director 1926 Flashing Fangs Assistant director 1926 Assistant director 1926 Out of the West Assistant director 1926 Wild To Go Assistant director 1929 Gun Law Assistant director 1929 Pals of the Prairie Assistant director 1929 Assistant director 1929 Assistant director 1931 Assistant director 1931 Fanny Foley Herself Production supervisor 1931 Peach O'Reno Production supervisor 1932 Bird of Paradise Production supervisor 1935 Hi, Gaucho! Production supervisor 1936 Two in Revolt Production supervisor 1936 Chatterbox Production associate 1936 Production supervisor 1937 Assistant director 1937 Artists and Models Assistant director 1937 King of Gamblers Assistant director 1937 Murder Goes to College Assistant director 1938 Production manager 1939 Fast and Furious Assistant director 1940 Kit Carson Assistant director 1940 Li'l Abner Assistant director 1940 Florian Assistant director 1940 South of Pago Pago Assistant director 1941 Miss Polly Assistant director 1941 Scattergood Baines Assistant director 1941 Scattergood Pulls the Strings Assistant director 1941 Tanks a Million Assistant director 1941 Double Cross Production manager 1942 Here We Go Again Assistant director 1942 Assistant director 1942 Scattergood Rides High Assistant director 1943 Cinderella Swings It Assistant director 1943 Assistant director 1943 Two Weeks to Live Unit manager 1944 Assistant director 1944 Goin' to Town Assistant director 1944 Three Is a Family Assistant director 1944 Abroad with Two Yanks Assistant director 1944 Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble Assistant director 1944 Since You Went Away Unit manager 1945 Brewster's Millions Assistant director 1946 Sister Kenny Unit manager 1947 Honeymoon Production manager 1950 Armored Car Robbery Production manager 1950 Bunco Squad Production manager 1950 Never a Dull Moment Production manager 1952 On Dangerous Ground Assistant production manager 1953 Second Chance Assistant production manager 1955 Assistant director, production manager 1955 Pearl of the South Pacific Production supervisor 1955 Unit manager 1955 Not As a Stranger Production manager 1956 Bandido Production supervisor 1956 Great Day in the Morning Unit manager 1957 Assistant director 1957 Spring Reunion Assistant director 1957 Jet Pilot Assistant production manager 1958 Thunder Road Production manager