Hugo Ballin on AllMovie

Before becoming a filmmaker, Hugo Ballin was known for the portraits he painted. He began his Hollywood career as a set creator on a variety of early Sam Goldwyn films. Eventually he began directing at the studio until the early 1920s when he founded his own production company and began directing elaborate costume dramas based on classic literature. Most of his films starred his wife Male Ballin. Eventually the studio shut down and Ballin forewent producing in favor of directing. In 1927, he served as art director on The Love of Sunya. It was his final film before retiring.