Jack Conway

Biography

A stage actor who entered films in 1909, Hugh Ryan Conway assisted D.W. Griffith and turned to directing in 1913. He acted in his silent features Restless Souls, The Killer, and The Lure of the Orient, but thereafter restricted himself to directing. In the 1930s and '40s he was a reliable craftsman at MGM, moving easily from the historical drama A Tale of Two Cities to the romantic comedy Libeled Lady; he was equally at ease with rugged actioners such as Viva Villa! (which he took over from Howard Hawks) and Boom Town. Conway also directed the final film appearances of Lon Chaney (The Unholy Three) and Jean Harlow (Saratoga). ~ All Movie Guide