Sarah Mason, inventor of the continuity script, first script supervisor
18 days ago
- #Hollywood history
- #Women in film
- #Screenwriting
- Sarah Yeiser Mason won an Academy Award with her husband Victor Heerman for the 1933 screenplay of 'Little Women'.
- Despite her achievements, Mason left little documentation, with most records found in Heerman's papers at the Margaret Herrick Library.
- Mason began her film career in 1918, writing short comedies for figures like Fatty Arbuckle and ZaSu Pitts.
- She married Victor Heerman in 1920 after collaborating on 'The Poor Simp'.
- Mason's contributions are often overshadowed by her husband, making it difficult to distinguish her work from his.
- Heerman's interviews sometimes downplay Mason's role, claiming he directed her writing or took credit for her work.
- Mason's career had a gap from 1923-1925, possibly due to Heerman's professional struggles affecting their collaborations.
- Heerman acknowledged Mason's generosity in crediting other writers, like George O’Neil for 'Magnificent Obsession' (1935).
- Mason's grandson described her as a passionate writer who valued creativity over recognition, possibly explaining her lack of documented credit.
- Scholars still struggle to fully assess Mason's contributions due to limited records and her reluctance to claim authorship.