Kanin, Garson

Kanin, Garson

(kā`nən), 1912–99, American director and writer, b. Rochester, N.Y.; grad. American Academy of Dramatic Arts, 1933. He worked as a saxophonist, comedian, and actor before becoming (1935) an assistant to director George AbbottAbbott, George,
1887–1995, American theatrical producer, director, and playwright, b. Forestville, N.Y. He began (1913) in the theater as an actor and, during a career that spanned eight decades, was celebrated as a coauthor, director, or producer of more than 100 Broadway
..... Click the link for more information. . During the following years he wrote or directed more than 30 plays and nearly 30 films. Kanin's Broadway hits included the comedy Born Yesterday (1946), which he also wrote, the drama The Diary of Anne Frank (1955), and the musical Funny Girl (1964). In Hollywood he specialized in light comedy, directing movies that included My Favorite Wife (1940) and such Spencer TracyTracy, Spencer,
1900–1967, American film actor, b. Milwaukee, Wis. He began his career as an actor in summer stock and went into film work in 1930. His fine character portrayals won him Academy Awards for Captains Courageous (1937) and Boys Town (1938).
..... Click the link for more information. –Katherine HepburnHepburn, Katharine,
1907–2003, American actress, b. Hartford, Conn. She made periodic stage appearances from 1928 on and debuted in the first of her 43 films in 1932; in her early roles she was usually cast as rather brittle, one-dimensional characters.
..... Click the link for more information.  vehicles as Adams Rib (1949) and Pat and Mike (1952), both written with his wife, the actress Ruth Gordon. Kanin also wrote novels, short stories, television scripts, and the memoirs Remembering Mr. Maugham (1966), Tracy and Hepburn (1971), and Hollywood (1974).

Kanin, Garson

(1912– ) playwright/screenwriter, stage/movie director, author; born in Rochester, N.Y. He commenced his show business career in the late-1920s as a jazz clarinetist/saxophonist, then became a vaudeville comedian. He studied at New York's American Academy of the Dramatic Arts, made his acting debut in 1933, and, after serving as assistant director under George Abbott, directed his first play, Hitch Your Wagon (1937). In Hollywood from 1938 he directed several movies; during World War II he made documentary films for the government, the most ambitious being the award-winning True Glory (1945), which he codirected (with Carol Reed). After 1946 he divided his time between Broadway and Hollywood. The best known of his many original stageplays is Born Yesterday (1946); he directed such stage works as The Diary of Anne Frank (1955) and Funny Girl (1964). Among his many movie credits are those for screenplays (sometimes in collaboration with his wife since 1942, Ruth Gordon), including Adam's Rib (1949) and Pat and Mike (1952). In 1950 he wrote a new English libretto for and collaborated in the direction of the Metropolitan Opera Company's Die Fledermaus. He also published several works of fiction and memoirs, including Tracy and Hepburn: An Intimate Memoir (1971) and Moviola (1979).