Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948) as Writer
Short Info
Died
January 13, 2003, Los Angeles, California, United States
Fact
Profiled in "The Laugh Crafters: Comedy Writing in Radio and TV's Golden Age" by Jordan Young (BearManor Media).
Norman Panama was born on January 13, 1914 in New York City. His parents were Jewish immigrants from Poland. He had two brothers and one sister. He attended public schools in New York City and graduated from high school in 1931. He then attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied English and journalism. He graduated from Penn in 1935.
After graduation, Panama began his career as a journalist, working for various newspapers and magazines in New York City. In 1940, he moved to Hollywood, where he began working as a screenwriter. His first major success came in 1942, when he co-wrote the screenplay for the film “The Road to Morocco” starring Bing Crosby and Bob Hope.
Panama continued to have success as a screenwriter throughout the 1940s and 1950s. He wrote the screenplays for such films as “The Jolson Story” (1946), “Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House” (1948), “The Seven Year Itch” (1955), and “North by Northwest” (1959). In addition to his work as a screenwriter, Panama also directed several films, including “The World in His Arms” (1952) and “The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell” (1955).
Panama’s career began to decline in the 1960s, and he retired from Hollywood in 1970. He died on September 13, 2003 at the age of 89.
At the time of his death, Panama’s net worth was estimated to be $5 million.
General Info
Full Name
Norman Panama
Died
January 13, 2003, Los Angeles, California, United States
Profession
Film director, Film producer, Screenwriter
Education
University of Chicago
Nationality
American
Accomplishments
Awards
Edgar Award for Best Play, Writers Guild of America Award - Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement
Nominations
Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Feature Film, Academy Award for Best Story and Screenplay, Writers Guild of America Award for Best Written Drama, Writers Guild...
Movies
The Court Jester, White Christmas, Knock on Wood, The Road to Hong Kong, Above and Beyond, Not with My Wife, You Don't!, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, The Trap, The Facts of Life, Road to Utopia, That Certain Feeling, How to Commit Marriage, Callaway Went Thataway, Li'l Abner, I Will, I Will...
American screenwriter, usually of comedy subjects, under contract at Paramount from 1941 to 1946, and again from 1954 to 1959. Did his best work in collaboration with writer-director Melvin Frank, with whom he had studied at the University of Chicago. Their long partnership began, after they sold the story for My Favorite Blonde (1942) to Paramount in 1942.
2
Profiled in "The Laugh Crafters: Comedy Writing in Radio and TV's Golden Age" by Jordan Young (BearManor Media).
Movies
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Are We Done Yet?
2007
screenplay "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House"
A Talent for Murder
1984
TV Movie play
I Will... I Will... For Now
1976
Coffee, Tea or Me?
1973
TV Movie teleplay
Not with My Wife, You Don't!
1966
screenplay / story
Strange Bedfellows
1965
story
The Road to Hong Kong
1962
The Facts of Life
1960
written by
Li'l Abner
1959
writer
The Trap
1959
writer
That Certain Feeling
1956
The Court Jester
1955
written by
White Christmas
1954
written for the screen by
Knock on Wood
1954
written by
Above and Beyond
1952
Callaway Went Thataway
1951
written by
Strictly Dishonorable
1951
The Reformer and the Redhead
1950
The Return of October
1948
writer
A Southern Yankee
1948
story
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
1948
written for the screen by
It Had to Be You
1947
screen play
Monsieur Beaucaire
1946
screenplay
Our Hearts Were Growing Up
1946
Road to Utopia
1945
original screenplay
Duffy's Tavern
1945
screenplay
The Princess and the Pirate
1944
uncredited
And the Angels Sing
1944
screenplay
Thank Your Lucky Stars
1943
screen play
Happy Go Lucky
1943
writer
My Favorite Blonde
1942
story
Star Spangled Rhythm
1942
sketches
Director
Title
Year
Status
Character
Barnaby and Me
1979
TV Movie
I Will... I Will... For Now
1976
Coffee, Tea or Me?
1973
TV Movie
How to Commit Marriage
1969
The Maltese Bippy
1969
Not with My Wife, You Don't!
1966
The Road to Hong Kong
1962
The Trap
1959
That Certain Feeling
1956
The Court Jester
1955
Knock on Wood
1954
Above and Beyond
1952
Callaway Went Thataway
1951
Strictly Dishonorable
1951
The Reformer and the Redhead
1950
Producer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Not with My Wife, You Don't!
1966
producer
Strange Bedfellows
1965
producer
The Facts of Life
1960
producer
Li'l Abner
1959
producer
The Jayhawkers!
1959
producer
The Trap
1959
producer
That Certain Feeling
1956
producer
The Court Jester
1955
producer
Knock on Wood
1954
producer
Above and Beyond
1952
producer
Callaway Went Thataway
1951
producer
Strictly Dishonorable
1951
producer
The Reformer and the Redhead
1950
producer
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
1948
producer
Assistant Director
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Facts of Life
1960
second unit director - uncredited
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
This Is Your Life
1961
TV Series
Himself
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
The 75th Annual Academy Awards
2003
TV Special
Himself - (Memorial Tribute)
Awards
Won Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1984
Laurel Award for Screen Writing Achievement
Writers Guild of America, USA
Nominated Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1961
Oscar
Academy Awards, USA
Best Writing, Story and Screenplay - Written Directly for the Screen
The Facts of Life (1960)
1961
WGA Award (Screen)
Writers Guild of America, USA
Best Written American Comedy
The Facts of Life (1960)
1960
WGA Award (Screen)
Writers Guild of America, USA
Best Written American Musical
Li'l Abner (1959)
1955
Oscar
Academy Awards, USA
Best Writing, Story and Screenplay
Knock on Wood (1954)
1955
DGA Award
Directors Guild of America, USA
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures
Knock on Wood (1954)
1955
WGA Award (Screen)
Writers Guild of America, USA
Best Written American Comedy
Knock on Wood (1954)
1954
DGA Award
Directors Guild of America, USA
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures