Henry S. Kesler
| Henry S. Kesler | |
|---|---|
| Born |
April 24, 1907 Salt Lake City, Utah |
| Died | May 15, 1997 (aged 90) Salt Lake City, Utah |
| Occupation | Director |
| Spouse(s) | Helen Dart (div.) Josefina de los Monteros (div.) Nancy Lee Hurt |
| Children | 3 |
Henry S. Kesler (April 24, 1907 – May 15, 1997) was an American assistant director, second unit director, and director on over 240 films and television programs. A grandson of Joseph F. Smith, Kesler was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
Henry "Hank" Smith Kesler was born on April 24, 1907, in the Beehive House in Salt Lake City to Alonzo Pratt Kesler and Donnette Smith Kesler. He was the fourth of their six children. He was the grandson of Joseph F. Smith, who was a president of the LDS Church. When he was 11 years old, his father died. Kesler was baptized into the LDS Church in 1915 by Joseph F. Smith. He attended Teacher Training Junior High School through the LDS High School. He went on to attend the University of Utah and majored in business. Kesler was called to serve as a missionary for the church during his study at the University of Utah. He served in Germany and Austria during the years 1927 to 1929. After returning, he resumed studying.
Kesler left Utah in 1932 during the Great Depression to go to Southern California. However, the company he went with declared bankruptcy. Instead, he found a job with Robert Nash the business manager, for actress Anne Harding. When Nash left, Kesler was left to continue his business, beginning his career in the film industry. He held this position for three years.
Kesler entered the film industry by working with Robert Nash. Among his first clients in California was Hopalong Cassidy. Kesler decided to become a production manager instead of a business manager. He was a production manager on The History ofBaseball. He was unemployed for a time after that production was finished. He got a job with Paramount Pictures as a second assistant director from 1938 to 1943. He worked with William Wyler, Billy Wilder, and Cecil B. DeMille. He occasionally worked as a second unit director.
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