Elliott Nugent (September 20, 1896, Dover, Ohio - August 9, 1980, New York City) was an American actor, writer, and film director. He successfully transitioned from silent film to sound. He directed The Cat and the Canary (1939), starring Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard. He also directed the Hope vehicles Never Say Die (1939) and My Favorite Brunette (1947).
Nugent was a college classmate (and lifelong friend) of fellow Ohioan James Thurber. Together, they wrote the Broadway play The Male Animal (1940) in which Nugent starred with Gene Tierney. He also directed the 1942 Warner Bros. film version, starring Henry Fonda and Olivia de Havilland.
Nugent's autobiography Events Leading Up to the Comedy (1965) skips over large portions of Nugent's life and work, but deals honestly with the alcoholism that largely ended his career.
An American minor leading man of early talkies who played earnest, youthful leads, Elliott Nugent would become better known as a writer, producer and director after all was said and done. The son of playwright/producer/actor J.C. Nugent (1868-1947), he was born in 1896 and came from pure show business stock, joining his family's vaudeville act while still young. He attended Ohio University and graduated there before gravitating to New York, making his Broadway bow in George S. Kaufman/Marc Connelly's play "Dulcy", which was a personal success. Throughout the 20s he remained a viable presence on stage, co-authoring and co-starring in nearly ten plays in tandom with his father. Nugent also took his good looks to film in 1929, generally playing young protagonists in both light-hearted and dramatic features. Within a few years, however, he grew restless with Hollywood and returned to the theatre scene. He peaked in 1940 starring in The Male Animal, which he co-wrote with longtime friend James Thurber. In later years, Nugent extended his talents even further, becoming a favorite film director for many of Hollywood's top comedians including Bob Hope, Harold Lloyd, Danny Kaye in their lightweight vehicles. Long married to actress Norma Lee, he retired in 1957 and penned a highly candid autobiography entitled "Events Leading Up to the Comedy" in 1965.
