Happy Birthday, Phil Karlson! Born today in 1908, this American film director was the son of Irish actress Lillian O'Brien. His father was Jewish.
Years later, Karlson attended Marshall High School and studied painting at Chicago's Art Institute. He afterwards tried to make a living as a song and dance man but was unsuccessful.
Karlson then studied law, at his father's request, at Loyola Marymount University in California. He took a part-time job at Universal "washing toilets and dishes and whatever the hell they gave me" according to Karlson.
He also sold some gags to Buster Keaton. Eventually, Karlson decided that he wanted to pursue a career in film, quitting college a year before graduation.
Arriving at Universal Pictures, Karlson got the opportunity in doing a variety of jobs. Because of this, he later became an assistant director.
During the late 1930s, Karlson had said that Polish-American film producer Sam Goldwyn had put him under contract intending to use him as a director. However, Karlson wound up spending nine months idle.
He later asked for a release of his contract and got it. Afterwards, he joined a company of American film producer Maurice Kosloff.
In the early 1940s, Karlson worked as assistant director for the 1941 American black and white comedy/musical film 'In the Navy', featuring Abbott and Costello. Karlson later became friendly with Costello, often pitching him gags.
Karlson had worked as assistant director for American film director and produce Arthur Lubin, who had directed several Abbott & Costello films.
Later on, Karlson quit Universal Pictures to enlist in the U.S. Air Force. In 1943, he was injured in a plane crash.
Upon his return, Karlson took a job at the American low-budget film studio Monogram Pictures. While there, he assisted directed for them.
Karlson was later contacted by Costello, who wanted to produce a film and offered Karlson the job of directing it.
The resulting feature was the 1944 American black and white comedy/musical film 'A Wave, a WAC and a Marine'.
Upon release, Karlson called it "probably the worst picture ever made. ... a nothing picture, but I was lucky because it was for Monogram and they didn't understand how bad it was because they had never made anything that was any good."
The following year, Karlson directed a picture that he did like. This was his second picture as director, being the 1945 American black and white comedy film 'G. I. Honeymoon'. The film featured American actress Josephine Owaissa Cottle, (professionally known as Gale Storm).
One year later, 'G. I. Honeymoon' received an Oscar nomination for Best Music, Scoring of a Dramtic or Comedy Picture (Edward J. Kay). This occurred at the 18th Academy Awards in early March 1946.
Afterwards, Karlson became one of Monogram's busiest directors. He later said of the studio, "They knew what they were doing because there was a certain class of picture they were going to make and they weren't going to make anything any different."
Karlson later teamed with American film producer Edward Small. For Small, Karlson directed a feature based on a newspaper melodrama, being the 1952 American black and white noir/crime film 'Scandal Sheet'.
This was from a novel by American screenwriter, novelist, and film Samuel Fuller ('Pickup on South Street', 'Shock Corridor', 'The Big Red One').
For Paramount Pictures, Karlson directed the 1955 American Technicolor noir/thriller film 'Hell's Island' with American film actor John Payne,
Later that same year, Karlson directed the 1955 American black and white heist/noir film '5 Against the House' for Columbia Pictures. It was this film which gave Kim Novak one of her first roles.
Also later that same year, Karlson returned to Monogram (now known as Allied Artists) to direct the film of which he is best known. This was the 1955 American black and white noir/docudrama film 'The Phenix City Story'.
Based on the sensational news story of the murder of American politician and attorney in Phenix City, Alabama Albert L. Patterson, the film was a hit and came to be regarded as one of Karlson's best movies.
The film looks at the pre-assassination of Patterson (John McIntire), who hopes to win the attorney general's job in Alabama.
However, Phenix City is a corrupt and dangerous place to run for election without the backing of local gangsters. Urged on by his ex-military son, John (Richard Kiley), Patterson promises to restore law and order to the crime-ridden city.
Though he pays the ultimate price for his bravery, Patterson's candidacy inspires residents to stand up to the mobsters.
In 1959, Desi Arnaz hired Karlson to direct the pilot for the American black and white crime drama television series The Untouchables (1959–1963).
This was later released theatrically as the 1959 American black and white drama/crime film 'The Scarface Mob'.
AlthoughThe Untouchables had a long run on television, Karlson only received a straight salary for his work on the pilot.
Among his credits of the 1970s, Karlson is known for directing the 1973 American semi-biographical action/thriller film 'Walking Tall'.
The film tells the fact-based story of the crusading Sheriff Buford Pusser (Joe Don Baker), a professional wrestler-turned-lawman in McNairy County, Tennessee, who cleaned up his town by carrying a big stick
The film was a major domestic and international hit, costing $500,000 and grossing more than $23 million. It also made Karlson a fortune, thanks to the fact that he owned a large percentage of it.
In the early 2000s, 'Walking Tall' was remade into the titular 2004 American action/action/adventure film. It starred Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Johnny Knoxville. Rather than a stick, Johnson wields a massive two-by-four.
In 2019, 'The Phenix City Story' was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
Karlson had been active from 1944–1975.
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