Howard Christie ’29

Howard Christie was a writer, actor, production manager, director, and a producer of films and television. Born in 1912 in Orinda, Christie graduated from Tech and went on to UC Berkeley, where he was a football All-American and planned to study medicine. But a small role in a 1935 anti-Communist comedy movie called Fighting Youth induced him to stay in Hollywood.

Christie soon transitioned to a role behind the cameras, working his way up from assistant production roles to producer. His film work focused on B Westerns and comedies, including Against All Flags, Away All Boats, several Ma and Pa Kettle movies, and several Abbott and Costello movies including Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951), Abbott and Costello Go to Mars (1953), Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955) and more.

As the 1950s drew to a close, Christie was made a vice president in Universal’s television division. It was there that he produced a number of popular Western-themed TV series including Wagon Train (1957-1965), Laredo (1965-67) and The Virginian (1969-1970).

He retired in 1970 at age 58, and lived until 1992.