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Nat Perrin
Nat Perrin
Nat Perrin
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Nat Perrin (March 15, 1905 – May 9, 1998) was an American comedy film, television, and radio screenwriter, producer, and director, who contributed gags and storylines to several Marx Brothers films and co-wrote the script for the film Hellzapoppin' (1941) adapted from the stage musical. He is credited with writing the screenplay or story outline for over 25 films, including The Big Store (1941), The Great Morgan (1945), and Song of the Thin Man (1947), as well as several television series.

Key Information

Biography

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Perrin was a registered attorney who never practiced; he instead worked in the publicity department for Warner Bros. in 1930. He often told the story of how he made his way into Groucho Marx's dressing room in 1931 with a forged letter of introduction from Moss Hart.[1] Groucho was impressed with Perrin, and arranged for him to be hired by Paramount Pictures. The two became close friends.[2]

Perrin went on to write for the Marx Brothers' films Monkey Business and Duck Soup.[2] Their film The Big Store was developed from an original story by Perrin.[3] He was co-writer of their Flywheel, Shyster, and Flywheel radio shows, with Arthur Sheekman, and often stood in for Chico when he was late for rehearsals.[3]

Perrin contributed gags, punchlines, pratfalls and plots for other comedians including Buster Keaton, Lou Costello, Bob Hope, Gracie Allen, Eddie Cantor and Red Skelton.[4]

In the late 1930s, Perrin produced for Columbia Pictures, moving to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in the 1940s. In the early 1950s, he became a producer for such TV shows as The Red Skelton Show (run 1951–1971) and the anthology series Death Valley Days (run 1952–1970). He produced and was head writer for The Addams Family series from 1964–1966.[2]

Beginning in the late 1970s and well into his later years, Perrin taught screenwriting and film history at California State University Northridge.

When Groucho's health was steadily declining in 1977, Perrin served as temporary conservator of his estate.[5]

References

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Nat Perrin

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''Nat Perrin'' is an American screenwriter, producer, and director known for his contributions to classic Hollywood comedy, particularly through his work with the Marx Brothers on films such as Duck Soup and Monkey Business, as well as his later role as producer and head writer on the television series The Addams Family. Perrin, born in 1905, trained as a lawyer but never practiced law and instead entered the entertainment industry in 1930, initially working in the publicity department at Warner Bros. before transitioning to screenwriting. He famously gained entry into the Marx Brothers' circle by using a forged letter of introduction, which led to gag-writing credits on Monkey Business (1931) and writing contributions to Duck Soup (1933), helping shape their anarchic comedic style. His association with Groucho Marx extended to co-writing the radio series Flywheel, Shyster, Flywheel and providing the original story for The Big Store (1941). In addition to Marx Brothers projects, Perrin co-wrote the screenplay for the 1941 comedy Hellzapoppin' and worked as a producer at Columbia Pictures in the late 1930s and at MGM during the 1940s, contributing to films including Song of the Thin Man (1947). Transitioning to television in the 1950s, he produced series such as Death Valley Days and How to Marry a Millionaire before serving as producer, head writer, and occasional director for The Addams Family (1964–1966). In his later years, Perrin taught screenwriting at California State University, Northridge, and he passed away on May 9, 1998, in Los Angeles.

Early life

Early years and education

Nat Perrin was born Nathan Perrin on March 15, 1905, in The Bronx, New York. He was trained as an attorney but never practiced law.

Hollywood entry

Warner Bros. publicity and Groucho Marx introduction

Nat Perrin began his Hollywood career in 1930 when he joined the publicity department at Warner Bros., having trained as a lawyer but never practicing law. In 1931, Perrin met Groucho Marx after gaining access to his dressing room with a forged letter of introduction from playwright Moss Hart, an anecdote Perrin often recounted. Groucho was impressed by Perrin during the encounter, sparking a lifelong friendship between the two. This connection proved decisive for Perrin's career, as Marx arranged for him to be hired as a gag writer at Paramount Pictures, marking his entry into professional comedy writing. Perrin credited Marx with bringing him to Hollywood and securing his first job in gag writing.

Marx Brothers collaborations

Gag writing for films and radio

Nat Perrin contributed gags and additional material to the Marx Brothers' films Monkey Business (1931) and Duck Soup (1933), helping to enhance their signature anarchic comedy style. He was specifically brought to Hollywood to add gags to the existing script for Monkey Business, where he collaborated closely with Arthur Sheekman after working conditions with other writers proved difficult. Perrin recalled the challenging script readings and the need for fresh comedic input to bolster the film's humor. For Duck Soup, his contributions included jokes and script elements, with on-set ad-libs and director Leo McCarey's approach sometimes preserving spontaneous moments over scripted lines. Perrin co-wrote the radio series Flywheel, Shyster, and Flywheel (1932–1933) with Arthur Sheekman, starring Groucho and Chico Marx as the law partners Flywheel and Ravelli. He later reflected that the scripts tested well with live audiences but failed to capture the brothers' visual comedy effectively on radio, making the show less successful than hoped. Perrin provided the original story for the Marx Brothers' later film The Big Store (1941), drawing from material he had developed for the Flywheel series. Although MGM purchased his story and paid him accordingly, other writers were brought in for revisions, and Perrin felt the final version suffered from those changes. His gag writing and story contributions across these Marx Brothers projects supported the anarchic, fast-paced comedy that defined the team's work during this era.

Feature film career

Screenwriting and producing credits

Nat Perrin built a substantial career as a screenwriter and producer in Hollywood feature films from the 1930s through the 1960s, focusing on comedy and light entertainment across multiple studios. His early gag writing experience proved foundational to his approach to screen comedy. He served as a producer at Columbia Pictures during the late 1930s before moving to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in the 1940s, where he oversaw production on several films. Perrin's screenwriting credits during this period include Hellzapoppin' (1941), Pardon My Sarong (1942) starring Abbott and Costello, Whistling in Brooklyn (1943), Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hollywood (1945), and Song of the Thin Man (1947), the last of which he also produced. He produced additional MGM titles such as The Mighty McGurk (1947) and Alias a Gentleman (1948). Perrin contributed to the story and screenplay for The Great Morgan (1945), which he also directed, and produced The Petty Girl (1950). He provided gags for comedians including Lou Costello, Bob Hope, Gracie Allen, and Eddie Cantor. In the 1960s, Perrin continued screenwriting with I'll Take Sweden (1965) starring Bob Hope, Frankie and Johnny (1966) starring Elvis Presley, and The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz (1968). He also wrote Tell It to the Judge (1949) and Miss Grant Takes Richmond (1949).

Television career

Producing, writing, and directing series

In the early 1950s, Nat Perrin shifted his focus from feature film work at Columbia and MGM to television production as the medium grew in popularity. He served as executive producer on episodes of The Red Skelton Show in the 1950s. He also served as producer on Death Valley Days from 1959 to 1962 (71 episodes) and directed 19 episodes of the anthology series from 1959 to 1964. Perrin produced several other television series during the 1950s and early 1960s. These included My Friend Irma from 1952 to 1953, How to Marry a Millionaire from 1957 to 1958, and The Beachcomber in 1962. In the mid-1960s, Perrin took on a prominent role as producer and head writer for The Addams Family from 1964 to 1966, overseeing the full run of 64 episodes, and he directed one episode of the sitcom.

Later life

Teaching, conservatorship, and death

In his later years, Nat Perrin taught screenwriting and film history at California State University, Northridge, beginning in the late 1970s and continuing well into his 80s and 90s. A former student recalled him as a witty instructor who shared valuable industry stories in an introductory screenwriting class during the mid-1980s, making it one of the student's favorite courses. Perrin remained close to his longtime friend and mentor Groucho Marx. In 1977, amid concerns about Marx's declining health and the influence of his companion Erin Fleming, a Los Angeles court appointed Perrin as temporary conservator for the comedian, a role he accepted out of loyalty despite his age of 72. Perrin described the responsibility positively, stating he felt indebted to Marx and that the arrangement was "not any burden." Nat Perrin died on May 9, 1998, in Los Angeles at the age of 93. He is buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
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