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Backdrop from a project of H.M. Walker
Poster for H.M. Walker

H.M. Walker

1878 - 1937 (age 58) • Writing

WALKER, H.M. (Harley Marquis Walker) started as a telegrapher, tapping out the descriptions of sportswriters at boxing matches and sending them to the offices of their newspapers. In 1903 he became a sportswriter himself and wrote a column, “The Wisdom of Blinkey Ben,” for the Los Angeles Examiner before joining Roach in 1917 as a part-time scenario and title writer for Harold Lloyd. In 1920, he left newspaper work and joined Roach full time as head of the editorial department. A brilliant title writer in the silent era, Walker was less skilled at dialogue; he was credited for providing these elements on more than 350 Roach comedies. He usually came up with the title for each film and also wrote fairly severe critiques after each preview. After leaving Roach in 1932 he wrote dialogue for some features, including Son of a Sailor (1933) with Joe E. Brown, W.C. Fields’ The Old Fashioned Way (1934), and the ZaSu Pitts picture Affair of Susan (1935). Walker died in the home of his good friend Leroy Shield, who had written scores at the Roach lot in 1930 and ’31. Died June 23, 1937, Chicago, Illinois, age 58; of a heart attack.

Known For

The Music Box

75%

Writer

1932

Big Business

67%

Writer

1929

Pardon Us

65%

Dialogue

1931

County Hospital

68%

Writer

1932

Helpmates

72%

Dialogue

1932

Hog Wild

70%

Dialogue

1930

Them Thar Hills

75%

Writer

1934

Another Fine Mess

69%

Dialogue

1930

Public Ghost # 1

55%

Writer

1935

Them Thar Hills

75%

Writer

1934

Love Birds

65%

Additional Dialogue

1934

Her First Mate

100%

Screenplay

1933

They Just Had to Get Married

70%

Screenplay

1933

Girl Grief

70%

Dialogue

1932

Alum and Eve

68%

Dialogue

1932

Pack Up Your Troubles

68%

Writer

1932

Scram!

71%

Writer

1932

Scram!

71%

Dialogue

1932

Young Ironsides

90%

Dialogue

1932

Show Business

65%

Dialogue

1932

What Price Taxi

50%

Writer

1932

What Price Taxi

50%

Dialogue

1932

County Hospital

68%

Writer

1932

County Hospital

68%

Dialogue

1932

The Pooch

68%

Writer

1932

The Old Bull

60%

Dialogue

1932

First in War

100%

Dialogue

1932

The Chimp

66%

Writer

1932

Choo-Choo!

70%

Writer

1932

Strictly Unreliable

60%

Writer

1932

In Walked Charley

80%

Writer

1932

You're Telling Me

53%

Dialogue

1932

The Music Box

75%

Writer

1932

The Music Box

75%

Dialogue

1932

Spanky

72%

Writer

1932

Red Noses

75%

Dialogue

1932

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