Charles Brackett(1892-1969)
- Writer
- Producer
Charles Brackett, born in Saratoga Springs, New York, of Scottish
ancestry, followed in his attorney-father's footsteps and graduated
with a law degree from Harvard University in 1920. He practised law for
several years, before commencing work as drama critic for The New
Yorker (1925-29), in addition to submitting short stories to The
Saturday Evening Post. In 1932, Brackett left for Hollywood as a
screenwriter. He was signed by Paramount primarily on the strength of
his novel "Week-End". Brackett remained at the studio until 1950,
doubling up as producer from 1945.
During his tenure at Paramount, Brackett became part of one of the most
celebrated screenwriting partnerships in the motion picture business,
alongside Billy Wilder. They were
eventually dubbed by Life Magazine as "the happiest couple in
Hollywood". Despite having very different personalities and arguing
incessantly -- Wilder being the more extroverted and cynical, while
Bracket was, to quote
Gloria Swanson, 'quieter, more
refined' -- their collaboration endured until 1951, spanning fourteen
motion pictures. Many of their most popular hits, such as
Ninotchka (1939),
Ball of Fire (1941) and
The Lost Weekend (1945), were
noted for their intricate scripting and witty, sardonic dialogue. The
culmination of their efforts was
Sunset Blvd. (1950), which won an
Academy Award for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay. Following this,
the team split up at the peak of their success, each going their
separate ways.
Brackett moved on to work under contract at 20th Century Fox for the
next eight years. With Walter Reisch, he
co-wrote the screenplays for
Niagara (1953) and
Titanic (1953), winning his third Oscar
for the latter. He also produced the superior western
Garden of Evil (1954), the
historical drama
The Virgin Queen (1955) and the
lavish musical
The King and I (1956). Brackett
retired due to illness after producing
State Fair (1962).
ancestry, followed in his attorney-father's footsteps and graduated
with a law degree from Harvard University in 1920. He practised law for
several years, before commencing work as drama critic for The New
Yorker (1925-29), in addition to submitting short stories to The
Saturday Evening Post. In 1932, Brackett left for Hollywood as a
screenwriter. He was signed by Paramount primarily on the strength of
his novel "Week-End". Brackett remained at the studio until 1950,
doubling up as producer from 1945.
During his tenure at Paramount, Brackett became part of one of the most
celebrated screenwriting partnerships in the motion picture business,
alongside Billy Wilder. They were
eventually dubbed by Life Magazine as "the happiest couple in
Hollywood". Despite having very different personalities and arguing
incessantly -- Wilder being the more extroverted and cynical, while
Bracket was, to quote
Gloria Swanson, 'quieter, more
refined' -- their collaboration endured until 1951, spanning fourteen
motion pictures. Many of their most popular hits, such as
Ninotchka (1939),
Ball of Fire (1941) and
The Lost Weekend (1945), were
noted for their intricate scripting and witty, sardonic dialogue. The
culmination of their efforts was
Sunset Blvd. (1950), which won an
Academy Award for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay. Following this,
the team split up at the peak of their success, each going their
separate ways.
Brackett moved on to work under contract at 20th Century Fox for the
next eight years. With Walter Reisch, he
co-wrote the screenplays for
Niagara (1953) and
Titanic (1953), winning his third Oscar
for the latter. He also produced the superior western
Garden of Evil (1954), the
historical drama
The Virgin Queen (1955) and the
lavish musical
The King and I (1956). Brackett
retired due to illness after producing
State Fair (1962).