Ellis R. Dungan

• Name — Ellis R. Dungan • Birth Name — Ellis Roderick Dungan • Born — 11 May 1909 • Birthplace — Barton, Ohio, U.S. • Died — 1 December 2001 • Place of death — Wheeling, West Virginia, U.S. • Occupation — Film director • Spouse — Elaine Dungan • Years Active — 1935–87

An Irish-American, Dungan was born in Barton, Ohio. on May 11, 1909. He attended St. Clairsville High School in St. Clairsville, where he played quarterback on the school football team. He bought his first box camera to take pictures for the school yearbook, for which he was editor-in-chief. He later enrolled at the University of Southern California in 1932 in the newly established Cinematography & Motion Picture Production Department.

• Illustration — Ellis R. Dungan directing M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar and M. R. Santhanalakshmi in Ambikapathy (1937) In 1935, he arrived in British India with his college mate Michael Ormalev at the invitation of another USC student – Manik Lal Tandon of Bombay. Tandon's family was then planning to enter the film industry. When those plans did not take off, Tandon invited them to Calcutta where he was directing the Tamil film Nandanar. There Tandon introduced them to A. N. Marudhachalam Chettiar, a film producer who was making the film Sathi Leelavathi and recommended Dungan be hired to direct the film as he himself was busy directing Nandanar. Thus Dungan made his directing debut with Sathi Leelavathi which was also the first film of the future Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M. G. Ramachandran. During 1936–50, Dungan made a number of Tamil films and one Hindi film – Meera (1947). Dungan had no knowledge of Indian languages, a problem which never affected his career as a director of films in Indian languages, especially Tamil. He introduced many new techniques to Indian cinema despite the technical limitations of that period. Many of his movies were based on the mythical characters of the Hindu religion and he had to shoot them in Hindu temples where non-Hindus were not allowed in those days. Dungan filmed his movies in the temples by passing himself off as a Kashmiri pandit. Dungan is credited with introducing modern make-up, the mobile camera and cabaret dance numbers to Tamil Cinema and moving it away from the influence of stage plays. For his introduction of intimate love scenes in Ponmudi (1950), Dungan was criticized by the press for introducing "vulgar" scenes and for "corrupting the population with American ways". His last Tamil film was Manthiri Kumari in 1950. He returned to America and settled in Wheeling, West Virginia, in 1958. There he started his company – Ellis Dungan Productions and for the next thirty years made documentary movies.

Dungan died in Wheeling on December 1, 2001, at the age of 92.

• Year — Film — Credited as — Notes • Director — Producer — Cinematographer/Editor • 1935 — Bhakta Nandanar — Uncredited • 1936 — Sathi Leelavathi — Editor • Seemanthini • Iru Sahodarargal • 1937 — Ambikapathy — Editor • 1940 — Sakuntalai — Editor • Kalamegam • 1941 — Surya Puthri • 1943 — Daasi Penn • 1945 — Valmiki • Returning Soldier — Short film starring T. S. Balaiah • Meera — Partially reshot in Hindi (1947) • 1950 — Ponmudi • Manthiri Kumari • 1952 — The Jungle — Associate • 1958 — Harry Black and the Tiger — Technical advisor • 1959 — Wheels to Progress — Cinematographer • The Big Hunt — Co-producer — Cinematographer — Also actor • 1962 — Tarzan Goes to India — Second unit • 1965 — A Work of Heart and Hand • 1966 — Spring Comes to Vintroux — Cinematographer • 1963 — West Virginia Land for Relaxation • 1969 — High Speed Steel • 1970 — Pathways to Understanding • 1971 — Wild, Wonderful, West Virginia • 1972 — Protecting the Ballot • Portrait of a University — Cinematographer • 1977 — For Liberty and Union • A Ride of the Future • 1985 — Pocahontas: A Family Portrait • 1987 — Josiah Fox – Architect of the United States First Navy

• Year — Title — Producer — Cinematographer — Notes • 1951–1954 — Smilin' Ed's Gang • 1955–1960 — Andy's Gang — 1 episode