Kenneth Hawks
| Kenneth Hawks | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Kenneth Neil Hawks August 12, 1898 Goshen, Indiana |
| Died |
January 2, 1930 (aged 31) Santa Monica, California |
| Occupation | Film director |
| Years active | 1926-1930 |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Astor (1928–1930; his death) |
Kenneth Neil Hawks (August 12, 1898 in Goshen, Indiana – January 2, 1930 in Santa Monica, California) was an American film director and producer.
Hawks served in the United States Army Air Service during World War I. He then graduated from Yale University in 1919. He soon moved to Hollywood, California with brother Howard Hawks; he was also the brother of producer William Hawks. He became a writer, editor and supervisor at Fox Films Corporation in 1926. He began directing films for Fox in 1929. He was supervising producer of the Fox documentary film True Heaven (1929). On January 2, 1930 while directing filming of aerial scenes for the film Such Men Are Dangerous he was killed in a plane crash over the Pacific Ocean along with 9 others: pilot Walter Ross Cook, cameraman George Eastman, assistant director Ben Frankel, assistant director Max Gold, Tom Harris, Harry Johannes, Otho Jordan, pilot Halleck Rouse, and cinematographer Conrad Wells (also known as Abraham Fried). The planes that crashed into each other were identical Stinson SM-1F Detroiters; sun glare was listed as probable cause.
His body was recovered and after cremation his ashes were scattered over the site of his death.
Family
See Wikipedia entry for brother Howard Hawks for Hawks family history.
Kenneth met actress Mary Astor in 1927 and they were married on February 26, 1928 at her home, Moorcrest. Kenneth gave Mary a new Packard as a wedding gift. They soon moved to a home on Lookout Mountain in Los Angeles, California.
Filmography
As Director:
- Masked Emotions (1929)
- Big Time (1929)
- Such Men Are Dangerous (1930)
References
External links
- Kenneth Hawks at the Internet Movie Database
- Wedding day photo of Mary Astor and Kenneth Hawks
- Parker v. Granger case details plane crash that killed Kenneth Hawks
- an account of the plane crash that killed Kenneth Hawks et al
- an account of the plane crash that killed Kenneth Hawks et al
- Kenneth Hawks