---
name: "Norman Foster"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/norman-foster"
fi1m_id: "norman-foster"
imdb_id: "nm0287988"
tmdb_id: 87459
wikidata_id: "Q2409726"
roles: ["Director"]
born: "13 December 1903"
died: "7 July 1976"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 1
average_as: "director"
average_over: 1
updated: "2026-09-22T01:12:00.984066+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Norman Foster

## Identity

Norman Foster

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/norman-foster
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** norman-foster
- **IMDb ID:** nm0287988
- **TMDB ID:** 87459
- **Wikidata ID:** Q2409726
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Foster_(director), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2409726, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0287988/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/87459

Director. Born 13 December 1903 in Richmond, Indiana, USA. Died 7 July 1976.

## Details

- **Work:** Director
- **Born:** 13 December 1903, Richmond, Indiana, USA
- **Died:** 7 July 1976
- **Also known as:** John Hoeffer
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Foster_(director), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2409726, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0287988/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/87459

## Biography

Norman Foster (born Norman Foster Hoeffer, also credited as John Hoeffer) was an American film director, screenwriter and actor. Born in Richmond, Indiana, on 13 December 1903, he began as a stage actor in New York and appeared in films including *Rafter Romance* (1933) and *State Fair* (1933) before turning to directing in the late 1930s.

He directed numerous Mr Moto and Charlie Chan mysteries for Twentieth Century-Fox, as well as *Journey into Fear* (1943), *Woman on the Run* (1950) and the Davy Crockett segments for Walt Disney that became the features *Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier* (1955) and *Davy Crockett and the River Pirates* (1956). He also directed episodes of the television series *Zorro* (1957) and *Batman* (1966). Foster directed the 'My Friend Bonito' segment of Orson Welles's unfinished *It's All True* project in Mexico in 1941; footage appeared in the 1993 documentary of the same name. He died in Santa Monica, California, on 7 July 1976.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, britannica.com.*

## On Fi1m (1)

- *It's All True* (1993), Fi1m 78, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/its-all-true.md)

## Complete filmography (110)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Other Side of the Wind* (2018), as Billy Boyle
- *The Green Hornet* (2005), Director
- *It's All True* (1993), Director — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/its-all-true.md)
- *Crazy Horse and Custer: The Untold Story* (1990), Director
- *Woman in the Rain* (1976), as Assistant Director for HighShine
- *The Deathhead Virgin* (1974), Director
- *The Green Hornet* (1974), Director
- *Double Solitaire* (1974), as Ernest Potter
- *Play It as It Lays* (1972), as Abortionist
- *Cannon* (1971), series, Actor
- *The Legend of Custer* (1968), Director
- *Custer* (1967), series, Director
- *Brighty of the Grand Canyon* (1966), Director, Writer
- *The Green Hornet* (1966), series, Director
- *The Monroes* (1966), series, Director
- *Batman* (1966), series, Director
- *The Loner* (1965), series, Director
- *Indian Paint* (1965), Director, Screenplay
- *The New Loretta Young Show* (1962), series, Director
- *Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates* (1962), Director, Teleplay, Associate Producer
- *The Wonderful World of Disney* (1961), series, Director
- *Adventures in Paradise* (1959), series, Director
- *The Sign of Zorro* (1958), Director, Screenplay
- *Bat Masterson* (1958), series, Director
- *The Nine Lives of Elfego Baca* (1958), Director
- *Tombstone Territory* (1957), series, Director
- *Zorro* (1957), series, Director, Writer
- *Davy Crockett and the River Pirates* (1956), Director, Writer
- *Davy Crockett's Keelboat Race* (1955), Director, Writer
- *Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier* (1955), Director
- *Davy Crockett at the Alamo* (1955), Director
- *Davy Crockett Goes to Congress* (1955), Director
- *Davy Crockett* (1954), series, Director
- *Davy Crockett, Indian Fighter* (1954), Director
- *The Wonderful World of Disney* (1954), series, Director, Writer
- *Letter to Loretta* (1953), series, Director
- *Sombrero* (1953), Director, Screenplay
- *Sky Full of Moon* (1952), Director, Writer
- *Cavalcade of America* (1952), series, Director
- *Navajo* (1952), Director, Writer
- *Woman on the Run* (1950), Director, Screenplay
- *Father Is a Bachelor* (1950), Director
- *Tell It to the Judge* (1949), Director
- *The Bewitched House* (1949), Story
- *Kiss the Blood Off My Hands* (1948), Director
- *Rachel and the Stranger* (1948), Director
- *El canto de la sirena* (1948), Director, Writer
- *El ahijado de la muerte* (1946), Director
- *The Hour of Truth* (1945), Director, Screenplay
- *La fuga* (1944), Director, Adaptation
- *Santa* (1943), Director
- *Journey into Fear* (1943), Director
- *It's All True* (1943), Director
- *Scotland Yard* (1941), Director
- *Ride, Kelly, Ride* (1941), Director
- *Viva Cisco Kid* (1940), Director
- *Charlie Chan in Panama* (1940), Director
- *20,000 Men a Year* (1939), Assistant Director
- *Charlie Chan at Treasure Island* (1939), Director
- *Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation* (1939), Director, Screenplay
- *Charlie Chan in Reno* (1939), Director
- *Mr. Moto's Last Warning* (1939), Director, Screenplay
- *Mysterious Mr. Moto* (1938), as Hoodlum in Tavern · Director, Screenplay
- *Mr. Moto Takes a Chance* (1938), Director, Original Story
- *Walking Down Broadway* (1938), Director
- *Thank You, Mr. Moto* (1937), Director, Screenplay
- *Sunday Night at the Trocadero* (1937), as Norman Foster
- *Think Fast, Mr. Moto* (1937), Director, Writer
- *Fair Warning* (1937), Director, Screenplay
- *I Cover Chinatown* (1936), as Eddie Barton · Director
- *High Tension* (1936), as Eddie Mitchell
- *Fatal Lady* (1936), as Phillip Roberts
- *Everybody's Old Man* (1936), as Ronald Franklin
- *The Leavenworth Case* (1936), as Detective Bob Grice
- *Suicide Squad* (1935), as Larry Barker
- *Super Speed* (1935), as Randy Rogers
- *The Fire-Trap* (1935), as Bill Farnsworth
- *Escape from Devil's Island* (1935), as Andre Dion
- *The Bishop Misbehaves* (1935), as Donald Meadows
- *Ladies Crave Excitement* (1935), as Don Phelan
- *The Hoosier Schoolmaster* (1935), as Ralph Hartsook
- *Behind the Green Lights* (1935), as Detective Lt. Dave Britten
- *Behind the Evidence* (1935), as Tony Sheridan
- *Elinor Norton* (1934), as Bill Foster
- *Strictly Dynamite* (1934), as Fleming
- *Orient Express* (1934), as Carlton Myatt
- *Walls of Gold* (1933), as Barnes Ritchie
- *Rafter Romance* (1933), as Jack
- *Pilgrimage* (1933), as Jim 'Jimmy' Jessop (Hannah's son)
- *Professional Sweetheart* (1933), as Jim
- *State Fair* (1933), as Wayne Frake
- *Prosperity* (1932), as John Warren
- *Strange Justice* (1932), as Wally Baker
- *Skyscraper Souls* (1932), as Tom Shepherd
- *Week-End Marriage* (1932), as Ken Hayes
- *The Cohens and Kellys in Hollywood* (1932), as Maurice Cohen
- *Steady Company* (1932), as Jim
- *Play Girl* (1932), as Wallace 'Wally' Dennis
- *Alias the Doctor* (1932), as Stephan Brenner
- *Girl of the Rio* (1932), as Johnny Powell
- *Under Eighteen* (1932), as Alf
- *Reckless Living* (1931), as Doggie
- *Confessions of a Co-Ed* (1931), as Hal Evans
- *Up Pops the Devil* (1931), as Steve Merrick
- *Men Call It Love* (1931), as Jack
- *It Pays to Advertise* (1931), as Rodney Martin
- *No Limit* (1931), as Douglas Thayer
- *Young Man of Manhattan* (1930), as Toby McLean
- *Love at First Sight* (1929), Actor
- *Gentlemen of the Press* (1929), as Ted Hanley

## Gallery

- ![Norman Foster](https://film.one/media/person/1282132/gallery-b381136479e3.jpg) Norman Foster — unknown (RKO), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/Norman_Foster_in_Rafter_Romance_%281933%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Young Man of Manhattan Subjects (LCTGM): motion pictures, actors, actresses (1930)](https://film.one/media/person/1282132/gallery-b50a59672371.jpg) Young Man of Manhattan Subjects (LCTGM): motion pictures, actors, actresses (1930) — Unknown photographerUnknown photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Young_Man_of_Manhattan_%28SAYRE_15691%29.jpg/1280px-Young_Man_of_Manhattan_%28SAYRE_15691%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Sally Blane and Norman Foster apply for a marriage license, Los Angeles. (1935)](https://film.one/media/person/1282132/gallery-faf3794b1890.jpg) Sally Blane and Norman Foster apply for a marriage license, Los Angeles. (1935) — Los Angeles Times, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/Sally_Blane_%26_Norman_Foster_1935.jpg/1280px-Sally_Blane_%26_Norman_Foster_1935.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![L. to R. : Norman Foster, George Sidney & Laura Hope Crews in Rafter Romance - publicity still (cropped) (1933)](https://film.one/media/person/1282132/gallery-075f5e0a8160.jpg) L. to R. : Norman Foster, George Sidney & Laura Hope Crews in Rafter Romance - publicity still (cropped) (1933) — unknown (RKO), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/Rafter_Romance_%281933%29_still_1.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Norman Foster](https://film.one/media/person/1282132/gallery-78ad261d653b.jpg) Norman Foster — Image via TMDB
- ![Norman Foster](https://film.one/media/person/1282132/gallery-8eba4719f836.jpg) Norman Foster — Image via TMDB
- ![Lobby card for the 1930 film Young Man of Manhattan](https://film.one/media/person/1282132/gallery-ffcdf7528b88.jpg) Lobby card for the 1930 film Young Man of Manhattan — Paramount Pictures, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/Young-Man-of-Manhattan-LC-1.jpg/1280px-Young-Man-of-Manhattan-LC-1.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/norman-foster