Arthur J. Zellner Explained

Arthur Julian Zellner
Birth Date:2 December 1883
Birth Place:Memphis, Tennessee, US
Death Place:Burbank, California, US
Education:Louisiana State University
Occupation:Screenwriter, publicity agent, film editor
Spouse:Lois Zellner (div.)
Helen Lovett

Arthur Julian Zellner (1883 – 1952) was an American screenwriter and film studio publicity man active from the 1920s through the 1940s.

Biography

Arthur was born to David Zellner and Annie Sonfield in Memphis, Tennessee. He attended college at Louisiana State University.

In 1913, he married Lois Grier Murray in New York City, where he was working as a journalist. The pair would collaborate on several plays and scenarios before pooling their savings and moving to Hollywood, where he'd work at American Film Company, Metro, and Paramount. The pair worked on a number of screenplays together before divorcing in 1921.[1] [2] [3]

Soon after, he met and married Helen Lovett, with whom he had two daughters. Around this time, he left writing scripts behind, taking on jobs as a personal representative and publicity agent. He served as the personal representative of Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks for eight years.[4] He continued working in publicity at Warner Bros. Pictures and Universal Pictures until his death in 1952.[5]

Selected filmography

Notes and References

  1. News: Zellner Returns to the West Coast. March 20, 1921. The Baltimore Sun. January 18, 2019.
  2. News: Writer Leaves for Coast. May 14, 1921. The Altoona Tribune. January 18, 2019.
  3. News: Sobs Story of Deadly Politeness. December 7, 1921. The Los Angeles Times. January 18, 2019.
  4. News: Conference Held. November 13, 1925. The Los Angeles Times. January 18, 2019.
  5. News: Arthur Zellner, Veteran Publicity Man, Dies. September 10, 1952 . The Los Angeles Times. January 18, 2019. This obituary indicates a birthyear for Zellner of 1893; primary sources give a birthyear of 1883.