Roy Seawright

name: Roy W. Seawright
born November 19, 1905, in Los Angeles County, CA
died April 30, 1991, in Hermosa Beach, CA

1920

Seawright joined Roach during this year as an office boy. This was to compensate for the fact that his father, the chief architect of the Roach studio in Culver City, had died the previous year in an accident during construction. Among Seawright's duties was picking up the mail and carrying it back to the studio, where he would distribute it among the various people there. There was one phone at the studio during this period, and it was Seawright's job to answer it, and then take messages back and forth between the caller and whoever it was they were calling.

1922

At the beginning of August of this year, the studio payroll summaries begin to include names, and Seawright is listed as an 'errand boy' until the week ending Sep. 9th. His name reappears the week ending Dec. 23rd, this time as an 'office boy.'

1923

At some point between 1923 and 1927, Seawright began to work in the property department. It's possible that his earliest involvement with the Our Gang series was in this capacity, though it probably would have been very occasional since he wasn't officially one of the Our Gang prop men.

1927

Seawright became head of the Roach animation department (which consisted solely of him) the week ending Apr. 2nd of this year. Originally, the job was to be a temporary one. The regular animator had a drinking problem (which had also been true of his predecessor), but for whatever reasons, he never did return and Seawright's temporary assignment became permanent. It was general manager Warren Doane who arranged this, having learned that Seawright had been an art major at Manual Arts High School. His workload must have initially been fairly light, since he continued to work in the property department over the next couple of years. The following Our Gang shorts of 1927 included animation, almost certainly by Seawright: "Baby Brother" (no. 61) features animated bubbles, "Olympic Games" (no. 63) shows an animated bee sting, "Playin' Hookey" (no. 65) features another electric shock, "Yale Vs. Harvard" (no. 67) shows animated words coming out of a bullhorn, and "Heebee Jeebees" (no. 69) shows animated dog howls coming out of Joe Cobb's mouth. Most notable of all is "Spook-Spoofing" (no. 71), in which electric shocks, words, lightning, and bursting balloons are all animated. In addition to effects animation, Seawright also handled the occasional animated transitions between credits in the main titles, something that turns up mostly during the talkie era.

Why Girls Say No (co-props)

Feb. 20, 1927 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. S-16 - All Star series with Marjorie Daw

Filmed Sep. 9 to 21, 1926, with retakes Sep. 25, 1926. ©Jan. 14, 1927. Also featuring Max Davidson.

Honorable Mr. Buggs (co-props)

Mar. 27, 1927 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. S-17 - All Star series with Matt Moore

Also listed for Apr. 24, 1927. Filmed Oct. 6 to 20, 1926. ©Jan. 17, 1927 as Hon. Mr. Buggs.

Slipping Wives (co-props)

Apr. 17, 1927 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. S-18 - All Star series with Priscilla Dean

Also listed for Apr. 3, 1927. Filmed Oct. 20 to Nov. 3, 1926. ©Jan. 17, 1927. Also featuring Herbert Rawlinson, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy.

No Man's Law (co-props)

Apr. 24, 1927 - Roach/Pathé - 7 reels - prod. J-5 - Rex The Wonder Horse feature

Also listed for May 1, 1927. Also featuring Barbara Kent, James Finlayson and Oliver Hardy. According to Rob Stone's list, this was filmed Dec. 11, 1926, and Dec. 18, 1926, to Jan. 7, 1927. His book revises this information, however, as Dec. 11 to 30, 1926. ©Apr. 7, 1927. UK title: Man's Law. Seawright was involved starting on Dec. 27th.

Love 'Em And Weep (co-props)

June 12, 1927 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. S-19 - All Star series

Filmed Nov. 26 to Dec. 7, 1926, with retakes Jan. 12 to 13, 1927. ©Apr. 11, 1927. Featuring Mae Busch, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy and James Finlayson. This film replaced a previous prod. S-19, titled "A Close Shave," which was written by Stan Laurel, but never made.

1928

During this year, animation continued to be regularly featured in the Our Gang series, almost certainly courtesy of Roy Seawright. "Rainy Days" (no. 72) features animated bubbles as well as wallpaper that crawls across the walls, "Edison, Marconi & Co." (no. 73) and "Barnum & Ringling, Inc." (no. 74) both show sound effects animated in word form, "Fair And Muddy" (no. 75) features animated bees, and "Crazy House" (no. 76) shows an animated electric shock. "The Ol' Gray Hoss" (no. 78) features animated popcorn as well as an electric shock and sound effects in word form. "School Begins" (no. 79) also utilizes this last type of animation.

Flying Elephants (animator)

Feb. 12, 1928 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. S-26 - All Star series with Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy

Filmed May 9 to 14, 1927, with retakes June 9, 1927. ©Sep. 2, 1927. Seawright animated the elephants in this short.

Two Tars (co-props)

Nov. 3, 1928 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. L-13 - Laurel & Hardy series

Filmed June 22 to July 3, 1928. ©Nov. 3, 1928.

1929

Animation in the Our Gang series was gradually becoming less common, but was still used fairly regularly. "The Holy Terror" (no. 83) featured animated musical notes, words, noises and lightning. "Fast Freight" (no. 85) featured animated bees as well as a bee sting, and also dialogue. "Little Mother" (no. 86) featured animated bubbles, while "Cat, Dog & Co." (no. 87) included a cartoon flea in its cast. Lastly, the early talkie "Lazy Days" (no. 92) showed an animated bee sting. Again, Seawright's involvement in these shorts is somewhat speculative, but it's almost certain that he handled all of the animation at the studio during this period. He was also in charge of non-animated special effects, and Maltin & Bann specifically credit him with the technical wizardry in "Cat, Dog & Co." It also appears that Seawright's duties as a prop man dried up around this time. Also, the payroll summaries after this year are unavailable for review, but there's little doubt that Seawright, who remained with the company well into the 1940s, continued to provide the Our Gang series with occasional bits of animation.

87. Cat, Dog & Co. (uncredited special effects)

Sep. 14, 1929 - Roach/MGM - silent - 2 reels - prod. G-21 - Our Gang series

Filmed Feb. 20 to Mar. 2, 1929. ©Sep. 3, 1929. Released with a synchronized soundtrack.

1930

Animation in the Our Gang series became increasingly rare during this year, perhaps reflecting an increased workload for Seawright in other areas. He presumably animated the electric shock effect in "The First Seven Years" (no. 96) and the bees in "Bear Shooters" (no. 98).

Blotto (uncredited photographic effects)

Feb. 8, 1930 - Roach/MGM - 3 reels - prod. L-30 - Laurel & Hardy series

Filmed Dec. 11 to 21, 1929. ©Feb. 13, 1930. Also filmed as Spanish 5 reeler entitled La vida nocturna and in French as Une nuit extravagante. Foreign versions filmed Dec. 26, 1929, to Jan. 2, 1930, and Jan. 17, 1930. Randy Skretvedt provides a variation of this, stating that the domestic resumed filming from Dec. 26 to 31, 1929, with the foreign versions being filmed from Jan. 2 to 17, 1930. The English language version was re-released as a two-reeler in 1937 with new background music.

Brats (special effects)

Mar. 22, 1930 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. L-31 - Laurel & Hardy series

Filmed Jan. 21 to Feb. 7, 1930. ©Mar. 31, 1930. Also filmed in German as Gluckliche kindheit, and in French as Les Bons Petits Diables, and possibly in Spanish. Also released as a silent film.

1931

Only two Our Gang shorts featured animation during this year, both presumably the work of Roy Seawright. "Fly My Kite" (no. 107) featured some more electric shock effects, while "Readin' And Writin'" (no. 111) featured Pete's bulging eyes.

1932

During this year, Seawright presumably animated for the following Our Gang films: "Choo-Choo!" (no. 114) features a healthy dose of animated fireworks, "Free Wheeling" (no. 117) features an animated fly that gets caught between the mule's ears, "Birthday Blues" (no. 118) reprises the animated bubble gag, and "A Lad An' A Lamp" (no. 119) features some animated popcorn.

The Music Box (special effects)

Apr. 16, 1932 - Roach/MGM - 3 reels - prod. L-6 - Laurel & Hardy series

Filmed Dec. 7 to 17, 1931. ©Mar. 14, 1932. Oscar winner for Best Comedy Short Subject. Added to the National Film Registry on Nov. 18, 1997. Seawright speaks from personal memory regarding the piano in this film, though it's not clear what his involvement would have been.

1933

The only Our Gang short from this year to feature animation, presumably by Seawright, was "The Kid From Borneo" (no. 122), in which Spanky shoots Bumbo in the butt with animated sparks emanating from a firework.

Twice Two (special effects)

Feb. 25, 1933 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. L-12 - Laurel & Hardy series

Filmed Dec. 8 to 15, 1932. Randy Skretvedt indicates that filming didn't begin until the 9th. ©Feb. 20, 1933.

Busy Bodies (special effects)

Oct. 7, 1933 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. L-15 - Laurel & Hardy series

Filmed around July 15 to 25, 1933. ©Sep. 16, 1933.

1934

Maltin & Bann specifically credit Seawright with the spooky animated shadow seen in "The First Round-Up" (no. 128), but he probably also animated the lightning and Pete's rolling eyes. Two other Our Gang shorts from this year feature animation that probably came from Seawright: "Washee Ironee" (no. 131) shows an animated kicked football in addition to several animated bubbles, while "Shrimps For A Day" (no. 133) utilizes animation for the magic lamp transformations.

128. The First Round-Up (uncredited special effects)

May 5, 1934 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-21 - Our Gang series

Filmed Mar. 19 to 24, 1934. ©May 1, 1934.

Babes In Toyland (uncredited photographic effects/animator)

Nov. 30, 1934 - Roach/MGM - 9 reels - prod. F-5 - Laurel & Hardy feature

Also listed for Dec. 14, 1934. Filmed Aug. 6 to 16, Aug. 27 and 28, and Sep. 24 to Oct. 17, 1934. ©Nov. 28, 1934. US reissue title: March Of The Wooden Soldiers. Seawright animated the wooden soldiers.

1935

Four Our Gang films made during this year utilized animation, probably courtesy of Seawright: "Beginner's Luck" (no. 135) shows an animated electric shock, "Our Gang Follies Of 1936" (no. 141) apparently utilizes animation for Buckwheat's eyes while he's in the dark, "Divot Diggers" (no. 142) has an animated golf ball, and more notably, a cartoon chick, and "The Pinch Singer" (no. 143) features some animated radio waves during its opening titles.

Thicker Than Water (special effects)

Aug. 6, 1935 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. L-23 - Laurel & Hardy series

Filmed around July 1 to 9, 1935. ©Aug. 6, 1935. Seawright handled the unique scene transitions in this film.

Bonnie Scotland (uncredited photographic effects/animator)

Aug. 23, 1935 - Roach/MGM - 8 reels - prod. F-7 - Laurel & Hardy feature

Filmed May 1 to June 15, 1935, with reshots in late July 1935. ©Aug. 20, 1935. Re-released Feb. 1, 1954, as Heroes Of The Regiment. This film was reissued in the early '50s as three separate short subjects. Seawright provided animated bees for this film.

1936

Seawright's only onscreen Our Gang credit was for "General Spanky" (no. 150), but there was no animation in that film. Two Our Gang films featured animation during this year, both presumably by Seawright: "Two Too Young" (no. 147) used animation for the exploding firecrackers, while "Spooky Hooky" (no. 149) featured some animated lightning, as well as an animated transition into the final scene. A casting directory from this year lists all of the heads of department at the Roach studio, and Seawright is listed as head of the Process Department, no doubt reflecting the fact that there was a lot more to his job than animating.

On The Wrong Trek (photographic effects)

Apr. 18, 1936 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. C-40 - Charley Chase series

Also listed for June 11, 1936. Filmed mid to late Apr. 1936. ©June 11, 1936.

Neighborhood House (photographic effects)

May 9, 1936 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. C-39 - Charley Chase series

Previewed in April at 58 minutes, and then cut to 55 minutes before finally being released as a short. Filmed around Mar 9 to 25, 1936. ©July 8, 1936.

Kelly The Second (photographic effects)

Aug. 21, 1936 - Roach/MGM - 7 reels - prod. F-10 - All Star feature

Starring Patsy Kelly, with Charley Chase and Guinn Williams. Filmed Feb. to Apr. 1936. ©July 27, 1936. Previewed at 85 and 82 minutes. Re-released in Jan. 1948.

Mr. Cinderella (photographic effects)

Oct. 23, 1936 - Roach/MGM - 8 reels - prod. F-9 - All Star feature

Filmed Nov. 1935 to June 1936. ©Oct. 21, 1936. Starring Jack Haley.

Our Relations (photographic effects)

Oct. 30, 1936 - Roach/MGM - 6 reels - prod. F-11 - Laurel & Hardy feature

Filmed around Mar. 12 to May 4, 1936. ©Sep. 29, 1936. Re-released in Jan. 1948. US cut version titled Sailors' Downfall. Seawright animated the rock that hits Finlayson on the head.

150. General Spanky (photographic effects)

Dec. 11, 1936 - Roach/MGM - 8 reels - prod. F-12 - 'Spanky' McFarland feature

Filmed July 22 to Sep. 8, 1936, with retakes on Sep. 17, and Oct. 19 and 20, 1936. ©Dec. 4, 1936.

1937

Assuming Seawright was still handling the animated effects himself, we can credit him with a healthy seven Our Gang films from this year. "Glove Taps" uses animation to get the effect across when Buckwheat punches Alfalfa. "Hearts Are Thumps" (no. 153) reprises the animated bubble gag. "Rushin' Ballet" (no. 155) features an animated game of marbles. "Roamin' Holiday" (no. 156) features some animated bees. Maltin & Bann specifically credit Seawright for the photographic effects in "Night 'N' Gales" (no. 157), but it's also worth mentioning the animated moth in this film. "Fishy Tales" (no. 158) features some special effects as Alfalfa shoots a dart at the apple on Buckwheat's head, though this technically wasn't necessarily animation. And finally, "The Pigskin Palooka" (no. 160) utilizes a few animated sparks as Gary Jasgar fires his cap gun. The Internet Movie Database, incidentally, credits Seawright with the special effects in "Our Gang Follies Of 1938" (no. 162), and while I don't doubt that he was involved as such with all of the Our Gang films from this period, the film doesn't credit him, nor do any of the authors I normally mention on this website.

Way Out West (photographic effects)

Apr. 16, 1937 - Roach/MGM - 6 reels - prod. F-14 - Laurel & Hardy feature

Filmed Aug. 27 to early Nov. 1936. ©Apr. 9, 1937. This film was reissued in the early '50s as a two-reeler entitled The Whacky West.

Nobody's Baby (photographic effects)

Apr. 23, 1937 - Roach/MGM - 7 reels - prod. F-16 - All Star feature

©Apr. 6, 1937. Starring Patsy Kelly & Lyda Roberti.

Pick A Star (photographic effects)

May 21, 1937 - Roach/MGM - 8 reels - prod. F-15 - feature

Starring Jack Haley, with Patsy Kelly, Rosina Lawrence, Mischa Auer and Laurel & Hardy. Filmed Nov. 16, 1936, to early Jan. 1937. ©May 18, 1937. Re-released Feb. 1, 1954, under the title Movie Struck. An abbreviated version of this film was called A Day At The Studio.

Topper (special effects)

July 16, 1937 - Roach/MGM - 10 reels - prod. F-17 - All Star feature

©July 14, 1937. Starring Cary Grant, Constance Bennett, Roland Young. Re-released Jan. 1948

157. Night 'N' Gales (uncredited special effects)

July 24, 1937 - Roach/MGM - 1 reel - prod. K-11 - Our Gang series

Filmed June 22 to 30, 1937. ©Aug. 18, 1937.

1938

The Our Gang series left the Roach studio midway though this year. None of the final Roach episodes featured animation, but Seawright still got involved with occasional special effects and process shots. Any animation seen in later Our Gang films would be the product of the MGM animation department. Seawright remained with Roach well into the forties.

Merrily We Live (photographic effects)

Mar. 4, 1938 - Roach/MGM - 10 reels - prod. F-19 - All Star feature

©Feb. 28, 1938. Starring Constance Bennett. Re-released in Jan. 1948.

165. Three Men In A Tub (uncredited co-photographer)

Mar. 26, 1938 - Roach/MGM - 1 reel - prod. K-18 - Our Gang series

Filmed Feb. 9 to 18, 1938. ©Apr. 1, 1938. Seawright shot background plates on Feb. 16th for the process shots.

Swiss Miss (special effects)

May 20, 1938 - Roach/MGM - 7 reels - prod. F-20 - Laurel & Hardy feature

Filmed Dec. 28, 1937 to Feb. 26, 1938, with added scenes Apr. 1, and retakes Apr. 21, 1938. ©May 3, 1938.

Block-Heads (photographic effects)

Aug. 19, 1938 - Roach/MGM - 5 reels - prod. F-22 - Laurel & Hardy feature

Filmed June 1 to July 1, 1938, with added scenes July 27 and 28, 1938. ©Aug. 17, 1938. This film was reissued in the early '50s as a two-reeler entitled Better Now.

There Goes My Heart (photographic effects)

Oct. 6, 1938 - Roach/UA - 9 reels - prod. F-21 - feature

©Oct. 6, 1938. Featuring Virginia Bruce, Fredric March, Harry Langdon.

1939

Topper Takes A Trip (photographic effects)

Jan. 12, 1939 - Roach/UA - 8 reels - prod. F-24 - feature

Also listed for Jan. 21, 1939. Premiered Dec. 29, 1938. ©Feb. 1, 1939. Featuring Constance Bennett, Roland Young. Seawright was nominated for an Academy Award in the 'Best Effects, Special Effects' category.

Zenobia (special effects)

Apr. 21, 1939 - Roach/UA - 8 reels - prod. F-23 - feature

Also listed for May 1939. ©Apr. 11, 1939. Featuring Oliver Hardy, Harry Langdon. Previewed as It's Spring Again. UK title: Elephants Never Forget.

Captain Fury (special photographic effects)

May 26, 1939 - Roach/UA - 9 reels - prod. F-25 - feature

©May 25, 1939. Featuring Brian Aherne, George Zucco, Victor McLaglen, June Lang.

Of Mice And Men (photographic effects)

prem. Dec. 30, 1939 - Roach/UA - 11 reels - prod. F-28 - feature

Initially previewed Nov. 1, 1939. Released Feb. 2, 1940. Filmed Aug. 14 to Nov. 1939. ©Feb. 2, 1940. Featuring Burgess Meredith, Lon Chaney, Jr.

1940

A Chump At Oxford (photographic effects)

Feb. 16, 1940 - Roach/UA - 6 reels - prod. F-26 - Laurel & Hardy feature

Filmed June 1939 as a 4-reeler, and originally released that way in the US. Additional scenes were shot in Sep. 1939 for the European 6-reeler, and Roach decided to release it domestically in this expanded form in early 1941. ©Jan. 19, 1940.

One Million B.C. (photographic effects)

Apr. 26, 1940 - Roach/UA - 9 reels - prod. F-30 - feature

Also listed for Apr. 5, 1940. Filmed Nov. 6 to Dec. 26, 1939. ©Apr. 12, 1940. Starring Victor Mature, Carole Landis. UK title: Man And His Mate. Reissued by Favorite Films as Cave Man. Seawright was nominated for an Academy Award, along with soundman Elmer Raguse, in the 'Best Effects, Special Effects' category. Real animals were enlarged photographically to become monsters in this film. Their treatment was met with disapproval from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which led to stricter laws. Footage from this film went on to be utilized for adventure and sci-fi films over the next three decades.

Saps At Sea (photographic effects)

May 3, 1940 - Roach/UA - 5 reels - prod. F-29 - Laurel & Hardy feature

Filmed Nov. to early Dec. 1939. ©Apr. 26, 1940. This film was reissued in the early '50s as two separate short subjects, "Where To Now" and "Horn Hero."

Turnabout (photographic effects)

May 17, 1940 - Roach/UA - 9 reels - prod. F-31 - feature

©May 21, 1940. Filming began Feb. 19, 1940. Starring John Hubbard, Carole Landis.

Captain Caution (special effects photography)

Oct. 9, 1940 - Roach/UA - 9 reels - prod. F-32 - feature

©Sep. 3, 1940. Starring Victor Mature, Louise Platt, Bruce Cabot.

1941

Road Show (photographic effects)

Jan. 9, 1941 - Roach/UA - 9 reels - prod. F-33 - feature

The premiere of this film has been listed for Feb. 18, 1941. Filmed July 1940. ©Jan. 9, 1941. Starring John Hubbard, Carole Landis, Margaret Roach.

Topper Returns (special effects)

Mar. 21, 1941 - Roach/UA - 10 reels - prod. F-35 - feature

Filmed from early Nov. through mid Dec. 1940. ©Apr. 14, 1941. Starring Joan Blondell, Roland Young. Seawright was nominated for an Academy Award, along with soundman Elmer Raguse, in the 'Best Effects, Special Effects' category.

Broadway Limited (special effects)

June 13, 1941 - Roach/UA - 8 reels - prod. F-34 - feature

©June 4, 1941. Starring Marjorie Woodworth, Leonid Kinsky. UK title: The Baby Vanishes.

Tanks A Million (special effects)

Sep. 12, 1941 - Roach/UA - 5 reels - prod. F-37 - streamliner

©Sep. 9, 1941. Starring William Tracy, James Gleason.

Niagara Falls (special effects)

Oct. 17, 1941 - Roach/UA - 5 reels - prod. F-36 - streamliner

©Oct. 3, 1941. Starring ZaSu Pitts, Slim Summerville.

All-American Co-ed (special photographic effects)

Oct. 31, 1941 - Roach/UA - 5 reels - prod. F-38 - streamliner

©Oct. 30, 1941. Starring Harry Langdon, Johnny Downs, Marjorie Woodward.

Hay Foot (photographic effects)

Dec. 12, 1941 - Roach/UA - 5 reels - prod. F-41 - streamliner

Also listed for Jan. 2, 1942. ©Dec. 15, 1941. Starring William Tracy, Joe Sawyer.

1942

By July 25th, Hal Roach had left his studio to go into active duty for the Army, and within a year, production on Roach films ground to a halt. The studio was taken over by the U.S. Army Air Corps. They moved the 18th Air Force Base Unit, which specialized in the production of training films, to the Roach studio, after having been located at the Warner Bros. Burbank studio the previous few months. Major Roy Seawright provided 'special photo effects' to their product, much the same as he did with the Roach films. He probably worked on literally hundreds of training films over the next few years.

Brooklyn Orchid (special effects)

Feb. 20, 1942 - Roach/UA - 5 reels - prod. F-43 - streamliner

Also listed for Jan. 31, 1942. ©Apr. 2, 1942. Starring William Bendix, Grace Bradley.

Flying With Music (special photographic effects)

May 22, 1942 - Roach/UA - 5 reels - prod. F-45 - streamliner

©Aug. 6, 1942. Starring Marjorie Woodworth.

The Devil With Hitler (special photographic effects)

Nov. 20, 1942 - Roach/UA - 5 reels - prod. F-46 - streamliner

Also listed for Oct. 22, 1942. ©Aug. 6, 1942. Premiered Oct. 18, 1942. Starring Bobby Watson, Alan Mowbray.

The McGuerins From Brooklyn (special photographic effects)

Dec. 31, 1942 - Roach/UA - 5 reels - prod. F-47 - streamliner

©Sep. 29, 1942. Starring William Bendix, Grace Bradley. Re-released in Jan. 1948.

1943

Calaboose (special photographic effects)

Jan. 29, 1943 - Roach/UA - 5 reels - prod. F-48 - streamliner

©Sep. 24, 1942. Starring Noah Beery, Jr.

Fall In (special effects)

Mar. 5, 1943 - Roach/UA - 5 reels - prod. F-49 - streamliner

©Oct. 2, 1942. Premiered Nov. 20, 1942. Starring William Tracy, Joe Sawyer.

Taxi, Mister? (special photographic effects)

Apr. 16, 1943 - Roach/UA - 5 reels - prod. F-51 - streamliner

©Sep. 9, 1942. Premiered Apr. 14, 1943. Starring William Bendix, Grace Bradley.

Prairie Chickens (special effects)

May 21, 1943 - Roach/UA - 5 reels - prod. F-52 - streamliner

©Oct. 13, 1942. Starring Noah Beery, Jr., Jimmy Rogers

Yanks Ahoy! (special effects)

June 25, 1943 - Roach/UA - 6 reels - prod. F-53 - streamliner

Also listed for June 29, 1943. ©Oct. 15, 1942. Starring William Tracy, Joe Sawyer.

Live And Learn (special effects)

1943 - US Army Air Forces - short

Nazty Nuisance (photographic effects)

Aug. 6, 1943 - Roach/UA - 5 reels - prod. F-50 - streamliner

Also listed for Aug. 8, 1943. ©Dec. 9, 1942. Premiered May 28, 1943. Starring Bobby Watson, Joe Devlin.

Tarzan's Desert Mystery (archival)

prem. Dec. 26, 1943 - Lesser/RKO - 70 min. - Tarzan feature

©Nov. 26, 1943. Includes footage from "One Million B.C."

1946

After the war ended, Roach put some more streamliners into production, and those listed for 1947 and 1948 on this page were all made during 1946. Presumably, Seawright left the company during this year, unless some of the non-Roach productions listed below were made at Roach on a rental basis, in which case perhaps Seawright's services would have been part of the bargain.

1947

Carnegie Hall (special effects)

Feb. 28, 1947 - Federal/UA - 144 min.

©Aug. 8, 1947. Credited as Roy W. Seawright.

Hal Roach Comedy Carnival (photographic effects)

part 1: Curley

part 2: The Fabulous Joe

Aug. 23, 1947 - Roach/UA - 112 min. - Cinecolor - prod. F-54/56 - streamliner package

©Aug. 29, 1947. Starring Frances Rafferty, Larry Olsen, Walter Abel, Margot Grahame. Part 1 went into production on Apr. 11, 1946, and is 6 reels. The two halves were subsequently released separately. "Curly" was combined with "Who Killed Doc Robbin" in the '80s to create two new films: The Adventures Of Curly And His Gang and Curley And His Gang In The Haunted Mansion.

The Gangster (special photographic effects)

Nov. 25, 1947 - King Brothers/Allied Artists - 84 min.

©Nov. 22, 1947. Credited as Roy W. Seawright. Reissued as Low Company.

1948

Towards the end of this year, Seawright became associated with a company called Eagle-Lion Films. This company made its own films in addition to distributing those made by other companies, and Seawright's services were utilized for both.

Superman (archival)

Jan. 5, 1948 - Columbia - 2 reels - 15-chapter serial

©July 15 to Oct. 5, 1948. This serial used some of the volcano footage from "One Million B.C."

Lafftime (photographic effects)

part 1: Here Comes Trouble

part 2: Who Killed Doc Robbin?

Mar. 15, 1948 - Roach/UA - 110 min. - Cinecolor - prod. F-55/57 - streamliner package

©Apr. 9, 1948. Starring William Tracy, Joe Sawyer. The two halves were subsequently released separately. Part 1 is 6 reels. "Who Killed Doc Robbin" was combined with "Curly" in the '80s to create two new films: The Adventures Of Curly And His Gang and Curley And His Gang In The Haunted Mansion. Credited as Roy W. Seawright.

1949

The Big Cat (special photographic effects)

Apr. 1949 - Moss/Eagle-Lion - Technicolor - 75 min.

©May 19, 1949. Credited as Roy W. Seawright.

Red Stallion In The Rockies (special effects)

May 2, 1949 - Eagle-Lion - Cinecolor - 85 min.

©Mar. 2, 1949. Credited as Roy W. Seawright.

Two Knights From Brooklyn (special photographic effects)

part 1: The McGuerins From Brooklyn

part 2: Taxi Mister

1949 - Roach/Favorite - 75 min. - prod. F-47/51 - streamliner reissue package

Starring William Bendix, Joe Sawyer.

Trapped (special effects)

Oct. 1, 1949 - Contemporary/Eagle-Lion - 78 min.

©Oct. 7, 1949. Credited as Roy W. Seawright.

Reign Of Terror (special photographic effects)

prem. Oct. 15, 1949 - Wanger/Eagle-Lion - 89 min.

©June 10, 1949. Credited as Roy W. Seawright. UK title: The Black Book.

Port Of New York (special photographic effects)

Nov. 28, 1949 - Contemporary/Eagle-Lion - 9 reels

©Nov. 10, 1949. Credited as Roy W. Seawright.

At this point, the Seawright filmography ceases to include any new projects and gets cluttered with sci-fi films containing footage from the 1940 Roach feature "One Million B.C." Presumably, Seawright broke his ties with Eagle-Lion around this time and moved on to other areas. Eventually, in the sixties for instance, he either owned or worked for a company called Cascade Films, which was known to associate with Tex Avery's company and primarily made television commercials. Seawright often served as director of photography on projects directed by Dave Monahan, and both were associated with Cascade and MPO-TV. That's about all I know about that, other than having seen a photograph of Seawright and Monahan posing with Phil Silvers. I have no idea what year Seawright retired, nor can I list any of the individual commercials he worked on.

1950

The Lost Volcano (archival)

June 25, 1950 - Monogram - 67 min. - Bomba feature

©June 25, 1950. This film used some of the volcano footage from "One Million B.C."

The Costume Designer (archival)

July 13, 1950 - AMPAS/RKO - 9 min. - documentary

©Dec. 31, 1949. Includes footage from "One Million B.C."

1951

Two Lost Worlds (archival)

Jan. 5, 1951 - Sterling/Eagle-Lion - 61 min.

©Oct. 29, 1950. Includes footage from "One Million B.C."

Jungle Manhunt (archival)

Oct. 4, 1951 - Columbia - 66 min. - Jungle Jim feature

©Sep. 24, 1951. Includes footage from "One Million B.C."

1952

The Schaefer Century Theatre episode: Yesterday's World (archival)

July 9, 1952 - 30 min. - TV episode

This TV episode used some of the dinosaur footage from "One Million B.C."

Untamed Women (archival)

Sep. 12, 1952 - Jewell/UA - 70 min.

©Sep. 12, 1952. Includes footage from "One Million B.C."

Ramar Of The Jungle series (archival)

Oct. 1952 to 1954 - Arrow - 30 min. - syndicated TV series

Includes footage from "One Million B.C."

1953

Robot Monster (archival)

June 25, 1953 - Three Dimension/Astor - 3-D

Includes footage from "One Million B.C."

1955

King Dinosaur (archival)

June 17, 1955 - Zimgor/Lippert - 63 min.

©July 15, 1955. Includes footage from "One Million B.C."

Jungle Jim series (archival)

Sep. 26, 1955 - Screen Gems - 30 min. - syndicated TV series

Includes footage from "One Million B.C."

Soldiers Of Fortune TV series (archival)

1955-1956 - Revue Studios - 30 min. - TV episode(s)

©Jan. 17, 1955, to Dec. 26, 1956. This series used footage from "One Million B.C." It was produced from 1954 to 1956, and first released into syndication in early 1955. There had also been a three-reeler with this title produced by the same company and copyrighted on May 11, 1954.

1957

Space Ship Sappy (archival)

Apr. 18, 1957 - Columbia - 2 reels - The Three Stooges series

© Apr. 18, 1957. This film used footage from "One Million B.C."

The Incredible Petrified World (archival)

1957 - GBM/Governor - 70 min.

Includes footage from "One Million B.C."

Ghost Diver (archival)

Oct. 1957 - Regal/20th-Fox - 76 min. - RegalScope

©Oct. 29, 1957. Includes footage from "One Million B.C."

1958

She Demons (archival)

Jan. 1, 1958 - Screencraft/Astor - 77 min.

Includes footage from "One Million B.C."

Teenage Cave Man (archival)

July 1958 - Malibu/AIP - 66 min. - Superama

©July 14, 1958. Includes footage from "One Million B.C."

1961

Valley Of The Dragons (archival)

Nov. 1961 - Columbia - 79 min.

©Nov. 1, 1961. UK title: Prehistoric Valley. Includes footage from "One Million B.C."

1967

La Isla De Los Dinosaurios (archival)

Mar. 16, 1967 - Cinematografica Calderon - 87 min.

Also known as The Island Of The Dinosaurs. First released in Mexico. Includes footage from "One Million B.C."

1968

With his wife Bunny, Roy Seawright hosted the first Seawright Tournament during this year. Over time, it attracted many of the best beach volleyball players.

1969

One Million AC/DC (archival)

1969 - Canyon - 80 min. - Eastmancolor

Includes footage from "One Million B.C."

1970

Horror Of The Blood Monsters (archival)

Feb. 1, 1970 - IIP - 85 min. - color

Includes footage from "One Million B.C."

1978

Rascal Dazzle (archival)

1978 - King World/Picture Scores - 93 min. - documentary feature

©1978. Seems to have debuted on TV, followed by a theatrical release in late 1979. Includes footage from "Three Men In A Tub."

1984

The 56th Annual Academy Awards (archival)

Apr. 9, 1984 - AMPAS/ABC - TV special

Includes footage from "One Million B.C."

Our Gang: Inside The Clubhouse (archival)

May 8, 1984 - Lang/Camellia City Telecasters - 93 mins. - TV documentary

Includes footage from "Three Men In A Tub."

1989

IMDb credits Seawright as a special effects supervisor for the TV series "MMC" (which stands for the Mickey Mouse Club). At this point, he was well into his eighties, and since the remnants of Hal Roach Studios was involved in this production, I suspect that somebody simply assumed Seawright was involved. In fact, he died midway through the run of this series, so for now, I'll leave "MMC" out of his filmography.

Harold Lloyd: The Third Genius (appearance)

1989 - TV documentary

1990

IMDb also credits Seawright with the photographic effects used in two TV movies produced by Hal Roach Studios (that is, the Canadian company that still bore that name). They were "The Little Kidnappers" and "Lantern Hill." In this case, the listing indicates that Seawright received no onscreen credit, so I'm going to assume, until further notice, that somebody made a mistake. He was, after all, 85 years old in 1990, and died the following year.

See anything that needs changing? Contact me at BtheW@aol.com.

© Robert Demoss.