Like his contemporary George Cukor, Irving Rapper gained a reputation as a director of "women's pictures", undoubtedly resulting from what has been acknowledged as his masterpiece, the Bette Davis weepie "Now, Voyager" (1942). Yet over the course of his career, he was also responsible for eliciting fine performances from male performers like Fredric March, Claude Rains, Paul Henreid and Arthur Kennedy. Rapper flourished in the studio system as his later films attest. With the exception of "The Brave One" (1956), the majority of his later efforts pale next to his Warner Bros. output.Exactly
Immigrated to USA; sources are divided over at what age he arrived in the USA; most indicate c. 1906 when he was eight years of age, although some claim he arrived after WWI in order to study law at NYU
While studying at NYU, joined the Washington Square Players as a stage director
1936
Signed by Warner Bros.; worked initially as a dialogue coach and assistant director; worked under Michael Curtiz and William Dieterle
1937
Served as dialogue director on "Kid Galahd"
1938
Turned down several directing assignments while waiting for the right script
