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Richard Thorpe

Richard Thorpe

Known For Directing
Birthday Feb 24, 1896
Died May 01, 1991 (95)
Birthplace Hutchinson, Kansas, USA
Popularity 0.3 (history)
Updated Aug 08, 2025
Entry Date Apr 13, 2024
Links TMDb IMDb
Biography

Richard Thorpe (February 24, 1896 - May 1, 1991) was an American film director. Born Rollo Smolt Thorpe in Hutchinson, Kansas, he began his entertainment career performing in vaudeville and onstage. In 1921 he began in motion pictures as an actor and directed his first silent film in 1923. He went o ... n to direct more than one hundred and eighty films. The first full length motion picture he directed for MGM was Last of the Pagans (1935) starring Ray Mala. After directing The Last Challenge in 1967, he retired from the film industry. He died in Palm Springs, California in 1991. Thorpe is also known as the original director of The Wizard of Oz. He was fired after two weeks of shooting, because it was felt that his scenes did not have the right air of fantasy about them. Thorpe notoriously gave Judy Garland a blonde wig and cutesy "baby-doll" makeup that made her look like a girl in her late teens rather than an innocent Kansas farm girl of about thirteen. Both makeup and wig were discarded at the suggestion of George Cukor, who was brought in temporarily. Stills from Thorpe's work on the film survive today. For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Thorpe has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6101 Hollywood Blvd. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Known For

Filmography

Flames of Desire

Flames of Desire

1924

as Dick Langton

Three O'Clock in the Morning

Three O'Clock in the Morning

1923

as Clayton Webster

Burn 'Em Up Barnes

Burn 'Em Up Barnes

1921

as Stephen Thompson

How the West Was Won

How the West Was Won

1962

Special Guest Director

Grief Street

Grief Street

1931

Editor

The Devil Plays

The Devil Plays

1931

Editor

The Lady from Nowhere

The Lady from Nowhere

1931

Editor

The Flyin' Buckaroo

The Flyin' Buckaroo

1928

Writer

The Ballyhoo Buster

The Ballyhoo Buster

1928

Writer

The Ridin' Rowdy

The Ridin' Rowdy

1927

Writer

Double Daring

Double Daring

1926

Writer

Tearin' Loose

Tearin' Loose

1925

Writer

On the Go

On the Go

1925

Writer

The Scorpio Letters

The Scorpio Letters

1967

Director

The Last Challenge

The Last Challenge

1967

Director

The Truth About Spring

The Truth About Spring

1965

Director

That Funny Feeling

That Funny Feeling

1965

Director

The Golden Head

The Golden Head

1964

Director

Fun in Acapulco

Fun in Acapulco

1963

Director

Follow the Boys

Follow the Boys

1963

Director

The Honeymoon Machine

The Honeymoon Machine

1961

Director

Killers of Kilimanjaro

Killers of Kilimanjaro

1959

Director

Jailhouse Rock

Jailhouse Rock

1957

Director

Ten Thousand Bedrooms

Ten Thousand Bedrooms

1957

Director

Tip on a Dead Jockey

Tip on a Dead Jockey

1957

Director

Quentin Durward

Quentin Durward

1955

Director

The Prodigal

The Prodigal

1955

Director

Bedevilled

Bedevilled

1955

Director

Athena

Athena

1954

Director

The Student Prince

The Student Prince

1954

Director

Ivanhoe

Ivanhoe

1952

Director

The Prisoner of Zenda

The Prisoner of Zenda

1952

Director

Carbine Williams

Carbine Williams

1952

Director

Vengeance Valley

Vengeance Valley

1951

Director

The Great Caruso

The Great Caruso

1951

Director

It's a Big Country

It's a Big Country

1951

Director

The Unknown Man

The Unknown Man

1951

Director

Three Little Words

Three Little Words

1950

Director

Black Hand

Black Hand

1950

Director

Malaya

Malaya

1949

Director

Big Jack

Big Jack

1949

Director

Challenge to Lassie

Challenge to Lassie

1949

Director

The Sun Comes Up

The Sun Comes Up

1949

Director

A Date with Judy

A Date with Judy

1948

Director

On an Island with You

On an Island with You

1948

Director

Fiesta

Fiesta

1947

Director

This Time for Keeps

This Time for Keeps

1947

Director

Thrill of a Romance

Thrill of a Romance

1945

Director

Two Girls and a Sailor

Two Girls and a Sailor

1944

Director

The Thin Man Goes Home

The Thin Man Goes Home

1944

Director

Above Suspicion

Above Suspicion

1943

Director

Cry 'Havoc'

Cry 'Havoc'

1943

Director

Three Hearts for Julia

Three Hearts for Julia

1943

Director

White Cargo

White Cargo

1942

Director

Apache Trail

Apache Trail

1942

Director

Joe Smith, American

Joe Smith, American

1942

Director

Barnacle Bill

Barnacle Bill

1941

Director

The Bad Man

The Bad Man

1941

Director

Tarzan's Secret Treasure

Tarzan's Secret Treasure

1941

Director

Wyoming

Wyoming

1940

Director

The Earl of Chicago

The Earl of Chicago

1940

Director

20 Mule Team

20 Mule Team

1940

Director

Tarzan Finds a Son!

Tarzan Finds a Son!

1939

Director

Love Is a Headache

Love Is a Headache

1938

Director

Man-Proof

Man-Proof

1938

Director

Three Loves Has Nancy

Three Loves Has Nancy

1938

Director

The Toy Wife

The Toy Wife

1938

Director

The First Hundred Years

The First Hundred Years

1938

Director

The Crowd Roars

The Crowd Roars

1938

Director

Double Wedding

Double Wedding

1937

Director

Dangerous Number

Dangerous Number

1937

Director

Night Must Fall

Night Must Fall

1937

Director

Lest We Forget

Lest We Forget

1937

Director

Tarzan Escapes

Tarzan Escapes

1936

Director

The Voice of Bugle Ann

The Voice of Bugle Ann

1936

Director

Last of the Pagans

Last of the Pagans

1935

Director

Strange Wives

Strange Wives

1934

Director

Cheating Cheaters

Cheating Cheaters

1934

Director

Green Eyes

Green Eyes

1934

Director

The Quitter

The Quitter

1934

Director

City Park

City Park

1934

Director

Stolen Sweets

Stolen Sweets

1934

Director

Secret of the Chateau

Secret of the Chateau

1934

Director

Forgotten

Forgotten

1933

Director

Strange People

Strange People

1933

Director

A Man of Sentiment

A Man of Sentiment

1933

Director

Murder on the Campus

Murder on the Campus

1933

Director

Notorious But Nice

Notorious But Nice

1933

Director

Rainbow Over Broadway

Rainbow Over Broadway

1933

Director

I Have Lived

I Have Lived

1933

Director

Cross-Examination

Cross-Examination

1932

Director

Slightly Married

Slightly Married

1932

Director

Probation

Probation

1932

Director

Beauty Parlor

Beauty Parlor

1932

Director

The King Murder

The King Murder

1932

Director

Murder at Dawn

Murder at Dawn

1932

Director

The Secrets of Wu Sin

The Secrets of Wu Sin

1932

Director

Escapade

Escapade

1932

Director

The Midnight Lady

The Midnight Lady

1932

Director

Women Won't Tell

Women Won't Tell

1932

Director

Thrill of Youth

Thrill of Youth

1932

Director

Wild Horse

Wild Horse

1931

Director

Forgotten Women

Forgotten Women

1931

Director

Grief Street

Grief Street

1931

Director

The Sky Spider

The Sky Spider

1931

Director

The Devil Plays

The Devil Plays

1931

Director

The Lawless Woman

The Lawless Woman

1931

Director

The Lady from Nowhere

The Lady from Nowhere

1931

Director

Neck and Neck

Neck and Neck

1931

Director

King of the Wild

King of the Wild

1931

Director

The Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred

1930

Director

Under Montana Skies

Under Montana Skies

1930

Director

The Lone Defender

The Lone Defender

1930

Director

The Dude Wrangler

The Dude Wrangler

1930

Director

The Utah Kid

The Utah Kid

1930

Director

Wings of Adventure

Wings of Adventure

1930

Director

Border Romance

Border Romance

1929

Director

The Fatal Warning

The Fatal Warning

1929

Director

The King of the Kongo

The King of the Kongo

1929

Director

The Bachelor Girl

The Bachelor Girl

1929

Director

The Vanishing West

The Vanishing West

1928

Director

Vultures of the Sea

Vultures of the Sea

1928

Director

The Flyin' Buckaroo

The Flyin' Buckaroo

1928

Director

The Ballyhoo Buster

The Ballyhoo Buster

1928

Director

The Valley Of Hunted Men

The Valley Of Hunted Men

1928

Director

The Meddlin' Stranger

The Meddlin' Stranger

1927

Director

The Ridin' Rowdy

The Ridin' Rowdy

1927

Director

Tearin' Into Trouble

Tearin' Into Trouble

1927

Director

The Desert of the Lost

The Desert of the Lost

1927

Director

College Days

College Days

1926

Director

Double Daring

Double Daring

1926

Director

Twisted Triggers

Twisted Triggers

1926

Director

Ridin' Rivals

Ridin' Rivals

1926

Director

The Roaring Rider

The Roaring Rider

1926

Director

The Fighting Cheat

The Fighting Cheat

1926

Director

Josselyn's Wife

Josselyn's Wife

1926

Director

Tearin' Loose

Tearin' Loose

1925

Director

On the Go

On the Go

1925

Director

Thundering Romance

Thundering Romance

1924

Director

Fast and Fearless

Fast and Fearless

1924

Director

Bringin' Home the Bacon

Bringin' Home the Bacon

1924

Director

The Scorpio Letters

The Scorpio Letters

1967

Producer

The Last Challenge

The Last Challenge

1967

Producer

Organization Category Movie
Television Credits

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No data available

Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 6 4 7 2
2024 7 11 20 2
2024 8 8 16 3
2024 9 7 13 3
2024 10 2 4 1
2024 11 2 6 1
2024 12 4 8 1
2025 1 6 15 3
2025 2 3 5 1
2025 3 3 8 1
2025 4 1 1 1
2025 5 2 3 1
2025 6 1 2 1
2025 7 0 0 0
2025 8 1 5 0
2025 9 0 0 0
2025 10 0 0 0

Trending Rank


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