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Benjamin Allen Markson
Born(1897-08-06)August 6, 1897
Creston, Iowa, United States
DiedOctober 20, 1971(1971-10-20) (aged 74)
Los Angeles County, California, United States
OccupationScreenwriter
Years active1928–59
Spouse(s)Janet Pavelik(e) aka Dawn (m. 1931-?),[1]
Miriam Edwards née Harkins (m. 1944)[2]

Ben Markson (August 6, 1897 – October 20, 1971) was an American screenwriter active from the very beginning of the sound film era through the end of the 1950s. During his 30-year career he was responsible for the story and/or screenplay of 45 films, as well as writing the scripts for several episodic television shows in the 1950s.

Life and career

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Benjamin Allen Markson was born on August 6, 1897, in Creston, Iowa.[3] His parents were Abraham Markson (born Lithuania) and Goldie Baior (born Poland).[2] Prior to writing screenplays, Markson worked as a journalist,[4] and then was part of the publicity department for Paramount Pictures.[5] He would break into the film industry as the co-screenwriter on the 1928 film The River Pirate, a silent film with sound sequences starring Victor McLaglen.[6]

In the pre-code era of the early 1930s, Markson was known for his racy scripts.[7] Some of his early successes include: The Half-Naked Truth, a 1932 comedy directed by Gregory La Cava and starring Lupe Vélez and Lee Tracy;[8] Is My Face Red? (1932), which Markson and co-screenwriter Casey Robinson based on Markson's play which he co-wrote with Allen Rivkin;[9] co-wrote the screenplay (with Jane Murfin) for What Price Hollywood?, also in 1932, directed by George Cukor, and starring Constance Bennett and Lowell Sherman;[10] Lady Killer (1933), starring James Cagney;[11] and 1934's Here Comes the Navy, a romantic comedy again starring Cagney.[12] Other notable films on which Markson contributed to the script included: 1937's screwball comedy, Danger – Love at Work, directed by Otto Preminger, for which he co-wrote the screenplay;[13] the 1938 classic Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, starring Shirley Temple;[14] and Mr. District Attorney (1947), starring Dennis O'Keefe and Adolphe Menjou.[15] Markson served on the board of directors of the Screen Writers Guild in the latter half of the 1930s.[7]

Later in his career, Markson worked on the scripts for several film series, including A Close Call for Boston Blackie (the Boston Blackie series),[16] and The Falcon in San Francisco in 1945 (The Falcon series).[17] In the 1950s, Markson wrote the teleplays for several episodic television shows, including The Cisco Kid and Racket Squad.[18] Markson's last contribution to film was the story for the 1959 crime drama, Edge of Eternity, starring Cornel Wilde and Victoria Shaw.[19]

Markson was the brother-in-law of actor George Montgomery.[20] Markson died on October 20, 1971, in Los Angeles County, California.[21]

Filmography

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(Per AFI database)[22]

References

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  1. ^ "Affidavit for marriage license by Ben Markson and Janet Pavelike". Ancestry.com. Yuma County, Arizona. 19 December 1931. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  2. ^ a b "California, County Marriages, 1850-1953," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K86R-PWN : 9 March 2021), Ben Allen Markson and Miriam H Edwards, 06 Aug 1944; citing Los Angeles, California, United States, county courthouses, California; FHL microfilm 2,135,749.
  3. ^ "Iowa, Delayed Birth Records, 1850-1939", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24D-1TZL : Thu Mar 07 20:09:00 UTC 2024), Entry for Benjamin Markson and Abraham Markson, 6 August 1897.
  4. ^ "At the Theaters: Strand, "Is My Face Red?"". The Ruston Daily Leader. December 19, 1932. p. 4. Retrieved June 12, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  5. ^ "Hollywood's Publicity Men Cutting Swath in Filmdom". The Pantagraph. October 23, 1927. p. 12. Retrieved June 12, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ^ "The River Pirate: Detail View". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on March 29, 2014. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  7. ^ a b Erickson, Hal. "Ben Markson". AllMovie. Archived from the original on June 11, 2015. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  8. ^ "The Half Naked Truth: Detail View". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on March 29, 2014. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  9. ^ "Is My Face Red?: Detail View". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on March 29, 2014. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  10. ^ "What Price Hollywood?: Detail View". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on April 2, 2014. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  11. ^ "Lady Killer: Detail View". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on March 28, 2014. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  12. ^ "Here Comes the Navy: Detail View". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on March 28, 2014. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  13. ^ "Danger--Love at Work: Detail View". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on April 22, 2014. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  14. ^ "Danger--Love at Work: Detail View". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on March 28, 2014. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  15. ^ "Mr. District Attorney: Detail View". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on March 29, 2014. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  16. ^ "A Close Call for Boston Blackie: Detail View". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on April 2, 2014. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  17. ^ "The Falcon in San Francisco: Detail View". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on March 29, 2014. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  18. ^ "Ben Markson". Internet Movie Database. Archived from the original on June 11, 2015. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  19. ^ "Edge of Eternity: Detail View". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on April 2, 2014. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  20. ^ "George Montgomery Planning to Form Own Company". The Independent Record. May 18, 1950. p. 12. Retrieved June 12, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  21. ^ "California Death Index, 1940-1997," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPH6-LZ2 : 26 November 2014), Benjamin A Markson, 20 Oct 1971; Department of Public Health Services, Sacramento.
  22. ^ "Ben Markson". American Film Institute. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
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