Roy Del Ruth

Beginning with his apprenticeship as a writer and gag man for Mack Sennett, this American director had a career that spanned Hollywood's golden age and would be the envy of any film buff. While his films were rarely "distinguished," DelRuth worked with many of the best-loved personalities of the era including James Cagney, Eddie Cantor, Maurice Chevalier, Patsy Kelly, Billie Burke, Lucille Ball, Red Skelton, Billy Gilbert, Franklin Pangborn, and Joe Penner, among many others. He directed at least two scenes which have become part of film lore; Judy Garland singing "You Made Me Love You" to Clark Gable's picture in Broadway Melody of 1938, and James Cagney discoursing in Yiddish in Taxi (1932). Del Ruth's best-regarded films are probably Blessed Event (1932), Employees' Entrance (1933), Bureau of Missing Persons (1933), Folies Bergere (1935), and Born to Dance (1936).

~ All Movie Guide