Sam Newfield

For other people named Peter Stewart, see Peter Stewart (disambiguation).
Sam Newfield
Born Samuel Neufeld
(1899-12-06)December 6, 1899
New York City[1]
Died November 10, 1964(1964-11-10) (aged 64)
Los Angeles, California[1]
Nationality American
Other names Sherman Scott, Peter Stewart
Occupation Director
Years active 1923-1958[2]
Employer mainly PRC
Known for "America's most prolific sound film director"
Style B-movies
Spouse(s) Violet Newfield [3]
Children Jacqueline Newfield, Joel Newfield [4]
Parent(s) Simon Neufeld (father), Josephine Neufeld (mother)[5]
Relatives Murray, Morris, Sadie and Sigmund Neufeld (siblings)

Sam Newfield, born Samuel Neufeld, (December 6, 1899 - November 10, 1964), also known as Sherman Scott or Peter Stewart, was an American B-movie director, one of the most prolific in American film history—he is credited with directing over 250 feature films in a career that began in the silent era and ended in 1958. In addition to his staggering feature output, he also directed one- and two-reel comedy shorts, training films, industrial films, TV episodes and pretty much anything anyone would pay him for.[6] Because of this massive output—he would sometimes direct more than 20 films in a single year—he has been called the most prolific director of the sound era.[2] Many of Newfield's films were made for PRC Pictures. This was a film production company headed by his brother Sigmund Neufeld. The films PRC produced were low-budget productions, the majority being westerns, with an occasional horror film or crime drama.

Family and education

Newfield completed one year of high school, according to the 1940 US census. Brother Morris Neufeld was a stage actor, according to the 1930 US census.

Pseudonyms

Sam Newfield was credited as Sherman Scott and Peter Stewart on a number of films he made for PRC. He used these names in order to hide the fact that one person was responsible for so many of PRC's films.[7]

Filmography

A detailed filmography is available at The Films of Sam Newfield. Partial filmography is listed below for the different names used.

As Sam Newfield

As Sherman Scott

As Peter Stewart

Film statistics

Between 1923 and 1930 Newfield directed over 50 comedies. Feature films statistics per year, starting with 1933, are summarised in the following table.[6]

1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945
3 4 7 14 17 15 13 14 13 19 18 12 12
1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958
15 3 5 2 4 8 3 0 1 1 3 1 1

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "B-Western - Sam Newfield". Retrieved 2011-01-21.
  2. 1 2 Wheeler Winston Dixon (November 2007). "Fast Worker: The Films of Sam Newfield". Senses of Cinema (45). Retrieved December 2013. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  3. ↑ 1940 US Census
  4. ↑ 1940 US Census
  5. ↑ 1930 US Census
  6. 1 2 "The Films of Sam Newfield". Retrieved 2011-01-21.
  7. ↑ "Sam Newfield at Allmovie".
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