Jack Conway was a director who worked under the strictures set forth by studio management at MGM, alongside other contract directors such as Sam Wood and Robert Z. Leonard. Born Hugh Ryan Conway to Irish ancestry, he eschewed any pretense of individual style in favor of working within the guidelines established by Irving Thalberg and his production supervisors.
Conway's early career began as an actor, joining a repertory theatre group straight out of high school and later transitioning to film acting in 1909. He then became a member of D.W. Griffith's stock company, primarily appearing as a leading man in westerns. In 1913, he made his mark as a director and gained valuable experience at Universal before moving to MGM in 1925.
Conway directed the studio's first sound picture, Alias Jimmy Valentine, in 1928, and remained under contract until 1948. During this time, he worked on prestige assignments featuring top male star Clark Gable, including Boom Town, Honky Tonk, and The Hucksters, all of which were solid box-office hits. His most famous film, A Tale of Two Cities, is still regarded by many as the definitive screen version, featuring 17,000 extras in the Paris mob scenes alone.
Conway also directed the sophisticated all-star comedy Libeled Lady, which received praise from the New York Times reviewer for its "agile direction." Although he may not have achieved fame as a creative genius, the majority of his films remain entertaining to this day. Conway has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Vine Street.
