In a Door, into a Fight, Out a Door, into a Chase: Moviemaking Remembered by the Guy at the Door

by William Witney

Early in 1937, a young film editor went on-location to St. George, Utah, for the filming of Republic’s The Painted Stallion. Rain and cast problems put the production hopelessly behind schedule. The studio summarily fired the director and replaced him with the film editor. Thus was born the career of one of Hollywood’s most famous serial directors, Bill Witney.Witney went on to direct or codirect 23 Republic serials, working with such stars as William Benedict, Hoot Gibson, Bela Lugosi, and Noah Beery, Sr. Witney’s output included some of the most famous cliffhangers of the era, such as Adventures of Red Ryder, Spy Smasher, Drums of Fu Manchu, The Lone Ranger, and The Lone Ranger Rides Again. Though he enjoyed a long career as a feature film and television director, it is the Republic serials for which he is best remembered. This engaging story is a behind-the-scenes look at the heyday of the Hollywood cliffhanger, the making of the movies, and the people involved in them.

Genres: Media Tie In, Memoir

246 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1995

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a way, my only real complaint is that this only covers the portion of Witney's career he spent working in the serials (specifically just before he was called to service in WWII). It's obviously an invaluable resource, both for the specificity of his recollections (even though some of it is no doubt embellished) and for the portrait it paints of someone learning the picture business in an era where there innovation was more the rule than the exception.

Witney's recollections do occasionally run a bit more ribald than most modern readers would likely feel comfortable with, but I appreciated the honesty of it all. It's all about treating something like this as the historical document it is rather than something from which to draw one's own moral framework.

[Thomas Burchfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

A memoir by movie serial director William Witney who co-directed many of the best old time Republic serials (including Spy Smasher, a real kick). He wasn’t the cinematic genius Tarantino claims and the writing isn’t good but many of the stories, many about the pioneers of Hollywood stunting, such as Yakima Canutt and Dave Sharpe, keep it interesting. It covers only the years up to his World War II service. He never wrote a second volume.

[Ronald · Rating 5 out of 5]

he was primarily known for directing or co-directing(with John English) movie serials in the 1930's & '40's, then moving to westerns(movie & television). He helped set the bar for serials while working at Republic pictures. This book covers his serial phase. I read this SOMETIME in 2005.