Louis J. Gasnier

Louis J. Gasnier

Known for: Directing
Birthday: 1875-09-15
Deathday: 1963-02-15 (87 years old)

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Biography

Louis Joseph Gasnier (September 15, 1875 – February 15, 1963) was a French-American film director, producer, screenwriter and stage actor. A cinema pioneer, Gasnier shepherded the early career of comedian Max Linder, co-directed the enormously successful film serial The Perils of Pauline (1914) and capped his output with the notorious low-budget exploitation film Reefer Madness (1936) which was both a critical and box office failure. Born in Paris, Louis J. Gasnier began his career in the theatre as an actor and director. Accounts vary as to when his film career began; according to Gasnier himself, his association with Pathé Frères commenced in 1899, during the earliest days of the company. Georges Sadoul recognized Gasnier as a member of early French filmmakers known as the 'Vincennes School' which also included Gaston Velle, Georges Hatot, Lucien Nonguet, Lépine, Andre Heuré, Georges Monca, and Albert Capellani. However, Pathé was notoriously stingy with credits in those days, so no credits for Gasnier are known before 1905.Gasnier's earliest-known credits begin through his association with Max Linder, whom he is said to have discovered. Gasnier helmed many of Linder's earliest films and continued to work – sometimes as co-director with Linder – on projects featuring the comic through 1913. Gasnier also directed some films in Italy for Film d'Arte Italiana, a division of Pathé, with some featuring the legendary Italian film diva Francesca Bertini. Sadoul, writing in 1965, commented that Gasnier directed "100 to 200 films from 1909-1914" alone. No established filmography for Gasnier comes even close to such a figure in the stated period, suggesting that there are many French, and perhaps some Italian, films made by him which remain unidentified.

Pathé Frères established a film production company in the United States in 1910 with its construction of a studio in Jersey City. In 1910, Gasnier agreed to go to the United States to head their facility in Fort Lee, New Jersey. The worldwide success of Gasnier's serial The Perils of Pauline, co-directed with Donald MacKenzie and starring Pearl White, elevated Gasnier to the position of executive vice-president within the American division of Pathé. Gasnier resigned this position in 1916 and established a production company, Astra Film, with writer-director George B. Seitz, which continued to distribute through Pathé. In 1919, Astra Film dropped Pathé as distributor and went with Robertson-Cole, the predecessor to Film Booking Offices of America. With Seitz' departure, Astra became Louis J. Gasnier Productions, but only a few films were made by this firm before Gasnier was contracted by producer B. P. Schulberg to direct for his Preferred Pictures firm. These years were the highpoint of Gasnier's career; these films were often marketed with his name above the title and some times as a one-word name – "Gasnier". With the public, Gasnier was associated with high adventure in exotic locales, such as what was endemic to serials, or with social melodrama of the kind that was popular in the early 1920s.

In 1925, Preferred Pictures declared bankruptcy, and Gasnier went to work for Tiffany Pictures, not yet the Poverty Row studio that it would ultimately become, but still far from being in the big leagues. It may have been B. P. Schulberg who rescued Gasnier from Tiffany; despite the bankruptcy, Schulberg had managed to hang onto actress Clara Bow's contract and was now an executive at Paramount Pictures. Gasnier went into the dawn of talking pictures as a Paramount director, though mainly working on their foreign-language productions; his command of the English language – even after living many years in the United States – was at best limited. At Paramount, Gasnier directed foreign versions of mainstream films and piloted fledgling star Cary Grant through two early roles. Gasnier also made five films featuring the ultimately ill-fated King of the Tango, Carlos Gardel, for release in Argentina. In 1933-34, Gasnier returned to France to direct for Paramount's French division, directing Topaze (1933) under the supervision of playwright Marcel Pagnol; this film marked the screen debut of eminent French stage actor Louis Jouvet.

Paramount did not renew Gasnier's contract in 1935, and he was out of work for some time. Gasnier hastily accepted the first project that came his way, offered to him by producer George A. Hirliman, Tell Your Children, which in time has become known by its reissue title of Reefer Madness. Hirliman had learned that there was money available to support films promoting pending anti-marijuana legislation. Reefer Madness was made at a studio complex that ultimately become the Grand National Pictures facility, and Gasnier elected to stay with Hirliman and Grand National once it went into full-fledged production. Grand National swiftly flopped, and was liquidated in 1939; its studios were taken over by Producers Releasing Corporation; Gasnier did not elect to stay with PRC, but he did remain with Hirliman, finishing out his directorial career with a couple of features at Monogram Pictures and then retiring upon reaching the age of 65.

It proved a long retirement, and in a late interview, Gasnier revealed that he was practically destitute. To make ends meet, Gasnier returned to acting, in small parts, in mainstream features, usually playing an elderly Frenchman. He died at the age of 87 in Hollywood.

Filmography

All 68

Movies 68

Director 65

Producer 2

Technical Advisor
The Perils of Pauline

The Perils of Pauline (1947)

Movie
Director
Stolen Paradise

Stolen Paradise (1940)

Movie
Director
John, the Soldier of Vengeance

John, the Soldier of Vengeance (1940)

Movie
Director
Murder on the Yukon

Murder on the Yukon (1940)

Movie
Director
Sunset Murder Case

Sunset Murder Case (1938)

Movie
Director
The Marines Come Thru

The Marines Come Thru (1938)

Movie
Director
Tell Your Children

Tell Your Children (1938)

Movie
7.5
Director
Bank Alarm

Bank Alarm (1937)

Movie
Director
The Gold Racket

The Gold Racket (1937)

Movie
Director
The Last Outpost

The Last Outpost (1935)

Movie
Director
El tango en Broadway

El tango en Broadway (1934)

Movie
Director
Cuesta abajo

Cuesta abajo (1934)

Movie
Director
Fedora

Fedora (1934)

Movie
Director
Iris perdue et retrouvée

Iris perdue et retrouvée (1934)

Movie
Director
Gambling Ship

Gambling Ship (1933)

Movie
Director
Suburban Melody

Suburban Melody (1933)

Movie
Director
Espérame

Espérame (1933)

Movie
Director
Topaze

Topaze (1933)

Movie
Director
Forgotten Commandments

Forgotten Commandments (1932)

Movie
Director
The Strange Case of Clara Deane

The Strange Case of Clara Deane (1932)

Movie
Director
Silence

Silence (1931)

Movie
Director
The Lawyer's Secret

The Lawyer's Secret (1931)

Movie
Director
Derelict

Derelict (1930)

Movie
Director
The Virtuous Sin

The Virtuous Sin (1930)

Movie
Director
Mysterious Mr. Parkes

Mysterious Mr. Parkes (1930)

Movie
Director
Bold Love

Bold Love (1930)

Movie
Director
Shadow of the Law

Shadow of the Law (1930)

Movie
Director
Slightly Scarlet

Slightly Scarlet (1930)

Movie
Director
Darkened Rooms

Darkened Rooms (1929)

Movie
Director
The Dummy

The Dummy (1929)

Movie
Director
Fashion Madness

Fashion Madness (1928)

Movie
Director
Should Tall Men Marry?

Should Tall Men Marry? (1928)

Movie
Director
Streets of Shanghai

Streets of Shanghai (1927)

Movie
Director
The Beauty Shoppers 1927

The Beauty Shoppers 1927 (1927)

Movie
Director
That Model from Paris

That Model from Paris (1926)

Movie
Director
Out of the Storm

Out of the Storm (1926)

Movie
Director
Parisian Love

Parisian Love (1925)

Movie
Director
Faint Perfume

Faint Perfume (1925)

Movie
Director
The Parasite

The Parasite (1925)

Movie
Director
The Triflers

The Triflers (1924)

Movie
Director
White Man

White Man (1924)

Movie
Director
Wine

Wine (1924)

Movie
Director
Poisoned Paradise

Poisoned Paradise (1924)

Movie
Director
Maytime

Maytime (1923)

Movie
Director
Poor Men's Wives

Poor Men's Wives (1923)

Movie
Director
Thorns and Orange Blossoms

Thorns and Orange Blossoms (1922)

Movie
Director
Kismet

Kismet (1920)

Movie
Director
The Butterfly Man

The Butterfly Man (1920)

Movie
Director
The Tiger's Trail

The Tiger's Trail (1919)

Movie
Director
Hands Up

Hands Up (1918)

Movie
Producer
The House of Hate

The House of Hate (1918)

Movie
Director
The Seven Pearls

The Seven Pearls (1917)

Movie
Producer
The Fatal Ring

The Fatal Ring (1917)

Movie
Director
The Mystery of the Double Cross

The Mystery of the Double Cross (1917)

Movie
Director
The Shielding Shadow

The Shielding Shadow (1916)

Movie
Director
The New Exploits of Elaine

The New Exploits of Elaine (1915)

Movie
Director
The Exploits of Elaine

The Exploits of Elaine (1914)

Movie
Director
The Perils of Pauline

The Perils of Pauline (1914)

Movie
6
Director
Max's First Job

Max's First Job (1910)

Movie
Director
Max Skiing

Max Skiing (1910)

Movie
Director
A Short-Sighted Duellist

A Short-Sighted Duellist (1910)

Movie
Director
Max Makes a Touch

Max Makes a Touch (1910)

Movie
Director
Noisy Neighbors

Noisy Neighbors (1908)

Movie
Director
His First Cigar

His First Cigar (1908)

Movie
Director
The Runaway Horse

The Runaway Horse (1908)

Movie
Director
Max Learns to Skate

Max Learns to Skate (1907)

Movie
Director
Attempted Suicide

Attempted Suicide (1906)

Movie
Director
First Night Out

First Night Out (1905)

Movie

Ratings

Average 5.03
Based on 16.2 Thousand movie and tv ratings over time
1905
1918
1927
1923
1947

Information

Known for
Directing

Gender
Male

Birthday
1875-09-15

Deathday
1963-02-15 (87 years old)

Birth name
Louis Joseph Gasnier

Place of birth
9th arrondissement of Paris, France

Citizenships
France

Also known as
Louis Joseph Gasnier, L.J. Gasnier, Louis Gasnier


This article uses material from Wikipedia.
Max Linder
Louis J. Gasnier
Max Linder worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
7 Movies
Karl Struss
Louis J. Gasnier
Karl Struss worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
6 Movies
Max Marcin
Louis J. Gasnier
Max Marcin worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
6 Movies
B.P. Schulberg
Louis J. Gasnier
B.P. Schulberg worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
6 Movies
George A. Hirliman
Louis J. Gasnier
George A. Hirliman worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
6 Movies
Eve Unsell
Louis J. Gasnier
Eve Unsell worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
6 Movies
Lawrence Meade
Louis J. Gasnier
Lawrence Meade worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
5 Movies
Pearl White
Louis J. Gasnier
Pearl White worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
5 Movies
George B. Seitz
Louis J. Gasnier
George B. Seitz worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
5 Movies
Mack Stengler
Louis J. Gasnier
Mack Stengler worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
4 Movies
Arthur B. Reeve
Louis J. Gasnier
Arthur B. Reeve worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
4 Movies
Jaime Devesa
Louis J. Gasnier
Jaime Devesa worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
4 Movies
Charles W. Goddard
Louis J. Gasnier
Charles W. Goddard worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
4 Movies
Alfredo Le Pera
Louis J. Gasnier
Alfredo Le Pera worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
4 Movies
Léon Bary
Louis J. Gasnier
Léon Bary worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
4 Movies
Bertram Millhauser
Louis J. Gasnier
Bertram Millhauser worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
4 Movies
Carlos Gardel
Louis J. Gasnier
Carlos Gardel worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
4 Movies
Creighton Hale
Louis J. Gasnier
Creighton Hale worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
4 Movies
Clara Bow
Louis J. Gasnier
Clara Bow worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
4 Movies
Kenneth Harlan
Louis J. Gasnier
Kenneth Harlan worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
4 Movies
Joseph A. Du Bray
Louis J. Gasnier
Joseph A. Du Bray worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
3 Movies
Marcel Lattès
Louis J. Gasnier
Marcel Lattès worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
3 Movies
Travis Banton
Louis J. Gasnier
Travis Banton worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
3 Movies
Floyd Buckley
Louis J. Gasnier
Floyd Buckley worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
3 Movies
Gilson Willets
Louis J. Gasnier
Gilson Willets worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
3 Movies
Basil Dickey
Louis J. Gasnier
Basil Dickey worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
3 Movies
Donald MacKenzie
Louis J. Gasnier
Donald MacKenzie worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
3 Movies
Arthur Hoerl
Louis J. Gasnier
Arthur Hoerl worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
3 Movies
Allen G. Siegler
Louis J. Gasnier
Allen G. Siegler worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
3 Movies
Olga Printzlau
Louis J. Gasnier
Olga Printzlau worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
3 Movies
Vicente Padula
Louis J. Gasnier
Vicente Padula worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
3 Movies
Betty Francisco
Louis J. Gasnier
Betty Francisco worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
3 Movies
Eleanor Hunt
Louis J. Gasnier
Eleanor Hunt worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
3 Movies
Richard Tucker
Louis J. Gasnier
Richard Tucker worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
3 Movies
Edward LeSaint
Louis J. Gasnier
Edward LeSaint worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
3 Movies
Clive Brook
Louis J. Gasnier
Clive Brook worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
3 Movies
Frank O'Connor
Louis J. Gasnier
Frank O'Connor worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
3 Movies
Paul Panzer
Louis J. Gasnier
Paul Panzer worked together with Louis J. Gasnier in:
3 Movies
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