#Fact1Died the Day After Charles Chaplin.2Despite His Collaborations and Associations with Politically Outspoken Stars, Such as the Famously Right-Wing John...
Despite his collaborations and associations with politically outspoken stars, such as the famously right-wing John Wayne or the left-wing Humphrey Bogart, Hawks himself remained resolutely apolitical throughout his life.
3
Was the uncredited "ghost director" on the science-fiction classic The Thing from Another World (1951), for which his longtime editor and friend Christian Nyby received sole credit. It was only near the end of Hawks' life that both he and Nyby conceded that he had indeed directed most of the film, as had long been rumored. On the other hand, several of the film's cast members, including Kenneth Tobey and James Arness, were adamant in interviews that Nyby did in fact direct the film by himself, although Hawks--as the film's producer--did have input.
Even though he was one of the most prolific directors of his generation, having directed five actors to Oscar nominations, he himself has only been nominated for an Academy Award once.
10
Hawks had said in interviews that he was supposed to direct the now-beloved Casablanca (1942) and Michael Curtiz was meant to direct Sergeant York (1941). However, the two directors had lunch together and Curtiz complained that he knew nothing about the "hill people", while Hawks was struggling to make this "musical comedy", so they switched films. Hawks said that he always considered "Casablanca" a musical comedy because of the number of singing scenes in the café, namely the "La Marseillaise" scene. Later, Hawks said that Curtiz shot the film "beautifully and the whole picture came out different because of the two people in it [Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman]. They made you believe something. When I saw 'Casablanca' I liked it, but I never had any faith in my doing anything like that." (Source: "Who the Devil Made it..." by Peter Bogdanovich).
11
His uncredited voice is used during the opening credits of Monkey Business (1952). The off-screen voice twice says, "Not yet, Cary," when Barnaby (Cary Grant) opens his front door to come outside.
Attended Throop Polytechnic Institute (which later become the California Institute of Techonology) and the Phillips Academy (a prep school). Later studies engineering at Cornell University. His biographer, Todd McCarthy, wrote that his educational experiences were a very important factor in the formation of his studied character, which he brought to his films, as well as every other endeavor in his life.
He never got over the plane crash death of his brother Kenneth Hawks of whom, Howard later said, probably had the potential to be an even greater filmmaker than himself. Nonetheless, he continued to fly after his brother's death and went on to shoot many films about pilots.
22
Many aspects of Lauren Bacall's screen persona in To Have and Have Not (1944), her film debut, were based on Hawks' wife at that time, Slim, including her glamorous dresses, long blonde hair, smoky voice and demure, mysterious demeanor. Humphrey Bogart's character also refer to Bacall by the nickname "Slim" in the movie.
23
His son, Peter John Ward Hawks, was born to wife Athole on July 31, 1924, and adopted by Howard in 1928. Son David Winchester Hawks was born October 9, 1929. Daughter Barbara born May 20, 1936. Daughter Kitty Stephen Hawks born February 11, 1946. Son Gregg born October 22, 1954.
24
Worked in a plethora of genres over the course of his career, including westerns, screwball comedies, film noirs, action/adventures, period epics, war dramas, racing films, science-fiction, and gangster pictures.
25
Frequently worked with William Faulkner. Faulkner wrote or co-wrote many of Hawks' films.
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Biography in: John Wakeman, editor. "World Film Directors, Volume One, 1890-1945." Pages 446-451. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1987.
27
Was voted the 4th greatest director of all time by Entertainment Weekly. (April, 1996)
He was an infamous teller of tall tales, usually ones where he exagggerated his already considerable involvement in the making of his films and ones where he sounded like a tough guy (punching producers, etc.)
30
Hawks' friend John Ford called him "The Grey Fox" of Hollywood for his womanizing ways (regardless of whether he was married or not at the time).
31
Hawks' wife saw Lauren Bacall on the cover of a magazine and persuaded him to put her in the movies. Bacall was only 20 when she made her screen debut in To Have and Have Not (1944).
