Whitney Ellsworth
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Fredric Whitney Ellsworth (November 27, 1908 – September 7, 1980) was an American comic book editor, and sometime writer and artist for DC Comics during the period known to historians and fans as the Golden Age of Comic Books. He was also DC's "movie studio contact," becoming both a producer and story editor on the TV series The Adventures of Superman.
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National Allied Publications (DC)
In late 1934, he became associated with Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson's fledgling company National Allied Publications, later known as DC Comics. Initially an assistant editor, before becoming associate editor (1936-38), Ellsworth worked on such titles as Billy the Kid, Little Linda and More Fun Comics, as well as producing cover roughs for several years. Ellsworth left the company in c. 1937[2]-38 for a brief hiatus in California before returning to DC a couple of years later. He subsequently served as editorial director until c. 1951-1953, in particular on such titles as the flagship titles Action Comics, Adventure Comics, Batman, Detective Comics and Superman between 1939 and 1951, and later on such diverse titles as The Adventures of Alan Ladd, All-Star Comics, Green Lantern, Mr. District Attorney, Real Fact Comics, Real Screen Comics, Scribbly, Superboy and Wonder Woman (among others) between 1948 and 1951.
Comics, including Batman
Acting as DC's major creative guide and editor during the company's early years, Ellsworth oversaw editorially both scripts and art for several diverse comics (including the above as well as World's Best Comics and World's Finest Comics et al), developed a number of projects (including creating Congo Bill in 1941) and wrote several more, including Hollywood Screen Shots (1936) (which, like some others, he also pencilled an inked), Slam Bradley, Genius Jones, Laughing at Life, Speed Saunders and Starman, among many other characters and comics.
He also sketched "rough cover layouts for DC's top titles," including notably some for "Batman and Detective Comics until about 1946.
TV and film
The Adventures of Superman
In addition to his extensive comics work, Ellsworth "was DC's movie studio contact" on a number of projects, keeping his "editorial director" title, but working mainly on "DC properties in Hollywood" between c. 1951-1959.[1] Most notably, Ellsworth was a consultant on the theatrical feature Atom Man Vs. Superman (1950) (with Kirk Alyn), and co-wrote the sequel Superman and the Mole Men (1951) before becoming a producer, episode writer, and script editor on the subsequent live-action TV series The Adventures of Superman (both starring George Reeves as the Man of Steel). In 1958, he created a pilot titled Superpup, which attempted to capitalise on that series' success by recasting the Superman mythos in a fictional universe populated by dogs instead of people.
Three years later, Ellsworth helped produce another ultimately-aborted pilot for another spin-off series called The Adventures of Superboy.
Other
According to noted comics historian Jerry Bails, Ellsworth was also a consultant on the two Batman serials in 1943 and 1949; the Superman serial starring Kirk Alyn that was a precursor to the later live-action Superman features, and the Congo Bill serial (1949).[ He is listed as having been - for "one week only" - a consultant on the 1966 Batman TV series (with Adam West), and a writer for the Superman radio show during the war years.
In addition, he wrote the Off-Broadway production Maiden Voyage (1935), for the TV series The Millionaire1 (1955) between c. 1954-56 and produced another pilot in 1961, this time for a "comedy-detective series starring Sheree North" to be called Here's O'Hare (ABC did not pursue the show).
Ellsworth is also said by Bails to have helped co-write The Godfather.