Though not an especially inspired director, Felix E. Feist possessed an unerring eye for bankable story material. Educated at Columbia University, Feist was the son of an MGM sales manager; he tried to follow his father's footsteps until he became fascinated with the production end. Feist was hired by the MGM short subjects department, where, from 1930 through 1943, he wrote, produced and directed dozens of the studio's Extra Added Attractions. In 1933, he took a breather from one- and two-reelers to direct the pioneering "disaster" flick Deluge for independent Admiral Productions. He returned to shorts until he was engaged by Universal's "B" unit in 1943 to direct a handful of the studio's "pocket" musicals. He then moved to RKO, where among several programmers he helmed the "noir" classic The Devil Thumbs a Ride (1945), which he also scripted. Felix Feist's most impressive achievement of the 1950s was Donovan's Brain (1953), the second screen version of that venerable Curt Siodmak sci-fi yarn.
by Hal Erickson
biography
