- H. C. Potter
Henry Codman Potter (
November 13 ,1904 -August 31 ,1977 ) was an American theatrical producer/director and a motion picture director.H.C. Potter was born in
New York City , the grandson of the Right Rev.Henry Codman Potter , Episcopal Bishop of New York, and son of Alonzo Potter, New York investment banker. He attended St. Marks School and graduated fromYale University in 1936, where he was a member of theYale Dramatic Association andScroll and Key . He attended theYale School of Drama in the era ofGeorge Pierce Baker , and with George Haight founded the Hampton Players, one of the first summer theaters in America, based in Southampton, Long Island 1927-33. With Haight as producer, he directed numerous Broadway productions 1927-35, then moved toHollywood where he directed over 20 feature films, earning a reputation as a specialist in "gag" comedy.He married Lucilla Annie Wylie in 1926. Their three sons were Daniel J. Potter M.D. , Robert A. Potter and Earl Wylie Potter.
The films he directed included: "Beloved Enemy" (1936), "Wings Over Honolulu" (1937), "Romance in the Dark", "The Cowboy and the Lady", and "
The Shopworn Angel " (1938), "The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle " and "Blackmail" (1939), "Congo Masie" and "Second Chorus " (1940), "Hellzapoppin'" (1941), "Victory Through Air Power" (documentary) and "Mr. Lucky" (1943), "The Farmer's Daughter" and "A Likely Story" (1947), "You Gotta Stay Happy", "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House " and "The Time of Your Life" (1948), "The Miniver Story " (1950), "Three for the Show" (1955) and "Top Secret Affair" (1957).An avid private pilot, he served during
World War II as Superintendent of Operations at Falcon Field, Phoenix Arizona, trainingRoyal Air Force pilots, and later as Captain in theAir Transport Command , ferrying cargo in small planes to military bases throughoutCalifornia . His postwar film career was impeded by a contract withRKO , then controlled and virtually brought to a halt by the eccentric policies of its owner,Howard Hughes .In 1958 he retired from film work and moved to New York, where he opened a stage production office with Richard Meyers, and pursued his hobby of training
Labrador Retrievers forField Trial s. He died in Southampton, New York onAugust 31 ,1977 .elected filmography
* "
The Shopworn Angel " (1938)
* "Blackmail" (1939)
* "The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle " (1939)
* "Second Chorus " (1940)
* "Hellzapoppin" (1941)
* "Mr. Lucky" (1943)
* "The Farmer's Daughter" (1947)
* "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House " (1948)
* "The Miniver Story " (1950)External links
*ibdb name|id=15905|name= H. C. Potter
*imdb name|id=0693281|name= H. C. Potter
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