Biography
Claude Binyon, a writer known for his sharp wit and satire, began his career as a reporter for the Chicago Examiner. Unsuitable for straightforward journalism, he was soon dismissed. However, the paper's editors recognized his talent and recommended him to the entertainment magazine Variety. From 1925 to 1932, Binyon contributed articles and crafted memorable headlines like "Sticks Nix Hick Pix," a slang phrase meaning "country folk don't like movies about country life." This referred to Binyon's article challenging Hollywood's belief that rural audiences disliked films set in cities. He was eventually let go from Variety after moonlighting as a humorous short story writer for other publications.
Binyon's second career phase was at Paramount, where he worked as a screenwriter from 1932 to 1946. He thrived in idiosyncratic and screwball comedies, notably the W.C. Fields classic Mississippi (1935), praised by New York Times critic Andre Sennwald as "madly funny at sufficient length," and two Claudette Colbert films, The Gilded Lily (1935) and I Met Him in Paris (1937). Perhaps his finest screenplay was the zany farce True Confession (1937), featuring a sharp satirical courtroom scene and rapid-fire, clever dialogue, perfectly suited for stars Carole Lombard, Fred MacMurray, and John Barrymore.
By the late 1930s, Binyon also handled more non-comedic projects, successfully working on top-tier musicals like Sing, You Sinners (1938), Holiday Inn (1942), and Incendiary Blonde (1945), though his work on westerns was less effective, as seen in Arizona (1940). He combined writing and directing for The Saxon Charm (1948), a heavy drama about an egotistical Broadway producer played by Robert Montgomery who brings misery to those around him. Though not a failure, the film saw little box office success. In contrast, Binyon's best work as writer/director was the satirical Dreamboat (1952), which humorously targeted television—Hollywood's main rival—through the witty and sophisticated performance of Clifton Webb. He also collaborated with comedy veteran Leo McCarey (who produced and directed) on the screenplay for Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys! (1958), a satire of American life mixed with slapstick reminiscent of the Keystone Kops, including a frenetic missile control room scene starring Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward.
During the 1960s, Binyon's output declined significantly. He co-wrote the lively western-comedy North to Alaska (1960) with John Lee Mahin and Martin Rackin. After receiving harsh critical reviews for his work (with Robert G. Kane) on Kisses for My President (1964), Binyon retired. He passed away from heart problems in Glendale, California, in 1978 at the age of 72.
