Basil Wrangell  | |
|---|---|
| Born | Basilio Petrovich von Wrangell June 19, 1906 Ponte a Moriano, Toscana, Italy  | 
| Died | April 26, 1977 (aged 70) Los Angeles, California, USA  | 
| Occupation | Film editor . Film Director | 
| Spouses | Isabelle Fair   (divorced)
  | 
Basil Wrangell (born Basilio Petrovich von Wrangell) was an Italian film and television editor and director who worked in Hollywood from the 1920s through the 1970s.[1][2]
Biography
Basil was born at the Russian embassy in Ponte a Moriano, Italy, to Peter von Wrangell and Marussia Sasso-Ruffo. On his father's side, his family line had reportedly served as court attaches of old Russia since 1200 A.D.[3] Basil's brother, George Wrangell, was a society columnist in New York City.[4]
Basil attended the elite Grosvenor School in Nottingham, England, as a young man, until his family lost their wealth during the Russian Revolution. A chance opportunity to serve as an interpreter for Fred Niblo on Ben-Hur led to Basil traveling to America to take an entry-level job in a cutting room at a studio.[3][5] He ended up becoming a proficient editor, eventually earning the chance to direct shorts and features.[4] For television, he edited many episodes of I Spy, Peyton Place, Combat!, and Adventures in Paradise.
Selected filmography
As editor:
- The Only Way to Spy (1978)
 - Tobor the Great (1954)
 - Love Happy (1949)
 - The Good Earth (1937)
 - Whipsaw (1935)
 - Shadow of Doubt (1935)
 - Hide-Out (1934)
 - Hips, Hips, Hooray! (1934)
 - Aggie Appleby, Maker of Men (1933)
 - Midshipman Jack (1933)
 - Bed of Roses (1933)
 - Gabriel Over the White House (1933)
 - Ladies They Talk About (1933)
 - Freaks (1932)
 - Sidewalks of New York (1931)
 - Min and Bill (1930)
 - Love in the Rough (1930)
 - Let Us Be Gay (1930)
 - The Woman Racket (1930)
 - Marianne (1929)
 - The Voice of the City (1929)
 - All at Sea (1929)
 - The Cameraman (1928)
 - The Cardboard Lover (1928)
 - A Certain Young Man (1928)
 - The Latest from Paris (1928)
 - In Old Kentucky (1927)
 - Twelve Miles Out (1927)
 - California (1927)
 
As director:
- South Seas Adventure (1958)
 - Heartaches (1947)
 - Philo Vance's Gamble (1947)
 
References
- ↑ Drew, Bernard A. (2013-12-04). Motion Picture Series and Sequels: A Reference Guide. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-92893-5.
 - ↑ Golden, Eve (2013-03-29). John Gilbert: The Last of the Silent Film Stars. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 978-0-8131-4163-3.
 - 1 2 "When Royalty Comes to Hollywood". The Decatur Herald. 25 Aug 1935. Retrieved 2020-02-05.
 - 1 2 "Basil Wrangell Directs First Feature-Length Film". Valley Times. 20 Dec 1946. Retrieved 2020-02-05.
 - ↑ Eyman, Scott (2008-06-23). Lion of Hollywood: The Life and Legend of Louis B. Mayer. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-4391-0791-1.