Frances Hyland (screenwriter)

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Frances Hyland
Frances Hyland (fl. 1903-1946).png
Born
Frances Christine Moore

(1903-09-19)September 19, 1903
Stuttgart, Arkansas, US
OccupationScreenwriter
Spouse
(died 1944)
Parents
  • William Carol Moore (father)
  • Aura Lee Dickey (mother)

Frances Hyland (born Frances Christine Moore, September 19, 1903; date of death unknown) was an American screenwriter active between the late 1920s and the late 1940s. She was the first woman hired as a "gagman" at a film studio, and she wrote dozens of comedic scripts over the course of her career. [1]

Contents

Biography

Hyland was born in Stuttgart, Arkansas on September 19, 1903, the daughter of William Carol Moore and Aura Lee Dickey. [2] Her father was the editor of the local newspaper; he would later move to California and edit The Hueneme Harbor Bulletin. [3]

In 1926, she became the first woman to be hired by Universal as a "gagman" (comedy writer). [4] She later worked for Tiffany Pictures. [5] She continued to work steadily throughout the 1930s and 1940s, producing scripts for well-received films like The Sin of Nora Moran , A Shriek in the Night , and In Old California .

She was married to filmmaker Albert Ray until his death and had 2 sons. [6] Her date of death and final resting place are unknown.

Selected filmography

References

  1. Curran, Thomas R. (July 9, 1926). "Daily News Letter". Coshocton Tribune . International News Service. p. 4. Retrieved February 11, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  2. "Frances Christine Moore". Arkansas, Birth Certificates, 1914-1922. Archived from the original on February 12, 2025. Retrieved February 11, 2025 via Ancestry.com.
  3. "Editor Reads First Copy of Paper, Dies". Los Angeles Times . Oxnard (published June 4, 1938). June 3, 1938. p. 22. Retrieved February 11, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Works on Adaptation". Los Angeles Times . August 30, 1926. p. 25. Retrieved February 11, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Scenario Writer Has Appendix Removed". Los Angeles Times . February 7, 1930. p. 30. Retrieved February 11, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Indians Will Be Stars in Picdture". Oakland Tribune . July 24, 1932. p. 15. Retrieved February 11, 2025 via Newspapers.com.