Born in Paducah, Kentucky. Entered American film as an assistant director to C. B. De Mille and Joseph Levering on THE LITTLE AMERICAN (1917) at Pickford Pictures. He worked as a.d. or bit player on several silent films, including THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1923). He directed TRY AND GET IT and CHEAP KISSES (both 1924) and THE CARNIVAL GIRL (1926) and was an uncredited co-director of MY HEART BELONGS TO DADDY (1942). Tate worked as an a.d. (mostly uncredited) in several talkies: THE LOCKED DOOR (1929), MADAM SATAN (1930), AS YOU DESIRE ME, SKYSCRAPER SOULS and RASPUTING AND THE EMPRESS (all 1932), THE WHITE SISTER (1933), CLEOPATRA (1934), ARISE, MY LOVE (1940, 2nd unit director) and TAKE A LETTER, DARLING and ROAD TO MOROCCO (2nd unit director) (both 1942).    Nominated for Assistant Director 1934: CLEOPATRA 1 nomination