Ben Markson Explained

Benjamin Allen Markson
Birth Date:6 August 1897
Birth Place:Creston, Iowa, United States
Death Place:Los Angeles County, California, United States
Occupation:Screenwriter
Spouse:Janet Pavelik(e) aka Dawn (m. 1931-?),[1]
Miriam Edwards née Harkins (m. 1944)
Yearsactive:1928–59

Ben Markson (August 6, 1897 – October 20, 1971) was an American screenwriter active from the very beginning of the sound film era through the end of the 1950s. During his 30-year career he was responsible for the story and/or screenplay of 45 films, as well as writing the scripts for several episodic television shows in the 1950s.

Life and career

Benjamin Allen Markson was born on August 6, 1897, in Creston, Iowa.[2] His parents were Abraham Markson (born Lithuania) and Goldie Baior (born Poland).[3] Prior to writing screenplays, Markson worked as a journalist,[4] and then was part of the publicity department for Paramount Pictures.[5] He would break into the film industry as the co-screenwriter on the 1928 film The River Pirate, a silent film with sound sequences starring Victor McLaglen.[6]

In the pre-code era of the early 1930s, Markson was known for his racy scripts.[7] Some of his early successes include: The Half-Naked Truth, a 1932 comedy directed by Gregory La Cava and starring Lupe Vélez and Lee Tracy;[8] Is My Face Red? (1932), which Markson and co-screenwriter Casey Robinson based on Markson's play which he co-wrote with Allen Rivkin;[9] co-wrote the screenplay (with Jane Murfin) for What Price Hollywood?, also in 1932, directed by George Cukor, and starring Constance Bennett and Lowell Sherman;[10] Lady Killer (1933), starring James Cagney;[11] and 1934's Here Comes the Navy, a romantic comedy again starring Cagney.[12] Other notable films on which Markson contributed to the script included: 1937's screwball comedy, Danger – Love at Work, directed by Otto Preminger, for which he co-wrote the screenplay;[13] the 1938 classic Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, starring Shirley Temple;[14] and Mr. District Attorney (1947), starring Dennis O'Keefe and Adolphe Menjou.[15] Markson served on the board of directors of the Screen Writers Guild in the latter half of the 1930s.

Later in his career, Markson worked on the scripts for several film series, including A Close Call for Boston Blackie (the Boston Blackie series),[16] and The Falcon in San Francisco in 1945 (The Falcon series).[17] In the 1950s, Markson wrote the teleplays for several episodic television shows, including The Cisco Kid and Racket Squad.[18] Markson's last contribution to film was the story for the 1959 crime drama, Edge of Eternity, starring Cornel Wilde and Victoria Shaw.[19]

Markson was the brother-in-law of actor George Montgomery.[20] Markson died on October 20, 1971, in Los Angeles County, California.[21]

Filmography

(Per AFI database)[22]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Affidavit for marriage license by Ben Markson and Janet Pavelike . Ancestry.com . 13 April 2024 . Yuma County, Arizona . 19 December 1931.
  2. "Iowa, Delayed Birth Records, 1850-1939",, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24D-1TZL : Thu Mar 07 20:09:00 UTC 2024), Entry for Benjamin Markson and Abraham Markson, 6 August 1897.
  3. "California, County Marriages, 1850-1953," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K86R-PWN : 9 March 2021), Ben Allen Markson and Miriam H Edwards, 06 Aug 1944; citing Los Angeles, California, United States, county courthouses, California; FHL microfilm 2,135,749.
  4. News: At the Theaters: Strand, "Is My Face Red?" . The Ruston Daily Leader . December 19, 1932 . 4 . Newspapers.com. June 12, 2015.
  5. News: Hollywood's Publicity Men Cutting Swath in Filmdom . The Pantagraph . October 23, 1927 . 12 . Newspapers.com. June 12, 2015.
  6. Web site: The River Pirate: Detail View . American Film Institute . March 29, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140329120818/http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=11722 . March 29, 2014.
  7. Web site: Ben Markson . AllMovie . Erickson . Hal . June 11, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150611223401/http://www.allmovie.com/artist/ben-markson-p101325 . June 11, 2015.
  8. Web site: The Half Naked Truth: Detail View . American Film Institute . March 29, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140329105311/http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=5206 . March 29, 2014.
  9. Web site: Is My Face Red?: Detail View . American Film Institute . March 29, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140329050317/http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=5589 . March 29, 2014.
  10. Web site: What Price Hollywood?: Detail View . American Film Institute . March 29, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140402045357/http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=6829 . April 2, 2014.
  11. Web site: Lady Killer: Detail View . American Film Institute . March 29, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140328190845/http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=4809 . March 28, 2014.
  12. Web site: Here Comes the Navy: Detail View . American Film Institute . March 29, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140328190707/http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/AbbrView.aspx?s=&Movie=6684 . March 28, 2014.
  13. Web site: Danger--Love at Work: Detail View . American Film Institute . March 29, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140422165646/http://afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=8020 . April 22, 2014.
  14. Web site: Danger--Love at Work: Detail View . American Film Institute . March 29, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140328182106/http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=7593 . March 28, 2014.
  15. Web site: Mr. District Attorney: Detail View . American Film Institute . March 29, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140329230145/http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=25271 . March 29, 2014.
  16. Web site: A Close Call for Boston Blackie: Detail View . American Film Institute . March 29, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140402034656/http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=24727 . April 2, 2014.
  17. Web site: The Falcon in San Francisco: Detail View . American Film Institute . March 29, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140329214646/http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=24402 . March 29, 2014.
  18. Web site: Ben Markson . Internet Movie Database . June 11, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150611234240/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0548993/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1 . June 11, 2015.
  19. Web site: Edge of Eternity: Detail View . American Film Institute . March 29, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140402181412/http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=52872 . April 2, 2014.
  20. News: George Montgomery Planning to Form Own Company . The Independent Record . May 18, 1950 . 12 . Newspapers.com. June 12, 2015.
  21. "California Death Index, 1940-1997," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPH6-LZ2 : 26 November 2014), Benjamin A Markson, 20 Oct 1971; Department of Public Health Services, Sacramento.
  22. Web site: Ben Markson . American Film Institute . April 13, 2024.

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