Quick Facts
Biography
James V. Kern (September 22, 1909, New York City, New York – November 9, 1966, Encino, California) was an American singer, songwriter, screenwriter, actor, and director.
Educated at the Fordham Law School, Kern worked for a while as an attorney. He sang with the George Olsen Trio, and appeared with the Olsen orchestra in the musical Good News. From 1927 to 1939, he sang with and wrote for the Yacht Club Boys quartet, with whom he appeared in several motion pictures.
He became a screenwriter and later a director. In film, he directed mainly "B" pictures, but after he moved to television, he directed hundreds of series episodes. He was one of the house directors on I Love Lucy in the 1950s. He directed My Three Sons for most of two seasons in the 1960s. When he died suddenly of a heart attack at age 57, several episodes of the show remained only partially completed for the 1966/67 season, so director James Sheldon was brought in by series producers to round out the season.
He joined ASCAP in 1955. His popular-song compositions include "Easy Street," "Lover, Lover," "Little Red Fox," and "Shut the Door."
Filmography
As director
- 1944: The Doughgirls
- 1946: Never Say Goodbye
- 1947: Stallion Road
- 1948: April Showers
- 1950: The Colgate Comedy Hour (television series)
- 1950: The Jack Benny Program (television series)
- 1950: The Second Woman
- 1951: Two Tickets to Broadway
- 1953: Topper (television series)
- 1955: The Millionaire (television series)
- 1956: Lum and Abner Abroad
- 1956: The Gale Storm Show (television series)
- 1956: I Love Lucy Christmas Show (TV)
- 1957: Date with the Angels (television series)
- 1957: Maverick (television series)
- 1958: The Ann Sothern Show (television series)
- 1958: 77 Sunset Strip (television series)
- 1958: The Donna Reed Show (television series)
- 1960: Pete and Gladys (television series)
- 1960: My Three Sons (television series)
- 1961: The Joey Bishop Show (television series)
- 1965: My Favorite Martian (television series)
As writer
- 1939: That's Right You're Wrong
- 1940: If I Had My Way
- 1940: You'll Find Out
- 1941: Look Who's Laughing
- 1941: Playmates
- 1943: Thank Your Lucky Stars
- 1944: Shine On, Harvest Moon
- 1944: The Doughgirls
- 1945: The Horn Blows at Midnight
- 1946: Never Say Goodbye
As actor
- 1935: Thanks a Million : Yacht Club Boy
- 1936: The Singing Kid : Yacht Club Boy
- 1936: Stage Struck : Jimmy
- 1937: Artists & Models : Member, Yacht Club Boys
- 1937: Thrill of a Lifetime : Jimmie
As producer
- 1950: The Jack Benny Program (television series)
- 1956: Lum and Abner Abroad