Background Info

Who Is Dorothy Arzner?

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A young Dorothy Arzner was exposed to many a movie and theater professional as a child; her parents owned a number of restaurants in Hollywood. But as the world barreled into the 1920s, Arzner prepared for a career in the medical field. Her career path changed in 1919 when she visited Paramount Studios by invitation of industry leader William De Mille. Soon, Arzner became a script typist, then editor, and eventually a director. Her interesting directing style and lesbian persona have drawn interest to the director in recent decades.