Norman Panama

Writing

Norman Panama

Born — Died

1914-04-21 — 2003-01-13

Place of birth

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Known for

Writing

Credits

40 titles

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Norman Panama (April 21, 1914 – January 13, 2003) was an American screenwriter and film director born in Chicago, Illinois. He collaborated with a former school friend, Melvin Frank, to form a writing partnership which endured for three decades. He also wrote gags for comedians such as Bob Hope's radio program and for Groucho Marx. The most famous films Panama directed were Li'l Abner (1959), the Danny Kaye film The Court Jester (1956), and Bob Hope's How to Commit Marriage (1969). He wrote Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948), Road to Utopia (1946), and The Court Jester, among other movies. He won an Edgar Award for A Talent for Murder (1981),…

Known for

Behind the camera

The Court Jester poster
7.3

A hapless carnival performer masquerades as the court jester as part of a plot against a usurper who has overthrown the rightful king of England.

The Court Jester

1955

The Court Jester poster
7.3

A hapless carnival performer masquerades as the court jester as part of a plot against a usurper who has overthrown the rightful king of England.

The Court Jester

1955

The Court Jester poster
7.3

A hapless carnival performer masquerades as the court jester as part of a plot against a usurper who has overthrown the rightful king of England.

The Court Jester

1955

The Princess and the Pirate poster
6.9

Princess Margaret is travelling incognito to elope with her true love instead of marrying the man her father has betrothed her to. On the high seas, her ship is attacked by pirates who know her identity and plan to kidnap her and hold her for a king's ransom.

The Princess and the Pirate

1944

White Christmas poster
7.2

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.

White Christmas

1954

The Road to Hong Kong poster
5.8

When Chester accidentally memorises and destroys the only copy of a secret Russian formula for a new and improved rocket fuel, he and Harry are thrust into international intrigue, trying to stay alive while keeping the formula out of enemy hands.

The Road to Hong Kong

1962

The Road to Hong Kong poster
5.8

When Chester accidentally memorises and destroys the only copy of a secret Russian formula for a new and improved rocket fuel, he and Harry are thrust into international intrigue, trying to stay alive while keeping the formula out of enemy hands.

The Road to Hong Kong

1962

Li'l Abner in Dogpatch Today poster
NR

The characters from the comic strip come alive with comedy and music.

Li'l Abner in Dogpatch Today

1978

Not With My Wife, You Don't! poster
5.8

During the Korean War, Italian nurse Virna Lisi falls in love with two American fliers, Tony Curtis and George C. Scott. Lisi marries Curtis after he convinces her that Scott has been killed in a plane crash. She soon discovers Scott is alive, but remains happily married to Curtis until Scott re-enters their lives 14 years later.

Not With My Wife, You Don't!

1966

Not With My Wife, You Don't! poster
5.8

During the Korean War, Italian nurse Virna Lisi falls in love with two American fliers, Tony Curtis and George C. Scott. Lisi marries Curtis after he convinces her that Scott has been killed in a plane crash. She soon discovers Scott is alive, but remains happily married to Curtis until Scott re-enters their lives 14 years later.

Not With My Wife, You Don't!

1966

Not With My Wife, You Don't! poster
5.8

During the Korean War, Italian nurse Virna Lisi falls in love with two American fliers, Tony Curtis and George C. Scott. Lisi marries Curtis after he convinces her that Scott has been killed in a plane crash. She soon discovers Scott is alive, but remains happily married to Curtis until Scott re-enters their lives 14 years later.

Not With My Wife, You Don't!

1966

The Trap poster
6.9

Lawyer Ralph Anderson arrives in Tula, an amazingly remote town in the desert, as reluctant emissary of mob chief Victor Massonetti, who wants the airstrip clear for his unofficial exit from the country. Ralph's arrival has a profound effect on his estranged father, the sheriff; his brother Tip, an alcoholic deputy; and his ex-sweetheart Linda, now married to Tip. Tension builds as a small army of gangsters takes over the town. Then the situation abruptly changes...

The Trap

1959

The Trap poster
6.9

Lawyer Ralph Anderson arrives in Tula, an amazingly remote town in the desert, as reluctant emissary of mob chief Victor Massonetti, who wants the airstrip clear for his unofficial exit from the country. Ralph's arrival has a profound effect on his estranged father, the sheriff; his brother Tip, an alcoholic deputy; and his ex-sweetheart Linda, now married to Tip. Tension builds as a small army of gangsters takes over the town. Then the situation abruptly changes...

The Trap

1959

The Trap poster
6.9

Lawyer Ralph Anderson arrives in Tula, an amazingly remote town in the desert, as reluctant emissary of mob chief Victor Massonetti, who wants the airstrip clear for his unofficial exit from the country. Ralph's arrival has a profound effect on his estranged father, the sheriff; his brother Tip, an alcoholic deputy; and his ex-sweetheart Linda, now married to Tip. Tension builds as a small army of gangsters takes over the town. Then the situation abruptly changes...

The Trap

1959

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House poster
7.0

An advertising executive dreams of getting out of the city and building a perfect home in the country, only to find the transition fraught with problems.

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House

1948

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House poster
7.0

An advertising executive dreams of getting out of the city and building a perfect home in the country, only to find the transition fraught with problems.

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House

1948

The Jayhawkers! poster
6.1

Before the U.S. Civil War rebel leader Luke Darcy sees himself as leader of a new independent Republic of Kansas but the military governor sends an ex-raider to capture Darcy.

The Jayhawkers!

1959

Star Spangled Rhythm poster
6.2

Pop, a security guard at Paramount has told his son that he's the head of the studio. When his son arrives in Hollywood on shore leave with his buddies, Pop enlists the aid of the studio's dizzy switchboard operator in pulling off the charade. Things get more complicated when Pop agrees to put together a show for the Navy starring Paramount's top contract players.

Star Spangled Rhythm

1942

I Will, I Will...For Now poster
4.8

Les Bingham takes umbrage that his ex-wife Katie has a new love in life. What he doesn't know is that her new paramour is lawyer Lou Springer. When Katie's sister Sally arrives and tells the two about her new, hip '70s marriage contract, Les and Katie decide to try to get together again under a more liberal marriage contract, like Katie's sister. But, unfortunately for the couple, the contract is planted with the seeds of self-destruction.

I Will, I Will...For Now

1976

I Will, I Will...For Now poster
4.8

Les Bingham takes umbrage that his ex-wife Katie has a new love in life. What he doesn't know is that her new paramour is lawyer Lou Springer. When Katie's sister Sally arrives and tells the two about her new, hip '70s marriage contract, Les and Katie decide to try to get together again under a more liberal marriage contract, like Katie's sister. But, unfortunately for the couple, the contract is planted with the seeds of self-destruction.

I Will, I Will...For Now

1976

A Talent for Murder poster
6.9

A famed mystery writer and her doctor ex-lover solve her daughter-in-law's murder.

A Talent for Murder

1983

Strange Bedfellows poster
6.0

After a hasty wedding, Carter and Toni find that they disagree on everything. They separate and seven years later, on the eve before their divorce, meet again and spend the night together. Reality sets in when morning comes and they begin arguing again. Once again, divorce proceedings are on — until Carter finds out that an important promotion hinges on whether he's married.

Strange Bedfellows

1965

The Reformer and the Redhead poster
7.6

A small-town politician falls for an idealistic zookeeper.

The Reformer and the Redhead

1950

The Reformer and the Redhead poster
7.6

A small-town politician falls for an idealistic zookeeper.

The Reformer and the Redhead

1950

The Reformer and the Redhead poster
7.6

A small-town politician falls for an idealistic zookeeper.

The Reformer and the Redhead

1950

It Had to Be You poster
7.8

A chronic runaway bride is haunted by her conscience, who becomes reality.

It Had to Be You

1947

Knock on Wood poster
6.7

Ventriloquist Jerry Morgan has failed with another love affair. The reason: when the relationship reaches the point when it is time to discuss marriage, his two dolls become mean and jealous. Morgan's dollmaker Papinek is a member of a spy ring who has stolen the secret plans for the top-secret Lafayette airplane. Since Morgan is leaving for Zurich the same night, he decides to hide the secret plan in the heads of the dolls.

Knock on Wood

1954

Knock on Wood poster
6.7

Ventriloquist Jerry Morgan has failed with another love affair. The reason: when the relationship reaches the point when it is time to discuss marriage, his two dolls become mean and jealous. Morgan's dollmaker Papinek is a member of a spy ring who has stolen the secret plans for the top-secret Lafayette airplane. Since Morgan is leaving for Zurich the same night, he decides to hide the secret plan in the heads of the dolls.

Knock on Wood

1954

Knock on Wood poster
6.7

Ventriloquist Jerry Morgan has failed with another love affair. The reason: when the relationship reaches the point when it is time to discuss marriage, his two dolls become mean and jealous. Morgan's dollmaker Papinek is a member of a spy ring who has stolen the secret plans for the top-secret Lafayette airplane. Since Morgan is leaving for Zurich the same night, he decides to hide the secret plan in the heads of the dolls.

Knock on Wood

1954

And the Angels Sing poster
7.3

The singing/dancing Angel sisters, Nancy, Bobby, Josie, and Patti, aren't interested in performing together, and this plays havoc with the plans of Pop Angel to buy a soy bean farm. They do accept an offer of ten dollars to sing at a dubious night club on the edge of town where a band led by Happy Marshall is playing.

And the Angels Sing

1944

How to Commit Marriage poster
5.8

A young couple decide to live together and they wind up having a baby. They decide they should give the baby up for adoption. The baby's Mother's parents wind up adopting the baby using a fake name.

How to Commit Marriage

1969

Happy Go Lucky poster
5.5

A gold-digger hopes to land a rich husband in Trinidad, but gets mixed up with a beach boy and voodoo.

Happy Go Lucky

1943

Barnaby and Me poster
6.2

Barnaby and Me is a 1978 Australian TV movie about a girl and her talking koala who are pursued by criminals.

Barnaby and Me

1977

Coffee, Tea or Me? poster
NR

An airline stewardess juggles a life that includes a husband in Los Angeles and another one in London.

Coffee, Tea or Me?

1973

Road to Utopia poster
6.8

While on a ship to Skagway, Alaska, Duke and Chester find a map to a secret gold mine, which had been 'stolen' by thugs. In Alaska to recover her father's map, Sal Van Hoyden falls in with Ace Larson, who secretly wants to steal the gold mine for himself. Duke, Chester, the thugs, Ace and his henchman chase each other all over the countryside—for the map.

Road to Utopia

1946

Above and Beyond poster
6.2

The story of Colonel Paul Tibbets, the pilot that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Although unaware of the full potential of this new weapon, he knows that it can do tremendously more damage than any other weapon used before, and that the death toll resulting from it will be huge. He is reluctant to be the person who will end so many lives, but as time goes on, the pressure upon him only increase.

Above and Beyond

1953

Above and Beyond poster
6.2

The story of Colonel Paul Tibbets, the pilot that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Although unaware of the full potential of this new weapon, he knows that it can do tremendously more damage than any other weapon used before, and that the death toll resulting from it will be huge. He is reluctant to be the person who will end so many lives, but as time goes on, the pressure upon him only increase.

Above and Beyond

1953

Thank Your Lucky Stars poster
6.2

An Eddie Cantor look-alike organizes an all-star show to help the war effort.

Thank Your Lucky Stars

1943

That Certain Feeling poster
5.6

When Larry Larkin's comic strip needs some freshening up, he calls in ghost-writer Francis X. Dignan to help him with the strip. Things get complicated when Francis rekindles his love for his ex-wife, who happens to be Larkin's secretary and soon-to-be wife.

That Certain Feeling

1956

That Certain Feeling poster
5.6

When Larry Larkin's comic strip needs some freshening up, he calls in ghost-writer Francis X. Dignan to help him with the strip. Things get complicated when Francis rekindles his love for his ex-wife, who happens to be Larkin's secretary and soon-to-be wife.

That Certain Feeling

1956