Val Lewton
Born in the Russian Empire in 1904, Val Lewton (born Vladimir Ivanovich Leventon) moved with his mother and sister to Berlin in 1906, then to the United States in 1909. He wrote for newspapers, magazines, novels, pornography, etc. —often using pseudonyms to disguise their origin (the name Val Lewton was one such pseudonym, used first for some novels in the 1930s, then revived later in his career to take writing credit for two movies). In 1933 he got a job with David O. Selznick, where he spent many years as a story editor and jack-of-all-trades. Then in 1942 RKO hired him to head their new horror unit, where he made many famous and well-respected B-movies, for very low costs and high profits. In 1946, he “graduated” to A-movies, but increasing health problems, trouble working with big-money Hollywood, and other factors combined to force him to produce only three more movies before his death in 1951.
Known for
ProductionBirthday
May 7, 1904Deathday
March 14, 1951Gender
MaleKnown Movie Credits
18Place of birth
Yalta, Taurida Governorate, Russian Empire [now Crimea, Ukraine]Also known as
Vladimir Ivanovich Leventon, Vladimir Leventon, Carlos Keith, Cosmo Forbes, Herbert Kerkow, Sidney Valentine, H. C. Kerkow![](/assets/default-profile-icon.jpg)
Cast credits
Crew credits
![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/cvck16EWDqWK6x4p78N8KyJyJNJ.jpg)
The Seventh Victim
Producer![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/1dOCP2ahMVlA95SivxhEdVvcXZE.jpg)
The Body Snatcher
Screenplay, Producer![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/eHnxz2K8fuUR5qwmkhdurBpZ5z0.jpg)
Isle of the Dead
Producer![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/xSXMYCIjvhI3evUPyTGwsfsMDxj.jpg)
Bedlam
Screenplay, Producer![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/zSNTDd5Q6No5BmY39Zp5BVgl8XE.jpg)
Cat People
Producer![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/uoyBR8XNxPQRojujtczfG1qJezY.jpg)
I Walked with a Zombie
Producer![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/a2KedIReZYiPLjy1Ib89OSYo8Iv.jpg)
The Curse of the Cat People
Producer![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/UgOiYLMpFjsecN8Pyy2HFlRgL4.jpg)
The Leopard Man
Producer, Original Music Composer![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/ix6GofmJIfZYUk3uw9OK0JrpXeB.jpg)
The Ghost Ship
Producer![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/gPsYgzWIUrcx1vnp9b5YcpJCsXD.jpg)
Apache Drums
Producer![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/AaUwGz07BMAuGBAaQNd3TWX3bfa.jpg)
Youth Runs Wild
Producer![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/9RmUxh8OyNBfJALlO8oTmVC06et.jpg)
Mademoiselle Fifi
Producer![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/uaVn81sOjorRfv1bvX81YzyG363.jpg)
My Own True Love
Producer![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/lXazlea1IV2gwP4HrmXfBq0C4xd.jpg)
Please Believe Me
Producer![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/zLaI6pxeXBQAI2JroGC2faPuD4T.jpg)
No Man of Her Own
Novel![](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/h632/90EfCmXXWOs5dy7rHTNvGT9T8Kz.jpg)
A Star Is Born
Editorial Staff