John H. Auer

John H. Auer (August 3, 1906 – March 15, 1975) was a Hungarian-born film director and producer. His most successful films include The Crime of Dr. Crespi, Rhythm of the Clouds (1937), The Man Who Was Betrayed (1941), Gangway to Tomorrow (1943), The Flame (1947 film), I, Jane Doe (1948), City That Never Sleeps (1953), Hell's Half Acre (1954 film), The Eternal Sea (1955), and Johnny Trouble (1957).

His success in Mexico helped Auer to make a re-entry into Hollywood and direct films. Although he worked mostly for the Republic Pictures who specialized in Westerns and B films, he stuck to crime thrillers and musicals. Besides directing, he also produced most of his directed films.

The year 1934 saw Auer's Hollywood directorial venture, Frankie and Johnny, filmed at the Mascot Studios. His later years were spent mostly with the Republic Pictures. It was in the late 1940s and early 1950s when some of his B-rated movies such as Angel on the Amazon, Thunderbirds, and Hell's Half Acre were well accepted by the film lovers. He also did a film with RKO Pictures's Gangway for Tomorrow and Universal Studios's Johnny Doughboy. Costume designer Renié and John H. Auer on the set of Pan-Americana (1945) After the adventure comedy Johnny Trooper (1943), Auer directed several forgettable films, and a year later, at RKO Pictures, he directed the propaganda melodrama Bridge to Tomorrow (1943), which tells the story of five people, each of whom experiences wartime in their own way. The film starred famous actors such as Margo, John Carradine, and Robert Ryan. In 1944–1945, Auer worked mainly in the musical comedy genre, directing the films Seven Days in Heaven (1944), Music in Manhattan (1944), and Pan-Americana (1945).

After another musical, Very Cool (1947), Auer directed his first film noir, The Flame (1947 film). The film tells the story of George McCallister (John Carroll), who persuades his girlfriend, nurse Charlotte Duval (Vera Ralston), to marry his wealthy, terminally ill brother Barry (Robert Page), hoping to inherit his fortune. However, Charlotte falls truly in love with Barry and does everything she can to help him recover. Meanwhile, a blackmailer (Broderick Crawford) stands in the way of their happiness, extorting money from George and threatening to expose his relationship with Charlotte. After the film's release, New York Times film critic Howard Thompson gave it a low rating, writing that "the only distinguishing feature of this incoherent, clumsy nonsense is the sadly amusing fact that most of the actors seem to be either bored or amused by it all. And that's not surprising, because the film has a gloomy, simplistic plot about ‘which brother do I love’, which is built around Vera Ralston."

On the other hand, contemporary film critic Hal Erickson noted that "both in terms of budget and drama, this is one of the richest films produced by Republic Pictures in the late 1940s" and, according to Michael Keaney, it is "a decent drama with a lot of atmosphere, including organ music and ocean waves crashing against the rocks, as well as a couple of murders."

In 1948, Auer released the war melodrama I, Jane Doe (1948) starring Ruth Hussey and the adventure melodrama Angel of the Amazon (1948) starring George Brent and Vera Ralston. After the adventure melodrama The Avengers (1949) with John Carroll and Adele Mara and the war melodrama Far Blue Sky (1951) starring Wendell Corey, Vera Ralston, and Forrest Tucker, the director made a military action drama about American pilots on the Italian front during World War II, The Stormbirds (1952). The film starred actors such as John Derek, John Drew Barrymore, and Mona Freeman.

Auer retired from filmmaking after 1960 and died on March 15, 1975, in North Hollywood, Los Angeles.

Filmography + Selected Filmography

U.S. Marshals 1959-1960 Producer 10 episodes Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse 1959 Producer 1 Episode "Ballad for a Bad Man" Whirlybirds 1957-1960 Producer 35 episodes Johnny Trouble

Producer & Director Sheriff of Cochise Producer 1 Episode "Apache Kid" The Eternal Sea 1955 Associate Producer Hell's Half Acre 1954 Director & Producer City That Never Sleeps 1953 Director & Producer Thunderbirds 1952 Producer The Wild Blue Yonder 1951 Producer Hit Parade of 1951

Producer The Avengers Producer Angel on the Amazon

Director & Producer I, Jane Doe Director & Producer The Flame

Director & Producer Beat the Band Director Pan-Americana 1945 Director & Producer Music in Manhattan

Director & Producer Seven Days Ashore Director & Producer Gangway for Tomorrow

Director & Producer Tahiti Honey Director & Producer Johnny Doughboy

Director & Producer Moonlight Masquerade Producer & Director The Devil Pays Off

Director A Man Betrayed Director Women in War 1940 Director Hit Parade of 1941 1940 Director Smuggled Cargo

Producer & Director Thou Shalt Not Kill Director Calling All Marines Director S.O.S. Tidal Wave Director Forged Passport Director & Producer Outside of Paradise

Director Orphans of the Street Director I Stand Accused Director & Producer A Desperate Adventure Director & Producer Invisible Enemy Director & Producer Rhythm in the Clouds 1937 Director Under Strange Flags 1937 Story A Man Betrayed 1936 Director The Crime of Dr. Crespi 1935 Director & Producer