Vincent Sherman

Vincent Sherman (born Abraham Orovitz, July 16, 1906 – June 18, 2006) was an American director and actor who worked in Hollywood. His movies include Mr. Skeffington, Nora Prentiss (1947), and The Young Philadelphians (1959).

He began his career as an actor on Broadway and later in film. He directed B-movies for Warner Bros. and then moved to directing to A-pictures. He was a good friend of actor Errol Flynn, whom he directed in Adventures of Don Juan (1949). He directed three Joan Crawford movies: The Damned Don't Cry (1950), Harriet Craig (1950), and Goodbye, My Fancy (1951).

Early life Sherman was born Abraham Orovitz to Jewish parents. He was born and raised in the small town of Vienna, Georgia, where his father was a dry-goods salesman. Not long after graduating from Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, he became a professional actor.

Career Sherman arrived in New York City to sell a play and soon became a stage director and actor. As a stage actor, he made his Broadway debut in the ensemble of Eugene O’Neill’s Marco Millions (1928). He arrived in Hollywood during the early sound era, where he appeared in William Wyler's 1933 film Counsellor at Law starring John Barrymore. In 1938, Sherman signed on at Warner Bros. as a director. His first film as a director was the 1939 horror film The Return of Doctor X, which starred Humphrey Bogart. The 2006 release of The Return of Doctor X included a director's commentary that Sherman had recorded that year at the age of 99.

Sherman quickly built a reputation for his ability to rewrite any script he was given and turn it into the basis for a successful film. It was these skills that led him to much bigger and star-studded pictures. Sherman was initially known as a "woman's director" during the mid 1940s, but his range expanded as his career developed.

Personal life Sherman was married to Hedda (née Comorau) from 1931 until her death in 1984. The Shermans had two children together, a son, Eric Sherman, and a daughter, Hedwin Naimark.

Sherman had a number of high-profile affairs during his life, including on-set affairs with Bette Davis and a three-year relationship with Joan Crawford. In his memoir Studio Affairs: My Life as a Film Director, he described his relationships with Crawford and Rita Hayworth. Until his death in 2006, he had been in a decade-long relationship with actress Francine York.

Death Sherman died on June 18, 2006, at age 99, at the Motion Picture and Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California.

Filmography

Director (feature film) Year Title Notes 1939 The Return of Doctor X 1940 Saturday's Children The Man Who Talked Too Much 1941 Flight from Destiny Underground 1942 All Through the Night Across the Pacific 1943 The Hard Way Old Acquaintance The Present with a Future Short film 1944 In Our Time Mr. Skeffington 1945 Pillow to Post 1946 Janie Gets Married 1947 Nora Prentiss The Unfaithful 1948 Adventures of Don Juan Alternative title: The New Adventures of Don Juan 1949 The Hasty Heart 1950 Backfire The Damned Don't Cry Harriet Craig 1951 Goodbye, My Fancy 1952 Lone Star Affair in Trinidad 1957 The Garment Jungle 1958 The Naked Earth 1959 The Young Philadelphians 1960 Ice Palace 1961 A Fever in the Blood The Second Time Around 1967 Cervantes Alternative title: Young Rebel

Actor Year Title Role Notes 1933 Counsellor at Law Harry Becker 1934 Speed Wings Mickey The Crime of Helen Stanley Karl Williams One Is Guilty William Malcolm Hell Bent for Love Johnny Frank Midnight Alibi Black Mike Girl in Danger Willie Tolini