by David J. Schow
Milt's obit: Published: July 20, 1988
Milton Krims, a screenwriter, died of pneumonia on July 11 at the Motion Picture Country Home and Hospital in Woodland Hills, Calif. He was 84 years old and had suffered from Parkinson's disease for many years.
Mr. Krims wrote more than 25 screenplays for Warner Brothers, 20th Century-Fox, RKO and Universal, as well as television scripts and novels, during a career that spanned 40 years. His movies included ''The Great O'Malley,'' a 1937 film about a tough cop; ''The Iron Curtain'' (1948), one of the first anti-Communist films of the Cold War, and ''Confessions of a Nazi Spy'' (1939).
Mr. Krims acted on Broadway and wrote for The Brooklyn Eagle in the late 1920's. He wrote several novels, including ''Dude Ranch,'' which was made into a movie in 1931.
During World War II, he served in the Army Air Corps, and covered the war and its aftermath for an Air Force magazine. Mr. Krims wrote for the ''Perry Mason'' series and other television shows in the 1950's and 1960's. He also served as film editor for both Holiday magazine and The Saturday Evening Post in the 1970's.
Mr. Krims is survived by his wife, Shirley O'Hara Krims of Los Angeles; a daughter, Ann Collins of Catskill, N.Y.; a stepson, Jim McHugh of Los Angeles; a sister, Claire Friedland of New York; a brother, Sidney Ellis of Santa Monica, Calif., and two grandchildren.
Shirley's obit:
A successful screen actress in addition to her work as a prominent public relation executive, Shirley O'Hara Krims found fame on the silver screen with a series of films in the '30s and '40s before redefining her career in the '70s. Born in Rochester, MN, Krims was quickly signed to RKO after relocating to Hollywood at the tender age of 18. Her early appearances came in such films as TARZAN AND THE AMAZONS (1945) and the film that provided Frank Sinatra with his first feature role, HIGHER AND HIGHER (1944). An avid supporter of American soldiers during World War II, Betty Davis presented Krims with a Support for America award for her work with the USO's Hollywood Canteen. After turning toward television in the '50s and '60s, Krims became the public relations director for Burbank Studios (later acquired by Warner Bros.). Krims was also a noted philanthropist, and through the Publicists Guild, the former actress supported such organizations as Operation Children. Married to Jimmy McHugh Jr. early in life, Krims would later wed Oscar-nominated screenwriter Milton Krims. In late December of 2002, Shirley O'Hara Krims died from complications of diabetes in Calabasas, CA. She was 78.
Milton Krims, a screenwriter, died of pneumonia on July 11 at the Motion Picture Country Home and Hospital in Woodland Hills, Calif. He was 84 years old and had suffered from Parkinson's disease for many years.
Mr. Krims wrote more than 25 screenplays for Warner Brothers, 20th Century-Fox, RKO and Universal, as well as television scripts and novels, during a career that spanned 40 years. His movies included ''The Great O'Malley,'' a 1937 film about a tough cop; ''The Iron Curtain'' (1948), one of the first anti-Communist films of the Cold War, and ''Confessions of a Nazi Spy'' (1939).
Mr. Krims acted on Broadway and wrote for The Brooklyn Eagle in the late 1920's. He wrote several novels, including ''Dude Ranch,'' which was made into a movie in 1931.
During World War II, he served in the Army Air Corps, and covered the war and its aftermath for an Air Force magazine. Mr. Krims wrote for the ''Perry Mason'' series and other television shows in the 1950's and 1960's. He also served as film editor for both Holiday magazine and The Saturday Evening Post in the 1970's.
Mr. Krims is survived by his wife, Shirley O'Hara Krims of Los Angeles; a daughter, Ann Collins of Catskill, N.Y.; a stepson, Jim McHugh of Los Angeles; a sister, Claire Friedland of New York; a brother, Sidney Ellis of Santa Monica, Calif., and two grandchildren.
Shirley's obit:
A successful screen actress in addition to her work as a prominent public relation executive, Shirley O'Hara Krims found fame on the silver screen with a series of films in the '30s and '40s before redefining her career in the '70s. Born in Rochester, MN, Krims was quickly signed to RKO after relocating to Hollywood at the tender age of 18. Her early appearances came in such films as TARZAN AND THE AMAZONS (1945) and the film that provided Frank Sinatra with his first feature role, HIGHER AND HIGHER (1944). An avid supporter of American soldiers during World War II, Betty Davis presented Krims with a Support for America award for her work with the USO's Hollywood Canteen. After turning toward television in the '50s and '60s, Krims became the public relations director for Burbank Studios (later acquired by Warner Bros.). Krims was also a noted philanthropist, and through the Publicists Guild, the former actress supported such organizations as Operation Children. Married to Jimmy McHugh Jr. early in life, Krims would later wed Oscar-nominated screenwriter Milton Krims. In late December of 2002, Shirley O'Hara Krims died from complications of diabetes in Calabasas, CA. She was 78.
It's a small world after all: THE GREAT O'MALLEY marked an early convict role for my favorite actor, Humphrey Bogart, while none other than Richard Matheson recalled writing poems and stories for THE BROOKLYN EAGLE from the age of nine, receiving his "payment" in the form of little gold stars.
ReplyDeleteThanks David, for a closeup on a lesser known OL writer.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a ('86 or '98) TOL Companion anymore, but didn't DJS quote one Brady-regime colleague derogatorily labeling Mr. Krims as effete or effeminate? Not that there's anything wrong with that. Just illuminating a datapoint that someone (who owns a TOL Companion) ought to be able to confirm. Interesting that there are different viewpoints on the same man. Maybe MK is Zelig.
ReplyDeleteDavid, that's a photo of director William Wellman.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the Krims info, and Matthew for your Spotlights. Lovin' all this background stuff.
I *thought* that was Wellman...my first idea was "were Krims and Wellman related? before I read Larry B's post.
ReplyDeleteP.S.: I just checked on IMDB and saw that Krims wrote the screenplay for the terrific Borgia-family movie "Prince of Foxes" made by Fox in 1949. If you are into early 16th century Italian skullduggery, it's a very entertaining movie, with Tyrone Power, Orson Welles and Everett Sloane. Unfortunately in BW -- would have stunning in color! -- but it has a creepy eye-gouging scene and with Showtime's "The Borgias" starting in April, this might be a great time to check it out.
Krims also wrote a 1954 post-prime-Errol Flynn pirate movie "Crossed Swords" with one of the babe-est babes of all time, Gina Lollobrigida! Though Flynn looked older, and at 45 was only five years from his death, he still had charm!
Definitely like this background into -- it always opens up more and more interesting sidetrips!
Krims also wrote a 1954 post-prime-Errol Flynn pirate movie "Crossed Swords"
ReplyDeleteMore evidence to support the alleged effete/effeminate accusation of his OL colleague? Sorry, Lisa, but that was a softball, and I had to swing at it.
The quote was Seeleg Lester's, referring to Krims as "a rather effete man", so not necessarily "effeminate" which is only one possible meaning.
ReplyDeleteMilton was my stepfather, I'll find a photo for the blog. Jim McHugh
ReplyDeleteMilton Krims was my grandfather. My mother painted his portrait later in life. He was a very handsome and distinguished man. I remember him with a head of white hair and a full white beard.
ReplyDeleteMilton Krims was my grandfather. My mother painted his portrait later in life. He was a very handsome and distinguished man. I remember him with a head of white hair and a full white beard.
ReplyDelete