Louis J. Gasnier

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Louis J.Gasnier (15 September 1875 - 15 February 1963) was a French film director.

Born in Paris, Gasnier starting making films in the earliest days of cinema (1905), and directed the famous comedian Max Linder in many of his early short comedies. In the USA from 1912, Gasnier made his name in several fairly prestigious productions, most notably the serial The Perils of Pauline, starring Pearl White, with whom he made several other star vehicles.

Gasnier's career declined with the advent of sound in filming, and he was later confined to making low-budget 'B' pictures. Arguably his most famous film, though unfortunately not for the right artistic reasons, was the anti-marijuana opus Reefer Madness, made in 1936. The film's over-preachy, over-the-top and hilariously misguided propaganda message has earned it a dedicated cult following, which remains strong to the present day. It is widely available in the public domain and on DVD, and has been frequently shown on many terrestrial and cable TV channels, quite remarkable for an ultra cheap exploitation movie of the 1930s that had apparently very scant distribution when it was originally released. After Reefer Madness, Gasnier made a further eight films before retiring in 1941; he died in Hollywood aged 87.

[edit] Selected filmography

Reefer Madness (1936)
Mysterious Mr. Parkes (1930)
Should Tall Men Marry? (1928)
White Man (1924)
The Tiger's Trail (1919)
Hands Up! (1918)
The Seven Pearls (1917)
The Mystery of the Double Cross (1917)
The Shielding Shadow (1916)
The New Exploits of Elaine (1915)
The Exploits of Elaine (1914)
The Perils of Pauline (1914)

[edit] External links

Louis J.Gasnier at the Internet Movie Database

v • d • e Pathé serials

With Wharton, Inc. (1914-1915)	The Perils of Pauline • The Exploits of Elaine • The New Exploits of Elaine • The Romance of Elaine

With Astra Films (1916-1920)	Pearl of the Army • The Shielding Shadow • The Fatal Ring • The Hidden Hand • The Mystery of the Double Cross • The Seven Pearls • Hands Up! • The House of Hate • The Adventures of Ruth • Bound and Gagged • The Lightning Raider • Terror of the Range • The Tiger's Trail • Daredevil Jack • The Phantom Foe • Pirate Gold • The Third Eye • Trailed by Three

With Ruth Roland Serials (1920)	Ruth of the Rockies

Pathé Only (1921-1929)	The Avenging Arrow • Double Adventure • The Fortieth Door • Galloping Hoofs • Into the Net • Leatherstocking • Ten Scars Make a Man • The Way of a Man • The Green Archer • The House Without a Key • Idaho • Sunken Silver • Wild West • Play Ball • The Bar-C Mystery • Casey of the Coast Guard • The Fighting Marine • Snowed In • The Crimson Flash • Hawk of the Hills • The Masked Menace • Melting Millions • On Guard • Eagle of the Night • The Man Without a Face • Mark of the Frog • The Terrible People • The Tiger's Shadow • The Yellow Cameo • The Black Book • The Fire Detective • Queen of the Northwoods

Actors and Actresses	Pearl White • Ruth Roland • Allene Ray • Walter Miller • Frank Lackteen

Production Crew	Louis J. Gasnier • George B. Seitz • Robert F. Hill • Spencer Gordon Bennet

See also	Film serials • List of film serials • List of film serials by studio