Otis Garrett
American film director (1905–1941)
Otis Edgar Garrett (March 29, 1905 – May 24, 1941) was an American film editor, screenwriter and film director, perhaps best remembered for being the most frequently employed of Universal's Crime Club directors. He was the brother of silent film actress Doris May and the brother-in-law of actor/producer Wallace MacDonald.
Early life and career
Born in Tacoma, Washington on March 29, 1905, Garrett was the son of Helen Gregory Ellen (née Otis) and George Edgar Garrett. Raised in Tacoma, San Diego, and Los Angeles, he attended the San Diego School of Expression, where his occasional cast-mates included both his sister Helen—aka Doris May—and future fellow Universal helmer Arthur Lubin.
Personal life and death
Garrett was married twice, both marriages ending in divorce. In the spring of 1924, he married Elizabeth Kathryn Mertes, with whom, in 1927, he had a daughter, Patricia. By 1930, the relationship had deteriorated to such an extent that a judge was compelled to order both parties to stop "stealing" their then 3-year-old child from each other. By the spring of 1931, both parties had filed for divorce, each on grounds of mental cruelty. Garrett's sister, by then Mrs. Wallace MacDonald, testified on her brother's behalf, stating that, were he to be awarded custody, she would personally care for the child.
The public source identifies “Otis Garrett” as american film director (1905–1941). This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Otis, Garrett and American.
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Chronology provides the most reliable spine for this subject; interpretation should follow only after identities and dates are secure. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 19, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q3357651. VIAF identifies the subject as 29092435. The Library of Congress control number is no90017051. 1 of 3 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1905, 1941, 1924 and 1927.
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This entry incorporates text from “Otis Garrett” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.