Ben Hecht
- Known For
- Writing
- Born
- February 28, 1894 in New York City, New York, USA
- Died
- April 18, 1964
- Active Years
- 1926–1995 (70 Years)
- Total Credits
- 160 credits in database
Biography
Ben Hecht was born in New York City, New York, on February 28, 1894, and died on April 18, 1964, at the age of 70. He was an American screenwriter, director, producer, playwright, journalist, and novelist. After working as a journalist and newspaperman in his youth, he went on to write 35 books alongside numerous screenplays and plays in America. He received screen credits, either alone or in collaboration, for the stories or screenplays of approximately seventy films, and he won an Oscar for best original story for Underworld at the first Academy Awards in 1929. Among his works is the play The Front Page, written with Charles MacArthur.
Career overview
Ben Hecht was born in New York City on February 28, 1894, and passed away on April 18, 1964. He established himself as an American screenwriter, director, producer, playwright, journalist, and novelist. Beginning his career as a journalist in his youth and as a newspaperman in the 1920s, he perfected a widely emulated style of human interest sketch. Over the course of his literary career, he wrote 35 books alongside numerous popular plays and screenplays in America. He co-wrote the play The Front Page in 1928 with Charles MacArthur.
Recognized as one of Hollywood and Broadway's greatest writers, Hecht earned 126 known credits on The Movie Database and received screen credits, either alone or in collaboration, for the stories or screenplays of approximately seventy films. His work included writing for the film Notorious. At the first Academy Awards in 1929, he won an Oscar for best original story for Underworld, which was released in 1927.
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Career timeline
Full Filmography
160 titles- Kiss of Death (1995) Original Film Writer
- Switching Channels (1988) Writer
- I Hate Actors (1986) Novel
- Scarface (1983) Original Film Writer
- The Front Page (1974) Theatre Play
- Gaily, Gaily (1969) Novel
- Circus World (1964) Screenplay
- 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964) Additional Writing
- Walk on the Wild Side (1962) Writer
- Billy Rose's Jumbo (1962) Theatre Play
- North to Alaska (1960) Screenplay
- Queen of Outer Space (1958) Story
- The Fiend Who Walked the West (1958) Adaptation
- Tonight Starring Jack Paar (1957) as Self
- A Farewell to Arms (1957) Screenplay
- Legend of the Lost (1957) Screenplay
- Miracle in the Rain (1956) Novel
- Miracle in the Rain (1956) Screenplay
- Trapeze (1956) Writer
- The Iron Petticoat (1956) Screenplay
- The Man with the Golden Arm (1955) Additional Writing
- The Indian Fighter (1955) Screenplay
- Ulysses (1954) Screenplay
- Living It Up (1954) Theatre Play
- Angel Face (1953) Screenplay
- Indiscretion of an American Wife (1953) Writer
- Monkey Business (1952) Screenplay
- Actors and Sin (1952) as Narrator (segment "Woman of Sin") (voice)
- Actors and Sin (1952) Director
- Actors and Sin (1952) Producer
- Actors and Sin (1952) Writer
- The Thing from Another World (1951) Writer
- The Secret of Convict Lake (1951) Additional Writing
- Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950) Screenplay
- Whirlpool (1950) Screenplay
- Edge of Doom (1950) Writer
- September Affair (1950) Writer
- Perfect Strangers (1950) Theatre Play
- The Murder Club (1950) Writer
- Miracle in the Rain (1950) Author
- The Pink Hussar (1950) Director
- The Pink Hussar (1950) Writer
- Love Happy (1949) Additional Writing
- Big Jack (1949) Writer
- We Were Strangers (1949) Additional Writing
- Miracle in the Rain (1949) Director
- Miracle in the Rain (1949) Writer
- Roseanna McCoy (1949) Writer
- Concerning a Woman of Sin (1949) Director
- Concerning a Woman of Sin (1949) Writer
- The Twentieth Century (1949) Writer
- Rope (1948) Additional Writing
- Portrait of Jennie (1948) Writer
- The Miracle of the Bells (1948) Screenplay
- The Front Page (1948) Director
- The Front Page (1948) Writer
- Kiss of Death (1947) Screenplay
- Her Husband's Affairs (1947) Writer
- Ride the Pink Horse (1947) Screenplay
- Gilda (1946) Additional Writing
- Notorious (1946) Writer
- Duel in the Sun (1946) Writer
- Specter of the Rose (1946) Director
- Specter of the Rose (1946) Producer
- Specter of the Rose (1946) Writer
- Spellbound (1945) Screenplay
- Cornered (1945) Writer
- Watchtower Over Tomorrow (1945) Screenplay
- The Front Page (1945) Writer
- Lifeboat (1944) Writer
- China Girl (1942) Producer
- China Girl (1942) Screenplay
- The Black Swan (1942) Screenplay
- Tales of Manhattan (1942) Writer
- Ten Gentlemen from West Point (1942) Writer
- Second Chorus (1941) Writer
- Lydia (1941) Screenplay
- His Girl Friday (1940) Theatre Play
- His Girl Friday (1940) Screenplay
- The Shop Around the Corner (1940) Additional Writing
- Foreign Correspondent (1940) Additional Writing
- I Take This Woman (1940) Writer
- Angels Over Broadway (1940) as Man in Night Court (uncredited)
- Angels Over Broadway (1940) Writer
- Angels Over Broadway (1940) Producer
- Angels Over Broadway (1940) Director
- Comrade X (1940) Screenplay
- Gone with the Wind (1939) Screenplay
- Stagecoach (1939) Additional Writing
- It's a Wonderful World (1939) Screenplay
- It's a Wonderful World (1939) Story
- Wuthering Heights (1939) Screenplay
- Lady of the Tropics (1939) Screenplay
- Some Like It Hot (1939) Theatre Play
- Some Like It Hot (1939) Writer
- Gunga Din (1939) Story
- Eternally Yours (1939) Writer
- Let Freedom Ring (1939) Screenplay
- Let Freedom Ring (1939) Story
- Angels with Dirty Faces (1938) Writer
- The Goldwyn Follies (1938) Screenplay
- The Goldwyn Follies (1938) Story
- A Star Is Born (1937) Writer
- The Prisoner of Zenda (1937) Writer
- Nothing Sacred (1937) Screenplay
- The Hurricane (1937) Additional Writing
- Woman Chases Man (1937) Writer
- King of Gamblers (1937) Writer
- Soak the Rich (1936) Producer
- Soak the Rich (1936) Writer
- Soak the Rich (1936) Director
- Barbary Coast (1935) Writer
- The Florentine Dagger (1935) Writer
- Once in a Blue Moon (1935) Writer
- Once in a Blue Moon (1935) Producer
- Once in a Blue Moon (1935) Director
- The Scoundrel (1935) as Flop House Bum
- The Scoundrel (1935) Director
- The Scoundrel (1935) Producer
- The Scoundrel (1935) Story
- Spring Tonic (1935) Theatre Play
- Riptide (1934) Writer
- Queen Christina (1934) Additional Writing
- Queen Christina (1934) Writer
- Shoot the Works (1934) Theatre Play
- Shoot the Works (1934) Writer
- Twentieth Century (1934) Screenplay
- Viva Villa! (1934) Screenplay
- Upperworld (1934) Story
- The President Vanishes (1934) Writer
- Crime Without Passion (1934) as Court Interviewer with Pipe (uncredited)
- Crime Without Passion (1934) Screenplay
- Crime Without Passion (1934) Director
- Crime Without Passion (1934) Producer
- Crime Without Passion (1934) Story
- Design for Living (1933) Screenplay
- Topaze (1933) Screenplay
- Turn Back the Clock (1933) Screenplay
- Hallelujah, I'm a Bum (1933) Story
- Scarface (1932) Screenplay
- The Beast of the City (1932) Writer
- Rasputin and the Empress (1932) Writer
- Million Dollar Legs (1932) Writer
- Back Street (1932) Writer
- The Front Page (1931) Writer
- The Sin of Madelon Claudet (1931) Writer
- Quick Millions (1931) Writer
- The Unholy Garden (1931) Story
- The Unholy Garden (1931) Dialogue
- The Unholy Garden (1931) Screenplay
- Homicide Squad (1931) Writer
- The Green Specter (1930) Story
- Street of Chance (1930) Writer
- Si l'empereur savait ça (1930) Original Story
- Roadhouse Nights (1930) Story
- The Unholy Night (1929) Story
- The Great Gabbo (1929) Story
- The Big Noise (1928) Story
- Underworld (1927) Story
- The New Klondike (1926) Writer
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Ben Hecht best known for?
Ben Hecht is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Kiss of Death (1995), Switching Channels (1988), Scarface (1983), The Front Page (1974).
When and where was Ben Hecht born?
Ben Hecht was born on February 28, 1894 in New York City, New York, USA. They passed away on April 18, 1964.
How many credits does Ben Hecht have?
Ben Hecht has accumulated over 160 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1926 to 1995.
What is Ben Hecht's background in cinema and television?
Ben Hecht was born in New York City, New York, on February 28, 1894, and died on April 18, 1964, at the age of 70. He was an American screenwriter, director, producer, playwright, journalist, and novelist. After working as a journalist and newspaperman in his youth, he went on to write 35 books alongside numerous scree...
Ben Hecht by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- Tonight Starring Jack Paar (1957) as Self — aged about 63
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