Writing

William Ludwig

Born — Died

1912-05-26 — 1999-02-07

Place of birth

New York City, New York, USA

Known for

Writing

Credits

26 titles

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia William Ludwig (May 16, 1912 – February 7, 1999) was an American screenwriter. He won, with Sonya Levien, an Oscar for "Best Writing, Story and Screenplay" in 1955 for Interrupted Melody. Other notable works include the screenplay for the 1955 production of Oklahoma!. Ludwig graduated from Columbia University in 1932. He died of complications from Parkinson disease.

Known for

The Great Caruso poster
5.9

Enrico Caruso's only passion is to sing. For that, he leaves his hometown of Naples, Italy, and travels to America to sing for the Metropolitan Opera. At first, his lack of education and poor background make him an outcast in the high-class opera world. Eventually, his voice wins him both fans and the hand of his love, Dorothy. But his nonstop pace and desire to perform at any cost eventually take their toll on the singer's health.

The Great Caruso

1951

The Merry Widow poster
6.3

Marshovia, a small European kingdom, is on the brink of bankruptcy but the country may be saved if the wealthy American Crystal Radek, widow of a Marshovian, can be convinced to part with her money and marry the king's nephew count Danilo. Arriving to Marshovia on a visit, Crystal Radek change places with her secretary Kitty. Following them to Paris, Danilo has a hard time wooing the widow after meeting an attractive young woman at a nightclub, the same Crystal Radek who presents herself as Fifi the chorus girl. Plot by Mattias Thuresson.

The Merry Widow

1952

Oklahoma! poster
6.6

There's a box social coming up, and Curly asks Laurey if she'll be his date. Trouble is, Laurey thinks he's waited too long, and in a fit of pique accepts an offer from the boorish ranch hand Jud instead. Meanwhile, Laurey's friend Ado Annie is also torn between two men: cowboy Will and foreign peddler Ali Hakim. Both women struggle to know their own hearts before it's too late.

Oklahoma!

1955

Athena poster
5.8

A stuffy young lawyer's outlook on life drastically changes when he meets a perky health food enthusiast and her wacky family.

Athena

1954

Hit the Deck poster
5.0

Sailors on leave in San Francisco get mixed up in love and show business.

Hit the Deck

1955

Love Crazy poster
6.8

Circumstance, an old flame and a mother-in-law drive a happily married couple to the verge of divorce and insanity.

Love Crazy

1941

Behind the camera

The Great Caruso poster
5.9

Enrico Caruso's only passion is to sing. For that, he leaves his hometown of Naples, Italy, and travels to America to sing for the Metropolitan Opera. At first, his lack of education and poor background make him an outcast in the high-class opera world. Eventually, his voice wins him both fans and the hand of his love, Dorothy. But his nonstop pace and desire to perform at any cost eventually take their toll on the singer's health.

The Great Caruso

1951

The Merry Widow poster
6.3

Marshovia, a small European kingdom, is on the brink of bankruptcy but the country may be saved if the wealthy American Crystal Radek, widow of a Marshovian, can be convinced to part with her money and marry the king's nephew count Danilo. Arriving to Marshovia on a visit, Crystal Radek change places with her secretary Kitty. Following them to Paris, Danilo has a hard time wooing the widow after meeting an attractive young woman at a nightclub, the same Crystal Radek who presents herself as Fifi the chorus girl. Plot by Mattias Thuresson.

The Merry Widow

1952

Oklahoma! poster
6.6

There's a box social coming up, and Curly asks Laurey if she'll be his date. Trouble is, Laurey thinks he's waited too long, and in a fit of pique accepts an offer from the boorish ranch hand Jud instead. Meanwhile, Laurey's friend Ado Annie is also torn between two men: cowboy Will and foreign peddler Ali Hakim. Both women struggle to know their own hearts before it's too late.

Oklahoma!

1955

Athena poster
5.8

A stuffy young lawyer's outlook on life drastically changes when he meets a perky health food enthusiast and her wacky family.

Athena

1954

Hit the Deck poster
5.0

Sailors on leave in San Francisco get mixed up in love and show business.

Hit the Deck

1955

Love Crazy poster
6.8

Circumstance, an old flame and a mother-in-law drive a happily married couple to the verge of divorce and insanity.

Love Crazy

1941

It's a Big Country poster
5.9

Comprised of eight unrelated episodes of inconsistent quality, this anthology piece of American propaganda features some of MGM Studios' best directors, screenwriters and actors; it is narrated by Louis Calhern. Stories are framed by the lecture of a university professor. In one tale a Boston resident becomes angry when the census forgets to record her presence. Another sketch chronicles the achievements of African Americans while still another pays tongue-in-cheek tribute to Texas.

It's a Big Country

1951

Ten Thousand Bedrooms poster
5.6

In this musical-comedy, Dean Martin plays an American hotel mogul who becomes smitten with a young Italian woman (Anna Maria Alberghetti) when buying a hotel in Rome. To marry this gal, he has to get her three older sisters married off.

Ten Thousand Bedrooms

1957

Blackmail poster
6.9

A fugitive from a chain gang becomes an oil-well firefighter and meets the man who framed him.

Blackmail

1939

Shadow on the Wall poster
6.7

Angered that her sister Celia has stolen her fiance, Dell Faring kills her and allows Celia's husband David, knocked out in an argument with Celia, to take the blame and end up on death row. Later Dell, finding out that David's young daughter Susan was witness to the crime and is undergoing psychiatric treatment, plans to eliminate her before her memory returns.

Shadow on the Wall

1950

The Student Prince poster
6.3

A prince has a romance with a barmaid before he must give up personal happiness for duty.

The Student Prince

1954

Back Street poster
5.7

Ambitious but thwarted, Rae Smith meets handsome U.S. Marine Paul Saxon, of the Saxon department store chain, as he passes through Lincoln, Nebraska, on his way home from World War II. There's a definite spark between them but circumstances intervene and he leaves town without her. Later she learns he's married. Determined to make it as a fashion designer, Rae moves to New York City and becomes a great success. One day she happens to meet Paul again and again there's that spark but he's still married so, as a form of escape, Rae moves to Rome to set up shop. Once again she meets Paul and finally they begin an actual affair since Paul's shrewish, drunken wife, Liz, won't give him a divorce. Time passes, the affair continues whenever time and place permit, but then, Paul's young son finds out about Rae and Rae's back-street world begins to crumble.

Back Street

1961

Interrupted Melody poster
5.8

Interrupted Melody is the inspirational filmed biography of world-renowned Australian soprano Marjorie Lawrence. She’s a foremost Wagnerian, equal to the vocal and physical demands of the composer’s oeuvre. And she’s a beacon of triumph to anyone who fights back when personal tragedy strikes.

Interrupted Melody

1955

Love Finds Andy Hardy poster
6.2

Andy Hardy becomes entangled with three different girls all at the same time.

Love Finds Andy Hardy

1938

Out West with the Hardys poster
6.7

Judge Hardy goes to his friend's Arizona ranch to help her in a legal dispute, and he takes his family with him.

Out West with the Hardys

1938

The Sun Comes Up poster
6.2

Set in the rural south of the United States, a bereaved war widow learns to put aside her bitterness and grief as she grows to love a young orphan boy and his dog.

The Sun Comes Up

1949

Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble poster
6.2

Andy is going to Wainwright College as did his father. He sees a pretty blonde on the train and he is alternately winked at or slapped every time he sees her. Andy is clueless. On the train Andy meets Kay and Dr. Standish who are both headed for Wainwright. Andy likes Kay, but Dr. Standish also seems to take an interest in her. Things are going well at College with Kay, but the blonde is nice one minute and ignores Andy the next. When Andy finds out that the blonde is really identical twins, he tries to help them out with their father but gets caught at their rooming house after midnight.

Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble

1944

Journey for Margaret poster
6.7

An American newspaperman and his wife, end up in London after several retreats in the opening days of WWII. After a shrapnel wound and loss of her baby she returns to America. War weary, he is forced to do a story about war orphans, where he meets Margaret.

Journey for Margaret

1942

Hills of Home poster
6.9

William McClure is the villlage doctor in a remote Scottish glen. Tricked into buying Lassie, a collie afraid of water, he sets about teaching her to swim. At the same time he has the bigger problem that he is getting older and must ensure the glen will have a new local doctor ready.

Hills of Home

1948

Boys' Ranch poster
7.0

A juvenile delinquent is sent to a rehabilitation ranch, but he immediately proves to be a troublemaker.

Boys' Ranch

1946

Love Laughs at Andy Hardy poster
5.9

Andy Hardy goes to college after serving in the war and finds his sweetheart is engaged to someone else.

Love Laughs at Andy Hardy

1946

Gun Glory poster
6.2

An ex-gunslinger returns home; shunned by townsfolk he is the only one who knows how to stop a ruthless cattleman from driving his herd through their town.

Gun Glory

1957

The Hardys Ride High poster
6.5

Sixth of the Judge Hardy series. Judge James K. Hardy is brought the fabulous news from attorney George Irving, that he could be the heir to 2 million dollars. In order to claim the inheritance, he and his family must leave for Detroit. The disinherited heir Philip 'Phil' Westcott, adopted son of the deceased relative, has to leave the fabulous mansion Detroit. But the playboy Phil ain't going down without a fight. He decides on a charm offensive. First with Polly Benedict and foremost Andrew 'Andy' Hardy, the son of Judge Hardy.

The Hardys Ride High

1939

Challenge to Lassie poster
6.0

When Lassie's master dies, an old friend tries to convince a judge that the dog's life should be spared.

Challenge to Lassie

1949

An American Romance poster
6.1

A European immigrant becomes a master of industry but almost loses his family.

An American Romance

1944

Stronger Than Desire poster
5.5

An attorney handling a murder case is unaware his own wife played a crucial role in the killing.

Stronger Than Desire

1939