W.S. Van Dyke

W.S. Van Dyke was an American film director known for his quick and efficient style of shooting.

Director | Fiction Writer | Producer

March 21, 1889

February 05, 1943

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Woodbridge Strong Van Dyke II, commonly known as W.S. Van Dyke, was a renowned American film director recognized for his swift and efficient filming techniques. Initially starting his career as an assistant director to D.W. Griffith, he eventually took over the direction of “White Shadows of the South Seas” from Robert Flaherty. As one of MGM’s most dependable directors, he earned the nickname “One-Take Woody.” Van Dyke’s most notable work includes the 1934 film “The Thin Man,” based on Dashiell Hammett’s novel, as well as “San Francisco” (1936), “Tarzan the Ape Man” (1932), and “Penthouse” (1933). A talented artist, he held an art exhibition in Los Angeles in the late 1940s and received an honorary Academy Award for his contributions to cinema. Sadly, Van Dyke passed away on February 5, 1943, in Los Angeles, California.