Directing

Robert Alton

Born January 28, 1906 · Bennington, Vermont, USA

Died June 12, 1957 · aged 51

Robert Alton was a ballet student in New York, and worked his way up to choreographer on many Broadway productions. He started choreographing films in 1936, and directed dance sequences in many of Hollywood's most famous musicals (The Harvey Girls (1946), Easter Parade (1948), Show Boat (1951)). He also directed many Broadway plays. He directed two films in the late 1940s and early 1950s, but both…

Known For

Easter Parade

Easter Parade · 1948

MovieRomanceMusic

On the day before Easter in 1911, Don Hewes is crushed when his dancing partner (and object of affection) Nadine Hale refuses to start a new contract with him. To prove Nadine's not important to him, Don acquires innocent new protege Hannah Brown, vowing to make her a star in time for next year's Easter parade.

The Country Girl

The Country Girl · 1954

The Country Girl

An actor on the skids is given one more chance to regain his stardom, as well as his self-respect, yet his alcoholism may prevent that from happening.

There's No Business Like Show Business

There's No Business Like Show Business · 1954

There's No Business Like Show Business

MovieMusicComedy

Molly and Terry Donahue, plus their three children, are The Five Donahues. Youngest son Tim meets hat-check girl Vicky and the family act begins to fall apart.

White Christmas

White Christmas · 1954

White Christmas

MovieComedyMusic

Two talented song-and-dance men team up after the war to become one of the hottest acts in show business. In time they befriend and become romantically involved with the beautiful Haynes sisters who comprise a sister act.

Ziegfeld Follies

Ziegfeld Follies · 1945

Ziegfeld Follies

MovieMusicComedy

The late, great impresario Florenz Ziegfeld looks down from heaven and ordains a new revue in his grand old style.

Bathing Beauty

Bathing Beauty · 1944

MovieMusicComedy

After breaking up with her fiancé, a gym teacher returns to work at a women's college, but a legal loophole allows him to enroll as one of her students.

You'll Never Get Rich

You'll Never Get Rich · 1941

You'll Never Get Rich

MovieComedyMusic

A Broadway choreographer gets drafted and coincidentally ends up in the same army base as the boyfriend of his object of affection.

Two-Faced Woman

Two-Faced Woman · 1941

Two-Faced Woman

MovieComedyRomance

A woman pretends to be her own twin sister to win back her straying husband.

Filmography

Sort

Easter Parade

Easter Parade · 1948

MovieRomanceMusic

On the day before Easter in 1911, Don Hewes is crushed when his dancing partner (and object of affection) Nadine Hale refuses to start a new contract with him. To prove Nadine's not important to him, Don acquires innocent new protege Hannah Brown, vowing to make her a star in time for next year's Easter parade.

Choreographer

The Country Girl

The Country Girl · 1954

The Country Girl

An actor on the skids is given one more chance to regain his stardom, as well as his self-respect, yet his alcoholism may prevent that from happening.

Choreographer

There's No Business Like Show Business

There's No Business Like Show Business · 1954

There's No Business Like Show Business

MovieMusicComedy

Molly and Terry Donahue, plus their three children, are The Five Donahues. Youngest son Tim meets hat-check girl Vicky and the family act begins to fall apart.

Choreographer

White Christmas

White Christmas · 1954

White Christmas

MovieComedyMusic

Two talented song-and-dance men team up after the war to become one of the hottest acts in show business. In time they befriend and become romantically involved with the beautiful Haynes sisters who comprise a sister act.

Choreographer

Ziegfeld Follies

Ziegfeld Follies · 1945

Ziegfeld Follies

MovieMusicComedy

The late, great impresario Florenz Ziegfeld looks down from heaven and ordains a new revue in his grand old style.

Choreographer

Bathing Beauty

Bathing Beauty · 1944

MovieMusicComedy

After breaking up with her fiancé, a gym teacher returns to work at a women's college, but a legal loophole allows him to enroll as one of her students.

Choreographer

You'll Never Get Rich

You'll Never Get Rich · 1941

You'll Never Get Rich

MovieComedyMusic

A Broadway choreographer gets drafted and coincidentally ends up in the same army base as the boyfriend of his object of affection.

Choreographer

Two-Faced Woman

Two-Faced Woman · 1941

Two-Faced Woman

MovieComedyRomance

A woman pretends to be her own twin sister to win back her straying husband.

Choreographer

Pagan Love Song

Pagan Love Song · 1950

Pagan Love Song

MovieDramaMusic

Island girl Mimi plans to leave Tahiti, but maybe she'll have a reason to stay when Mr. Endicott arrives.

Director

Call Me Madam

Call Me Madam · 1953

MovieComedyRomance

Washington hostess Sally Adams becomes a Truman-era US ambassador to a European grand duchy.

Choreographer

I Love Melvin

I Love Melvin · 1953

MovieComedyRomance

Melvin Hoover, a budding photographer for Look magazine, accidentally bumps into a young actress named Judy LeRoy in the park. They start to talk, and Melvin soon offers to do a photo spread of her. His boss, however, has no intention of using the photos. Melvin wants to marry Judy, but her father would rather she marry dull and dependable Harry Black. As a last resort, Melvin promises to get Judy's photo on the cover of the next issue of Look, a task easier said than done.

Choreographer

The Belle of New York

The Belle of New York · 1952

The Belle of New York

MovieMusicRomance

In squeaky-clean New York at the turn of the century, playboy Charlie Hill falls so much in love that he can walk on air. The object of his affections is beautiful Angela Bonfils, a mission house worker in the Bowery. He promises to reform his dissolute life, even trying to do an honest day's work.

Choreographer

The Harvey Girls

The Harvey Girls · 1946

The Harvey Girls

MovieMusicWestern

On a train trip out west to become a mail-order bride, Susan Bradley meets a cheery crew of young women traveling out to open a "Harvey House" restaurant at a remote whistle-stop.

Choreographer

The Girl Rush

The Girl Rush · 1955

MovieComedyMusic

When her compulsive-gambler father dies, leaving her with an inheritance that amounts to zip, single gal Kim Halliday jumps at a caller's claim that she's part-owner of a Las Vegas "hotel." But hilarity ensues when she flies to Sin City to see it. While a wealthy casino owner eyes her dilapidated property, she takes a chance and tries to sell it to an hotelier's wealthy son.

Associate Producer

Merton of the Movies

Merton of the Movies · 1947

Merton of the Movies

MovieComedyRomance

In 1915, Kansas theatre usher Merton Gill is a rabid silent-movie fan. When he brings Mammoth Studios free publicity by imitating star Lawrence Rupert's heroics, they bring him to Hollywood to generate another headline; he thinks he'll get a movie contract. Disillusioned, he haunts the casting offices, where he meets and is consoled by Phyllis Montague, bit player and stunt-woman. When Merton finally gets his "break," though, it's not quite what he envisioned.

Director