Val Lewton.org

Timeline of Lewton's Life from The Library of Congress

Val Lewton Papers : Manuscript Division

(Above: Scrapbook from the Lewton papers at the Library of Congress, Washington DC)

Library of Congress Biographical Timeline of Val Lewton

• 1904, May 7 Born Vladimir Ivan Leventon, Yalta, Russia


• 1909 Mother, Nina Leventon, and children (Val and Lucy) emigrated to America and took anglicized name of Lewton; Nina Lewton employed by her sister, actress Nazimova
  
• ca. 1922 Columbia School of Journalism, New York, N.Y.


• 1923 Privately published first book of poetry, "Panther Skin and Grapes" (Poynton Press)


• 1928 Married Ruth Knapp


• 1928-32 Publicity writer, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, under the supervision of Howard Dietz


• 1932 Published "No Bed of Her Own" (New York: Vanguard Press, 1932. 306 pp.); contract with Vanguard Press for five novels per year


• 1933 Wrote script for "Taras Bulba" for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer; story editor, David O. Selznick unit at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer


• 1942-46 Head of horror unit, RKO Radio Pictures


• 1942 Produced "Cat People" (motion picture)


• 1946 Produced "Bedlam" (motion picture)


• 1947 Contract with Paramount Pictures


• 1948 Hired by Louis B. Mayer, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer


• 1951 Produced "Apache Drums" (motion picture), Universal-International


• 1951, Mar. 14 Died, Hollywood, Calif.

Read the "Scope and Content" notes for the Lewton papers here.

This information is mainly culled from the Library of Congress, Manuscript Division Reading Room page here.