Monta Bell

Monta Bell (February 5, 1891 – February 4, 1958) was an American film director, producer and screenwriter.

Biography

Starting as a journalist in Washington DC, Bell later played on stage and entered films in 1923 as an actor. Charlie Chaplin employed Bell as a film editor and assistant director and in 1924, he became a full-fledged director of sophisticated sex comedies. Bell is known for directing Greta Garbo's first American film, Torrent.

Bell joined up with Paramount Pictures serving as head of production at the Astoria Studios in Astoria, Queens in New York. As sound films came in, Bell directed a number of high comedies and low melodramas later moving to producing films.

Bell was married for a brief time to actress Betty Lawford, cousin of actor Peter Lawford. Monta directed 20 films from 1924 to 1945. In addition, he produced 20 films and wrote 9 screenplays.

He died on February 4, 1958 at the Motion Picture Country House and Hospital, one day before his 67th birthday. He is interred in Section 8 Garden of Legends in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Hollywood, CA