Ben Markson (August 6, 1897 – October 20, 1971) was an American screenwriter active from the very beginning of the sound film era through the end of the 1950s. During his 30-year career he was responsible for the story and/or screenplay of 45 films, as well as writing the scripts for several episodic television shows in the 1950s.

Benjamin Allen Markson was born on August 6, 1897, in Creston, Iowa.^[3] His parents were Abraham Markson (born Lithuania) and Goldie Baior (born Poland).^[2] Prior to writing screenplays, Markson worked as a journalist,^[4] and then was part of the publicity department for Paramount Pictures.^[5] He would break into the film industry as the co-screenwriter on the 1928 film The River Pirate, a silent film with sound sequences starring Victor McLaglen.^[6]

In the pre-code era of the early 1930s, Markson was known for his racy scripts.^[7] Some of his early successes include: The Half-Naked Truth, a 1932 comedy directed by Gregory La Cava and starring Lupe Vélez and Lee Tracy;^[8] Is My Face Red? (1932), which Markson and co-screenwriter Casey Robinson based on Markson's play which he co-wrote with Allen Rivkin;^[9] co-wrote the screenplay (with Jane Murfin) for What Price Hollywood?, also in 1932, directed by George Cukor, and starring Constance Bennett and Lowell Sherman;^[10] Lady Killer (1933), starring James Cagney;^[11] and 1934's Here Comes the Navy, a romantic comedy again starring Cagney.^[12] Other notable films on which Markson contributed to the script included: 1937's screwball comedy, Danger – Love at Work, directed by Otto Preminger, for which he co-wrote the screenplay;^[13] the 1938 classic Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, starring Shirley Temple;^[14] and Mr. District Attorney (1947), starring Dennis O'Keefe and Adolphe Menjou.^[15] Markson served on the board of directors of the Screen Writers Guild in the latter half of the 1930s.^[7]

Later in his career, Markson worked on the scripts for several film series, including A Close Call for Boston Blackie (the Boston Blackie series),^[16] and The Falcon in San Francisco in 1945 (The Falcon series).^[17] In the 1950s, Markson wrote the teleplays for several episodic television shows, including The Cisco Kid and Racket Squad.^[18] Markson's last contribution to film was the story for the 1959 crime drama, Edge of Eternity, starring Cornel Wilde and Victoria Shaw.^[19]

Markson was the brother-in-law of actor George Montgomery.^[20] Markson died on October 20, 1971, in Los Angeles County, California.^[21]

(Per AFI database)^[22]

• Ben Markson at IMDb
• Ben Markson at the TCM Movie Database