Bryan Foy

 Bryan Foy (December 8, 1896 – April 20, 1977)

Foy was a film producer and director. He produced 214 films between 1924 and 1963. He also directed 41 films between 1923 and 1934. He headed the B picture unit at Warner Bros. where he was known as "the keeper of the B's". He was the eldest son of the vaudeville star Eddie Foy and appeared with his father in the vaudeville act "Eddie Foy and The Seven Little Foys." The act broke up when Bryan Foy left to join the U.S. Army in World War I in 1918, after which his remaining siblings continued performing with their father under the title, "Eddie Foy and the Younger Foys", through 1923, when their father retired. He was also a songwriter, and by 1916 had several published songs, including "My Honolulu Girl". Following the war Foy entered motion picture production with a series of short subjects for Universal Pictures including a series of The Shadow with Foy writing and directing several of the two reelers. Foy also managed film production at Eagle Lion Studios, where one of his assistant producers was famed mobster Johnny Rosselli. Foy led Warners B picture unit until 1942 when the studio ended their second features. He was recruited 20th Century Fox where he produced the acclaimed war movie Guadalcanal Diary in 1943. He remained with Fox until 1947 where he produced for Eagle-Lion Films until he was rehired by Warner Bros in 1950. From 1954 Foy produced films for Columbia Pictures. He returned again to Warner Bros in 1962 for his final two films. He died in Los Angeles from a heart attack on April 20, 1977, age 80. Foy is interred at Calvary Cemetery in East Los Angeles, California, in an unmarked crypt near his wife Vivian.