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Why was W.S. Van Dyke called “One Take Woody”?
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W.S. Van Dyke
W.S. Van Dyke (standing, right) directing Myrna Loy and William Powell during the filming of The Thin Man (1934); cinematographer James Wong Howe is on the left.
W.S. Van Dyke was nicknamed “One Take Woody” because of his quick and casual shooting style, which allowed him to complete film productions on time and under budget.1
This efficiency made him highly popular with MGM executives, who frequently hired him to reshoot scenes for troubled movies. While his rapid approach was a reliable asset for the studio, it occasionally resulted in productions that lacked a consistent signature style or were considered somewhat sloppy.1