Basil Wrangell

Basil Wrangell
Born
Basilio Petrovich von Wrangell

June 19, 1906
Ponte a Moriano, Toscana, Italy
DiedApril 26, 1977 (aged 70)
Los Angeles, California, USA
Occupation(s)Film editor, Film Director
Spouses
Isabelle Fair
​
(divorced)​
  • Vivian Ducloux

Basil Wrangell (born Basilio Petrovich von Wrangell) was an Italian-born film and television editor and director who worked in Hollywood from the 1920s through the 1970s.[1][2]

Biography

Basil was born at the Russian embassy in Ponte a Moriano, Italy, to Peter von Wrangell and Marussia Sasso-Ruffo. On his father's side, his family line had reportedly served as court attaches of old Russia since 1200 A.D.[3] Basil's brother, George Wrangell, was a society columnist in New York City.[4]

Basil attended the elite Grosvenor School in Nottingham, England, as a young man, until his family lost their wealth during the Russian Revolution. A chance opportunity to serve as an interpreter for Fred Niblo on Ben-Hur led to Basil traveling to America to take an entry-level job in a cutting room at a studio.[3][5] He ended up becoming a proficient editor, eventually earning the chance to direct shorts and features.[4] For television, he edited many episodes of I Spy, Peyton Place, Combat!, and Adventures in Paradise.

Selected filmography

As editor:

As director:

References

  1. ^ Drew, Bernard A. (2013-12-04). Motion Picture Series and Sequels: A Reference Guide. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-92893-5.
  2. ^ Golden, Eve (2013-03-29). John Gilbert: The Last of the Silent Film Stars. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 978-0-8131-4163-3.
  3. ^ a b "When Royalty Comes to Hollywood". The Decatur Herald. 25 Aug 1935. Retrieved 2020-02-05.
  4. ^ a b "Basil Wrangell Directs First Feature-Length Film". Valley Times. 20 Dec 1946. Retrieved 2020-02-05.
  5. ^ Eyman, Scott (2008-06-23). Lion of Hollywood: The Life and Legend of Louis B. Mayer. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-4391-0791-1.