Victor Heerman(1893-1977)
- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Victor Heerman was one of four brothers. His mother was a theatrical
costumer. His father abandoned the family, and his mother moved the
family to New York from London around the turn of the century to take a
job as David Belasco's head
costumer. Heerman moved to Los Angeles in 1911 to get into the movie
business. He worked for Mack Sennett, among
others, writing and directing two-reelers. While working for
Douglas Fairbanks on a location shoot
in Arizona, he met Sarah Y. Mason, one of
11 children of a railroad employee. She wanted to join the production
as an actress, but although quite beautiful, she couldn't act--even
though this was in the silent era. She did come to Hollywood as a kind
of script girl/production assistant. Heerman and Mason were soon
married and had two children, Catherine (born 2/5/22) (godparents
Mary Pickford and Fairbanks) and Victor
Heerman Jr. Heerman and Mason worked as a writing team (winning an
Oscar for best screenplay adaptation for
Little Women (1933)). Heerman was
also active as a director
(Animal Crackers (1930)).
