Jean Yarbrough Video | Clips from Films Directed and Interviews

Jean Yarbrough (August 22, 1901–August 2, 1975) was an American film director. He was born in Marianna, the seat of Lee County in southeastern Arkansas. After attending the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, he entered the film business in 1922, first as a propman, but he steadily rose in the ranks to assistant director. Beginning with 1936, he was a bona fide director, first doing comedy and musical shorts for RKO, but in 1938, he already directed his first feature, Rebellious Daughters. His greatest success came in the 1940s, when he directed films that are even today... MORE

Jean Yarbrough (August 22, 1901–August 2, 1975) was an American film director. He was born in Marianna, the seat of Lee County in southeastern Arkansas. After attending the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, he entered the film business in 1922, first as a propman, but he steadily rose in the ranks to assistant director. Beginning with 1936, he was a bona fide director, first doing comedy and musical shorts for RKO, but in 1938, he already directed his first feature, Rebellious Daughters. His greatest success came in the 1940s, when he directed films that are even today fondly remembered such as The Devil Bat, King of the Zombies, She-Wolf of London, or any number of Abbott and Costello and Bowery Boys comedies. In the 1950s, when the traditional B-movie was on the decline, he had few problems switching to television and directed episodes for many TV-series throughout the 1950s and 1960s, including producing and directing The Abbott and Costello Show. He directed some episodes of The Silent Service and Navy Log, two 1950s military dramas based on true stories of the United States Navy. He also subsequently directed episodes of Walter Brennan's western series, The Guns LESS