W.S. Van Dyke
Director

W.S. Van Dyke Net Worth

W.S. Van Dyke was an American film director and writer born in San Diego, California in 1889. He was best known for his films 'The Thin Man' and 'San Francisco', for which he received Academy Award nominations for Best Director. He was also renowned for the musicals he made with Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald. Van Dyke was the son of an actress mother and was familiarized to show business from an early age. After working as an assistant director with D. W. Griffith and James Young, he made his directorial debut with ‘The Land of Long Shadows’ and went on to become a reliable and versatile director, directing several top-grossing and award winning films.
W.S. Van Dyke is a member of Director

Age, Biography and Wiki

Who is it? Director, Writer, Producer
Birth Day March 21, 1889
Birth Place  San Diego, California, United States
Age 130 YEARS OLD
Died On February 5, 1943(1943-02-05) (aged 53)\nLos Angeles, California, U.S.
Birth Sign Aries
Cause of death Suicide
Resting place Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)
Other names One Take Woody
Occupation Film director, writer
Years active 1915–42
Spouse(s) Zina Ashford (m. 1909; div. 1935) Ruth Mannix (m. 1935–1943)
Children 3

💰 Net worth

W.S. Van Dyke, a renowned Director, Writer, and Producer in the United States, is predicted to have a net worth ranging from $100,000 to $1 million in the year 2024. With his notable contributions to the film industry, Van Dyke has left a lasting impact on cinema. Throughout his career, he has brought his creative vision to numerous successful projects, which have further solidified his reputation in the industry. Having amassed such wealth, Van Dyke's financial success is a testament to his talent and dedication as a multi-faceted filmmaker.

Famous Quotes:

I think I've been to school in every state in the Union. Whenever the company stopped off long enough in any city I went back behind a school desk. The rest of the time my mother taught me.

Biography/Timeline

1889

Woodbridge Strong Van Dyke II was born on March 21, 1889 in San Diego, California. His father was a Superior Court judge who died the day his son was born. His mother, Laura Winston, returned to her former acting career. As a child actor, Van Dyke appeared with his mother on the vaudeville circuit with traveling stock companies. They traveled the west coast and into the Middle West. When he was five years old, they appeared at the old San Francisco Grand Opera House in Blind Girl. He would later remember his unusual education,

1909

When Van Dyke was fourteen years old, he moved to Seattle to live with his grandmother. While attending Business school, he worked several part-time jobs, including janitor, waiter, salesman, and railroad attendant. Van Dyke's early adult years were unsettled, and he moved among jobs. In 1909, he married Actress Zelda Ashford, and the two joined various touring theater companies, finally arriving in Hollywood in 1915.

1915

In 1915, Van Dyke found work as an assistant Director to D. W. Griffith on the film The Birth of a Nation. The following year, he was Griffith's assistant Director on Intolerance. That same year he worked as an assistant Director to James Young on Unprotected (1916), The Lash (1916), and the lost film Oliver Twist, in which he also played the role of Charles Dickens.

1917

In 1917, Van Dyke directed his first film, The Land of Long Shadows for Essanay Studios. That same year he directed five other films: The Range Boss, Open Places, Men of the Desert, Gift O' Gab, and Sadie Goes to Heaven. In 1927, he traveled to Tacoma to direct two silent films for the new H.C. Weaver Productions: Eyes of the Totem and The Heart of the Yukon (the latter is considered a lost film).

1928

His other films include the island adventure White Shadows in the South Seas (1928), its follow up: The Pagan (1929), Trader Horn (1931) filmed almost entirely in Africa, Tarzan the Ape Man (1932), Manhattan Melodrama (1934), and Marie Antoinette (1938). He is perhaps best remembered for directing Myrna Loy and william Powell in four Thin Man films: The Thin Man (1934), After the Thin Man (1936), Another Thin Man (1939), and Shadow of the Thin Man (1941); and Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy in six of their greatest hits, Naughty Marietta (1935), Rose Marie (1936), Sweethearts (1938), New Moon (1940) (uncredited because halfway through filming Robert Z. Leonard took over), Bitter Sweet (1940), and I Married an Angel (1942).

1934

Many of his films were huge hits and top box office in any given year. He received Academy Award for Best Director nominations for The Thin Man (1934) and San Francisco (1936). He also directed the Oscar-winning classic Eskimo (also known as Mala the Magnificent), in which he also has a featured acting role.

1943

A devout Christian Scientist, Van Dyke refused most medical care during his last years. After finishing his last film, he said his goodbyes to his wife, children, and studio boss Louis B. Mayer and then committed suicide on February 5, 1943, in Brentwood, Los Angeles. At his request, Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy both sang and officiated at his funeral.

1960

On February 8, 1960, Van Dyke received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contribution to Motion Pictures, at 6141 Hollywood Boulevard.

Some W.S. Van Dyke images

About the author

Lisa Scholfield

As a Senior Writer at Famous Net Worth, I spearhead an exceptional team dedicated to uncovering and sharing the stories of pioneering individuals. My passion for unearthing untold narratives drives me to delve deep into the essence of each subject, bringing forth a unique blend of factual accuracy and narrative allure. In orchestrating the editorial workflow, I am deeply involved in every step—from initial research to the final touches of publishing, ensuring each biography not only informs but also engages and inspires our readership.