William Berke Biography
William A. Berke (1903 - 1958) was an American director, film producer, actor and screenwriter. He wrote, directed and/or produced approximately 200 films over a three-decade career. Born in Wisconsin in 1903, he began working as a cameraman in the 1920s, but threatened by blindness, he was forced to abandon his first job. He then dedicated himself to the production of westerns. He himself makes short films under various pseudonyms. In 1942 he began directing low-budget Westerns with Charles Starrett (“Lawless Plainsmen,” “Bad Men of the Hills”) and Russell Hayden (“The Lone Prairie,” “A Tornado in the Saddle”). Devoid of ambition and pretension, he will make more than 90 films, whose lack of technical ability will seduce by his relaxation and a real sense of adventure. From this abundant but often mediocre production, we can keep "Dick Tracy" with Morgan Conway, "The Law of Arizona", "The Unknown to Both Colts" with Jon Hall, I kill Billy the Kid" and "The Revenge of Frank James "with Don Red Barry and" Wild Drums "with Sabu. He participated in several series for television between 1953 and 1956 such as "Annie Oakley", "Joe Palooka" or "Judge Roy Bean." His last film, " The Lost Missile", is a fun science fiction film starring Robert Loggia. William Berke died in Los Angeles in 1958.
