David Butler (1894-1979) directed over a hundred theatrical and
television films. In this oral history he reflects over his life and
work, from the days of Inceville and D.W. Griffith to the era of filmed
television Westerns and situation comedies. His first directional
assignment was High School Hero (1927) for Fox studios. He then helped
salvage Fox's finances with four of Shirley Temple's most engaging and
profitable films starring Will Rogers in the 1930s, and a classic movie
about horse racing, Kentucky (1938). After leaving Fox in 1938, Butler
directed films for Warner Brothers and other studios with Bing Crosby,
Bob Hope, Doris Day, Errol Flynn, Rex Harrison, Alice Faye, Ronald
Reagan, Patricia Neal, Kay Kyser, and a host of other musical and comedy
stars. One of the best of his films is Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943),
with an all-star cast and a lilting score, highlighted by Bette Davis
singing and jitterbugging. When Butler switched from theatrical films to
television, he directed such popular TV shows as Wagon Train, Buckskin,
General Electric Theater, and Leave it to Beaver. Modestly describing
himself as a "commercial director" who excelled at completing projects
under tight schedules, Butler deserves a place in American film history
for his contribution of well-crafted popular films featuring some of the
legendary entertainers of the 30s, 40s, and 50s.
