Waldemar Young
Waldemar Young was an influential American screenwriter, journalist, and playwright, known for his significant contributions to early cinema. He was the grandson of Brigham Young, a prominent figure in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and he moved to California in 1900 to attend Stanford University. Young initially worked as a journalist and critic before transitioning to screenwriting in the late 1910s, quickly establishing himself as a prolific writer. In 1919 alone, he wrote scripts for twelve feature films, catching the attention of notable figures like Mary Pickford.
Throughout his career, Young collaborated closely with legendary actor Lon Chaney and director Tod Browning on a series of films that showcased Chaney's unique talents. Some of his most recognized works include "The Unholy Three" and a series of spectacular films with Cecil B. De Mille, such as "The Sign of the Cross" and "Cleopatra." In the mid-1930s, he partnered with director Henry Hathaway and actor Gary Cooper on successful projects, including "The Lives of a Bengal Lancer," which received six Academy Award nominations. Young's final works were romantic adventure comedies, culminating in the success of "Test Pilot." He passed away shortly after its release at the age of fifty-eight, leaving a notable legacy in the film industry.
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Waldemar Young
Writer
- Born: July 1, 1880
- Birthplace: Salt Lake City, Utah
- Died: August 30, 1938
- Place of death: Hollywood, California
Biography
Waldemar Young—grandson of Brigham Young, the second prophet and president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints—came to Stanford University in 1900 from his native Salt Lake City and spent the rest of his life in California. His early career was given to working as a journalist and critic, but he also wrote stage plays. He turned to writing for the movies and by the late 1910’s, he had emerged as a sought-after and prolific screenwriter.
In 1919 alone, Young was responsible for the scenarios for twelve feature films. One of these attracted the attention of Mary Pickford, who requested that he write two film scripts: Suds in 1920 and Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall in 1924. He was also closely associated with the actorLon Chaney and the director Tod Browning. Between 1925 and 1928, the three worked on a series of seven films that played on Chaney’s capacity to play twisted and distorted characters and Browning’s skill with dark chiaroscuro atmospheres. Perhaps the best-known of these is The Unholy Three, a story about three sideshow circus performers (a ventriloquist, a midget, and a muscle man) who team up for a life of crime.
With the arrival of the talkies, much of Young’s work was associated with the spectacular movies of Cecil B. de Mille. Together they helped create five films within the span of four years. These include The Sign of the Cross, about Christian persecution in the time of Emperor Nero; Island of Lost Souls, based on H. G. Wells’s novel; Cleopatra, not so much about Cleopatra as the wide and spectacular ancient world; The Crusades, about Richard the Lion-Hearted; and, finally, The Plainsman, a story of the Old West in the years directly after the Civil War. In the mid- 1930’s, Young worked with the director Henry Hathaway and actor Gary Cooper on two films, one of which, The Lives of a Bengal Lancer, which explored the hardships and camaraderie of an English military unit on the border of India, proved to be one the most successful movies Young helped create, winning six Academy Award nominations, including Best Screenplay.
Two of Young’s last plays to appear on the screen were romantic/adventure comedies. Desire featured Gary Cooper and Marlene Dietrich, one playing an automobile executive from Detroit, the other a jewel thief operating in Europe, where they meet and fall in love. Young’s last movie was Test Pilot, in which a stunt plane pilot (Clark Gable) is forced to land in a field where he falls in love with a young woman (Myrna Loy). The film proved to be a great success. Young died a few months after its release at the age of fifty-eight.