Motion Picture Director. His fame rests on the five Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers musicals he directed for RKO in the 1930s, including their greatest, "Top Hat" (1935). Born in New York City, New York and trained as an engineer, Sandrich went to Hollywood in 1922 as a propman and began directing two-reel comedies in 1927. His first feature, "The Talk of Hollywood" (1929), was one of American Cinema's earliest musicals; it was also a flop and he returned to directing shorts. When one of these, "So This Is Harris" (1932), won an Academy Award, he was again promoted to features. Sandrich established Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers as a starring team with "The Gay Divorcee" (1934), and after the phenomenal success of the Irving Berlin-scored "Top Hat", guided them through "Follow the Fleet" (1936), "Shall We Dance?" (1937), and "Carefree" (1938). In 1940 Sandrich left RKO for Paramount, where he was given more creative freedom as his own producer. The best of his later films is "Holiday Inn" (1942), in which Bing Crosby introduced Irving Berlin's Yuletide favorite, "White Christmas". He died of a heart attack at 44, during production of "Blue Skies" (released in 1946). Sandrich has been sadly underrated by movie historians. Although he had no signature style, he was a splendid technician whose musicals flawlessly combined music, choreography, decor, and cinematic craft into superior entertainment, and his work with Fred and Ginger stands high among the glories of Hollywood's "Golden Age". He was the father of TV directors Mark Sandrich, Jr. and Jay Sandrich.
Motion Picture Director. His fame rests on the five Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers musicals he directed for RKO in the 1930s, including their greatest, "Top Hat" (1935). Born in New York City, New York and trained as an engineer, Sandrich went to Hollywood in 1922 as a propman and began directing two-reel comedies in 1927. His first feature, "The Talk of Hollywood" (1929), was one of American Cinema's earliest musicals; it was also a flop and he returned to directing shorts. When one of these, "So This Is Harris" (1932), won an Academy Award, he was again promoted to features. Sandrich established Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers as a starring team with "The Gay Divorcee" (1934), and after the phenomenal success of the Irving Berlin-scored "Top Hat", guided them through "Follow the Fleet" (1936), "Shall We Dance?" (1937), and "Carefree" (1938). In 1940 Sandrich left RKO for Paramount, where he was given more creative freedom as his own producer. The best of his later films is "Holiday Inn" (1942), in which Bing Crosby introduced Irving Berlin's Yuletide favorite, "White Christmas". He died of a heart attack at 44, during production of "Blue Skies" (released in 1946). Sandrich has been sadly underrated by movie historians. Although he had no signature style, he was a splendid technician whose musicals flawlessly combined music, choreography, decor, and cinematic craft into superior entertainment, and his work with Fred and Ginger stands high among the glories of Hollywood's "Golden Age". He was the father of TV directors Mark Sandrich, Jr. and Jay Sandrich.
Bio by: Bobb Edwards
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