Charles Lederer

The son of a New York theatrical producer and the nephew of film-star Marion Davies, Charles Lederer spent his 20s as a high-profile "boy wonder" journalist. Much of his work appeared in the publications of William Randolph Hearst, Davies' constant companion. Renowned for his quick wit, Lederer was a boon companion to most of New York's literary giants. Chief among these was Ben Hecht, who arranged for Lederer's first movie assignment: writing additional dialogue for the 1931 cinemadaptation of Hecht and Charles MacArthur's stage play The Front Page (Lederer also co-scripted the 1940 remake, His Girl Friday). No matter how busy, Lederer always managed to find time for his legendary practical jokes, usually in collusion with his Hollywood crony Harpo Marx. He shuttled between California and New York throughout the 1940s and 1950s, producing and/or co-writing such Broadway hits as Kismet and Can Can, and contributing to the screenplays of such noteworthy films as Kiss of Death (1947) and The Thing (1951). Lederer also directed three films: the 1942 murder mystery Fingers at the Window, the 1951 domestic seriocomic On the Loose, and the 1959 musical curiosity Never Steal Anything Small. Charles Lederer was married twice, first to Virginia Nicholson (ex-wife of another "boy wonder", Orson Welles), then to film actress Anne Shirley.

Highest Rated Movies

Rating	Title	Credit	Box Office	Year
No Score Yet	A Global Affair	Screenwriter	—	1964
67%	Mutiny on the Bounty	Screenwriter	—	1962
No Score Yet	Follow that Dream	Screenwriter	—	1962
52%	Ocean's 11	Screenwriter	—	1960
No Score Yet	Can-Can	Screenwriter	—	1960
No Score Yet	It Started With a Kiss	Screenwriter	—	1959
No Score Yet	Never Steal Anything Small	Screenwriter Director	—	1959
No Score Yet	The Fiend Who Walked the West	Screenwriter	—	1958
84%	The Spirit of St. Louis	Screenwriter	—	1957
57%	Kismet	Screenwriter	—	1955
98%	Gentlemen Prefer Blondes	Screenwriter	—	1953
88%	Monkey Business	Screenwriter	—	1952
No Score Yet	On the Loose	Director	—	1951
88%	The Thing from Another World	Screenwriter	—	1951
88%	Macbeth	Witch	—	1950
80%	I Was a Male War Bride	Screenwriter	—	1949
No Score Yet	Her Husband's Affairs	Screenwriter	—	1947
88%	Kiss of Death	Screenwriter	—	1947
100%	Ride the Pink Horse	Screenwriter	—	1947
No Score Yet	Slightly Dangerous	Screenwriter	—	1943
No Score Yet	Fingers at the Window	Director	—	1942
100%	Love Crazy	Screenwriter	—	1941
No Score Yet	Comrade X	Screenwriter	—	1940
100%	I Love You Again	Screenwriter	—	1940
98%	His Girl Friday	Screenwriter	—	1940
No Score Yet	Broadway Serenade	Screenwriter	—	1939
No Score Yet	Double or Nothing	Screenwriter	—	1937
92%	The Front Page	Screenwriter	—	1931

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