Born in New York City. Appeared with Lillian Russell's stage company before entering films in 1909. He was a popular leading man in many silent pictures (with 80 films to his credit), then turned director in the early 20s. His initial films as director, both silents and talkies, were mostly in the action vein, often sprinkled with humor. From the mid-30s he specialized in 20th Century-Fox musicals and light films and directed some of the best-known vehicles of, among others, Shirley Temple, Alice Faye, and Betty Grable. Not a very original director but a consistent craftsman of solid entertainment. Notable talking picture directing credits include IN OLD ARIZONA (1929), THE CISCO KID (1931), THE WHITE PARADE (1934), CURLY TOP (1935), POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL (1936), VOGUES OF 1938 (1937), LITTLE MISS BROADWAY (1938), JESSE JAMES (1939 - uncredited), THE STORY OF ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL (also 1939), LILLIAN RUSSELL and DOWN ARGENTINE WAY (both 1940), BELLE STARR and LOUISIANA PURCHASE (both 1941), MY GAL SAL and SPRINGTIME IN THE ROCKIES (both 1942), SWEET ROSIE O'GRADY (1943), THE IMPATIENT YEARS (1944, also producer), THE DOLLY SISTERS (1945) and his last film, DOUBLE DYNAMITE (a.k.a. IT'S ONLY MONEY, 1951). He produced the 1955 TV series "Fury" (a.k.a. "Brave Stallion").    Nominated for Directing 1928-29: IN OLD ARIZONA 1 nomination