Sam White

Sam White

CountryUnited States United States
GenderMale
BirthdayOct 16, 1906
Death2006-08-05
BiographySam White (born Samuel Weiss; October 16, 1906 – August 8, 2006) was an American film producer, film director and actor.

White was born in Los Angeles on October 16, 1906 to Hungarian-Jewish immigrants. In 1937, he married Claretta Ellis, a studio contract dancer. They were married for 65 years until her death in 2002.

For much of the 1930s, Sam White directed numerous musical sequences in films such as Roberta with Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers and Irene Dunne; Old Man Rhythm with Betty Grable and Buddy Rogers; Top of the Town with George Murphy; and Hooray for Love, with Ann Sothern.

During World War II, White made six training films for the U.S. Armed forces. Also in the 1940s, the feature films he produced and directed included Reveille with Beverly, starring Ann Miller (Frank Sinatra's first film); People Are Funny, starring Jack Haley and Rudy Vallée; The Return of the Vampire, starring Bela Lugosi; The Girl in the Case, starring Edmund Lowe; After Midnight with Boston Blackie, starting Chester Morris; Louisiana Hayride, starring Judy Canova; and Tahiti Nights, starring Jinx Falkenburg for RKO, Columbia, Universal and Paramount Studios.

During the next two decades, Sam directed commercials and produced and directed early television series such as Perry Mason, The Outer Limits, Oh! Those Bells, My Friend Flicka, Boston Blackie, Philip Marlowe, and Big Town, among many others. In 1969 he produced and directed White Comanche with William Shatner and Joseph Cotten. He was also a successful businessman with his production facility in Pioneer Town and commercial real estate ventures in Los Angeles.

Throughout his later years, Sam remained interested in world affairs and traveled extensively as a valued ombudsman for the Directors Guild to cement relations between foreign and American filmmakers. In 1990, the Directors Guild of America published an oral history entitled The White Brothers which tells the history of the family as well as the history of early movie making in Los Angeles.

Sam White, one of the famous White Brothers film and television pioneers, died peacefully at his Encino home just short of his 100th birthday. A retrospective was held in 2003 at the Motion Picture and Television Home where a wall of honor was dedicated to him. His professional memorabilia was positioned alongside those of his renowned brothers, Jack White and Jules White.

Biography from the Wikipedia article Sam White (film producer). Licensed under CC-BY-SA. Full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Part of Crew

Recently Updated Shows

Recently updated shows that might be of your interest.
The Family Next Door
Upcoming

The Family Next Door

Propelled by a mystery that disrupts a seemingly harmonious beachside community, the series explores the universal challenges of motherhood, marriage, friendship, and the complexities of identity. 

It's peak holiday season in the popular seaside town of Osprey Point when an enigmatic stranger, Isabelle rents a family home in a quiet cul-de-sac. As Isabelle charms her way into her neighbours' homes and lives, she quickly discovers that everyone at Pleasant Court has something to hide. How far will her obsessive drive to solve a mystery push her to expose the truth?

GenreDrama
Invasion
Running

Invasion

Earth is visited by an alien species that threatens humanity's existence. Events unfold in real time through the eyes of five ordinary people across the globe as they struggle to make sense of the chaos unraveling around them.

Foundation
Running

Foundation

When revolutionary Dr. Hari Seldon predicts the impending fall of the Empire, he and a band of loyal followers venture to the far reaches of the galaxy to establish The Foundation in an attempt to rebuild and preserve the future of civilization. Enraged by Hari's claims, the ruling Cleons – a long line of emperor clones – fear their grasp on the galaxy may be weakening as they're forced to reckon with the potential reality of losing their legacy forever.

Shifting Gears
Running

Shifting Gears

Shifting Gears centers on Matt, a stubborn, widowed owner of a classic car restoration shop. When Matt's estranged daughter and her teenage kids move into his house, the real restoration begins.

GenreComedy
Murdoch Mysteries
Running

Murdoch Mysteries

Set in Toronto at the dawn of the 20th century, Murdoch Mysteries is a one-hour drama series that explores the intriguing world of William Murdoch, a methodical and dashing detective who pioneers innovative forensic techniques to solve some of the city's most gruesome murders. Murdoch's colleagues include the love of his life, coroner and psychiatrist Dr. Julia Ogden, a staunch ally who shares the detective's fascination for science; Constable George Crabtree, Murdoch's eager but sometimes naïve right-hand man; Inspector Brackenreid, Murdoch's skeptical yet reluctantly supportive boss; and coroner Dr. Emily Grace, Dr. Ogden's protégé.