Monta Bell

Monta Bell
Born	February 5, 1891 Washington D.C. USA
Died	February 4, 1958(1958-02-04) (aged 66) Motion Picture Country House and Hospital
Spouse	Betty Lawford

Monta Bell (February 5, 1891 – February 4, 1958) was an American film director, film producer and film editor.

Biography

Starting as a journalist in Washington DC, Bell later played on stage and entered films in 1923 as an actor. Charlie Chaplin employed Bell as a film editor and assistant director and in 1924, he became a full-fledged director of sophisticated sex comedies. Bell is known for directing Greta Garbo's first American film, Torrent.

Bell joined up with Paramount Pictures serving as head of production at the Astoria Studios in Astoria, Queens in New York. As sound films came in, Bell directed a number of high comedies and low melodramas later moving to producing films.

Bell was married for a brief time to actress Betty Lawford, cousin of actor Peter Lawford. Monta directed 20 films from 1924 to 1945. In addition, he producer 20 films and wrote 9 screenplays.

He died on February 4, 1958 at the Motion Picture Country House and Hospital, one day before his 67th birthday.^[1] He is interred in Section 8 Garden of Legends in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Hollywood, CA

References

1. ^ "Monta Bell Dies. Ex-Film Director. Sound Movies. Was 66. Newsman and Actor". New York Times. February 5, 1958. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10616F73D5F117B93C7A91789D85F4C8585F9. Retrieved 2010-03-09. "Monta Bell, former film writer, director and producer, died today at the Motion Picture Country House and Hospital. He would have been 67 years old ..." 

External links

• Monta Bell at the Internet Movie Database

Persondata
Name	Bell, Monta
Alternative names
Short description	Film director
Date of birth	February 5, 1891
Place of birth	Washington DC USA
Date of death	February 4, 1958
Place of death	Hollywood