Norman Foster (director)
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American film director and movie actor Norman Foster (December 13, 1900 - July 7, 1976) was born Norman Hoeffer in Richmond, Indiana.
He may be best remembered for being married twice - both times to leading ladies. He was married to Claudette Colbert from 1928 until their divorce in 1935. In 1937 he married actress Sally Blane (an elder sister of Loretta Young). Ironically, Foster co-starred with Loretta Young, his future sister-in-law, in a rather risqué pre-Code film.
Norman Foster and Sally Blane were married until his death in Santa Monica, California from cancer, aged 75. They had two children, Robert Foster and Gretchen Foster.
Some of Foster's directorial efforts include The Sign of Zorro (1958), and the stylish films noir Kiss the Blood Off My Hands (1948), Woman on the Run (1950) and Journey Into Fear (1943).
It was rumored that Orson Welles took over direction of Journey Into Fear, which Welles later denied. He was the director of the "My Friend Bonito" segment of Orson Welles' Pan-American anthology film It's All True until RKO aborted the project. He directed a number of Charlie Chan and Mr. Moto mysteries including:
- Charlie Chan in Panama (1940)
- Charlie Chan at Treasure Island (1939)
- Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation (1939)
- Charlie Chan in Reno (1939)
- Mr. Moto's Last Warning (1939)
- Mysterious Mr. Moto (1938)
- Mr. Moto Takes a Chance (1938)
- Thank You, Mr. Moto (1937)
- Think Fast, Mr. Moto (1937)
As an actor, Foster appeared in State Fair (1933). He gave up acting in the late 1930's to pursue directing, however he occasionally appeared in movies and television programs.
