Hall acted in the theatre from the age of 4 through 1914, when he began to work in
silent movies. Following his military service in World War I, he returned to Hollywood and pursued a career in film production. He worked as a film editor and assistant director at
Paramount Pictures until 1932, when he directed his first feature film
Sinners in the Sun. From 1937 to 1947, he was a contract director at
Columbia Pictures, where he earned a reputation for sophisticated comedies. He was nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Director for
Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941). From 1934 to 1936, Hall was married to actress
Lola Lane. He was also married to Marjorie Hunter. In the late 1930s, he was engaged briefly to
Lucille Ball, who left him when she met
Desi Arnaz. Years later, the couple later hired him to direct their 1956 film
Forever, Darling. In 1952, Hall had a home in Palm Springs, California. ==Death==