Douglas Shearer
Sound
🎂 1899-11-17
Douglas Graham Shearer (November 17, 1899 – January 5, 1971) was a Canadian-American pioneering sound designer and recording director who played a key role in the advancement of sound technology for motion pictures. He won seven Academy Awards for his work. In 2008, he was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame. Douglas began his journey into cinema by studying experimental electricity at Northern Electric Company before joining MGM in 1925. Initially exploring lighting and cameras, he pivoted to sound when the era of sound pictures emerged in 1928. He pioneered synchronizing musical soundtracks with film scenes, notably in the groundbreaking "The Broadway Melody," which won the 1929 Oscar for Best Picture. As head of MGM's sound department until his retirement, Shearer revolutionized sound recording, winning an Academy Award for Best Sound Recording for "The Big House." His groundbreaking work at MGM significantly enhanced the technical aspects of filmmaking. His legacy was recognized even in death, receiving a front-page obituary in The New York Times—an honour typically reserved for industry giants and heads of state.
Cast credits(2)
Sound (516)
Sound Director
1939
Recording Supervision
1952
Sound Director
1942
Recording Supervision
1932
Sound Designer
1944
Sound Recordist
1951
Recording Supervision
1939
Recording Supervision
1940
Recording Supervision
1944
Sound Director
1939
Recording Supervision
1953
Sound Director
1935
Sound
1954
Recording Supervision
1954
Sound Director
1935
Recording Supervision
1945
Recording Supervision
1951
Sound Recordist
1951
Recording Supervision
1951
Recording Supervision
1950
Recording Supervision
1950
Sound Director
1940
Recording Supervision
1940
Sound Director
1932
Sound Director
1936
Sound Director
1949
Recording Supervision
1949
Recording Supervision
1939
Sound Director
1939
Sound Director
1936
Recording Supervision
1953
Sound Director
1933
Recording Supervision
1947
Recording Supervision
1951
Recording Supervision
1949
Sound Recordist
1949
Recording Supervision
1952
Recording Supervision
1950
Sound
1933
Sound Director
1946
Recording Supervision
1946
Sound Director
1936
Recording Supervision
1934
Sound Director
1940
Recording Supervision
1951
Recording Supervision
1938
Sound Director
1946
Sound Director
1948
Sound Recordist
1948
Recording Supervision
1952
Recording Supervision
1941
Recording Supervision
1944
Sound
1932
Recording Supervision
1936
Sound Director
1946
Sound
1937
Recording Supervision
1942
Sound Recordist
1929
Recording Supervision
1929
Recording Supervision
1940
Recording Supervision
1948
Recording Supervision
1949
Sound Director
1949
Recording Supervision
1951
Recording Supervision
1939
Sound Director
1934
Recording Supervision
1953
Sound Recordist
1951
Recording Supervision
1951
Sound Director
1934
Recording Supervision
1953
Sound
1953
Sound Director
1935
Recording Supervision
1946
Recording Supervision
1948
Recording Supervision
1936
Sound Director
1936
Recording Supervision
1949
Sound Director
1935
Sound Director
1940
Recording Supervision
1937
Recording Supervision
1953
Recording Supervision
1947
Recording Supervision
1951
Sound
1951
Sound Director
1947
Sound Director
1939
Sound Director
1937
Sound Director
1936
Sound Director
1935
Sound Director
1934
Recording Supervision
1945
Sound Recordist
1952
Recording Supervision
1950
Sound Director
1933
Sound Director
1935
Recording Supervision
1953
Recording Supervision
1950
Recording Supervision
1944
Recording Supervision
1944
Sound
1953
Sound Director
1934
Recording Supervision
1946
Sound Director
1942
Recording Supervision
1942
Sound Director
1932
Recording Supervision
1949
Recording Supervision
1949
Recording Supervision
1931
Recording Supervision
1943
Recording Supervision
1954
Sound Recordist
1940
Sound Director
1944
Sound
1938
Recording Supervision
1946
Sound Director
1946
Recording Supervision
1936
Recording Supervision
1948
Sound Director
1941
Sound Director
1934
Recording Supervision
1951
Recording Supervision
1952
Sound Supervisor
1950
Sound Director
1944
Recording Supervision
1939
Sound Director
1936
Sound Director
1941
Recording Supervision
1946
Recording Supervision
1936
Recording Supervision
1950
Sound Director
1952
Recording Supervision
1949
Sound Director
1944
Recording Supervision
1953
Recording Supervision
1953
Recording Supervision
1953
Recording Supervision
1951
Recording Supervision
1953
Sound Director
1934
Recording Supervision
1941
Recording Supervision
1951
Sound Director
1942
Sound
1947
Recording Supervision
1941
Recording Supervision
1947
Recording Supervision
1940
Sound Director
1936
Recording Supervision
1931
Recording Supervision
1950
Sound Recordist
1950
Sound Director
1946
Sound
1939
Sound Supervisor
1949
Recording Supervision
1945
Sound Director
1937
Recording Supervision
1953
Sound Director
1931
Recording Supervision
1953
Sound Director
1944
Sound Director
1930
Recording Supervision
1950
Sound Director
1939
Sound Director
1934
Sound Director
1933
Sound
1930
Sound
1935
Recording Supervision
1949
Recording Supervision
1950
Recording Supervision
1939
Sound Director
1930
Recording Supervision
1951
Recording Supervision
1951
Sound Director
1938
Recording Supervision
1935
Sound Designer
1950
Sound Recordist
1950
Recording Supervision
1941
Recording Supervision
1953
Sound Director
1933
Sound Director
1932
Sound Director
1932
Recording Supervision
1952
Recording Supervision
1954
Recording Supervision
1949
Sound Director
1935
Recording Supervision
1940
Sound Director
1938
Recording Supervision
1940
Sound Director
1931
Sound Director
1943
Sound Director
1937
Sound Director
1941
Recording Supervision
1941
Recording Supervision
1950
Recording Supervision
1949
Sound
1948
Recording Supervision
1954
Sound Director
1931
Sound Director
1942
Recording Supervision
1952
Sound Director
1932
Sound Director
1947
Sound Director
1932
Recording Supervision
1953
Sound Director
1937
Recording Supervision
1953
Sound
1943
Sound Director
1935
Recording Supervision
1953
Recording Supervision
1935
Recording Supervision
1952
Recording Supervision
1937
Sound Director
1932
Sound Director
1934
Sound Director
1943
Sound Director
1944
Recording Supervision
1942
Sound Director
1933
Recording Supervision
1945
Sound Director
1940
Sound Director
1932
Recording Supervision
1939
Sound Director
1931
Sound Director
1935
Sound
1947
Sound
1941
Sound Director
1932
Sound
1941
Sound
1942
Recording Supervision
1939
Sound Director
1949
Sound Director
1931
Sound Director
1934
Sound
1932
Sound Director
1933
Sound Director
1936
Recording Supervision
1952
Sound Director
1933
Sound
1951
Recording Supervision
1953
Sound Director
1940
Recording Supervision
1953
Sound Director
1946
Recording Supervision
1932
Sound Director
1938
Sound Director
1947
Sound Recordist
1932
Recording Supervision
1946
Sound Director
1944
Recording Supervision
1941
Recording Supervision
1954
Sound
1950
Recording Supervision
1936
Sound
1947
Recording Supervision
1931
Sound Director
1938
Sound Recordist
1930
Sound Director
1943
Sound Director
1938
Recording Supervision
1950
Sound Director
1944
Recording Supervision
1945
Sound Director
1942
Recording Supervision
1953
Recording Supervision
1950
Sound Director
1938
Sound Director
1940
Sound Director
1932
Sound Director
1933
Sound Director
1939
Sound Director
1932
Recording Supervision
1943
Sound Recordist
1938
Recording Supervision
1940
Sound Director
1934
Recording Supervision
1950
Sound Director
1937
Sound Director
1932
Sound Director
1938
Recording Supervision
1952
Sound Director
1934
Sound
1950
Recording Supervision
1949
Sound Director
1931
Recording Supervision
1931
Sound
1936
Sound Director
1930
Sound Director
1938
Sound Director
1942
Recording Supervision
1938
Sound Director
1936
Sound Director
1938
Sound Director
1933
Recording Supervision
1950
Recording Supervision
1950
Recording Supervision
1950
Sound Director
1930
Recording Supervision
1950
Sound Director
1938
Sound Director
1939
Sound Director
1943
Recording Supervision
1953
Recording Supervision
1950
Sound Director
1939
Sound Director
1940
Recording Supervision
1954
Sound Director
1932
Sound Director
1939
Recording Supervision
1951
Sound Engineer
1930
Sound Director
1939
Sound Director
1937
Sound Director
1933
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
1939
Recording Supervision
1931
Sound Director
1937
Sound Director
1933
Sound Director
1944
Sound
1938
Sound Director
1941
Sound Director
1939
Sound Director
1931
Sound Director
1942
Sound
1948
Sound Director
1938
Recording Supervision
1936
Sound Director
1937
Sound Director
1946
Sound Director
1939
Sound Recordist
1932
Recording Supervision
1945
Recording Supervision
1934
Sound Director
1947
Sound
1937
Recording Supervision
1953
Sound Director
1931
Sound Director
1934
Recording Supervision
1935
Recording Supervision
1937
Sound Director
1946
Sound Director
1936
Recording Supervision
1943
Sound
1952
Sound Director
1937
Recording Supervision
1938
Recording Supervision
1944
Sound Director
1938
Recording Supervision
1938
Sound Director
1938
Sound
1932
Recording Supervision
1946
Recording Supervision
1935
Sound Director
1931
Recording Supervision
1951
Sound Director
1933
Recording Supervision
1941
Recording Supervision
1951
Recording Supervision
1952
Sound Recordist
1937
Sound Director
1939
Sound Director
1942
Sound Director
1941
Recording Supervision
1942
Sound Director
1931
Sound Director
1934
Sound Director
1933
Recording Supervision
1941
Sound Director
1933
Recording Supervision
1953
Sound Director
1933
Sound Director
1932
Sound Director
1933
Recording Supervision
1937
Sound Director
1932
Sound
1939
Sound Director
1934
Sound
1935
Sound
1932
Sound Director
1937
Sound Director
1933
Recording Supervision
1935
Sound Director
1935
Sound Director
1932
Sound Director
1937
Sound Director
1934
Sound Director
1931
Sound Director
1941
Sound Director
1940
Sound Director
1932
Recording Supervision
1940
Recording Supervision
1935
Recording Supervision
1951
Sound
1948
Recording Supervision
1941
Sound Director
1940
Sound Director
1938
Recording Supervision
1943
Recording Supervision
1939
Sound Engineer
1930
Sound Director
1933
Sound Director
1933
Sound Director
1947
Sound Director
1947
Sound Director
1930
Sound Director
1941
Recording Supervision
1952
Sound Director
1939
Recording Supervision
1953
Sound
1933
Sound Director
1930
Sound Director
1941
Sound Director
1933
Sound Director
1930
Sound Director
1941
Sound Director
1936
Sound Director
1947
Recording Supervision
1935
Recording Supervision
1949
Recording Supervision
1953
Sound Director
1931
Recording Supervision
1939
Sound Director
1931
Sound Engineer
1929
Recording Supervision
1942
Sound Director
1936
Recording Supervision
1945
Sound Director
1932
Recording Supervision
1934
Sound
1954
Recording Supervision
1944
Recording Supervision
1952
Sound Director
1941
Recording Supervision
1950
Sound Director
1932
Sound Director
1931
Recording Supervision
1951
Sound
1952
Recording Supervision
1952
Sound Director
1931
Sound Director
1930
Sound Director
1942
Sound Director
1933
Sound Director
1938
Recording Supervision
1940
Sound Engineer
1930
Sound
1930
Sound Director
1945
Recording Supervision
1952
Sound Director
1942
Sound Director
1935
Recording Supervision
1936
Sound Recordist
1929
Sound Director
1935
Sound Director
1932
Sound Director
1941
Sound Director
1931
Sound Director
1939
Recording Supervision
1944
Sound Director
1933
Sound Director
1933
Sound
1930
Sound Director
1947
Recording Supervision
1939
Sound Director
1930
Recording Supervision
1942
Sound Director
1933
Sound Engineer
1929
Sound Director
1932
Sound Director
1931
Recording Supervision
1938
Recording Supervision
1942
Recording Supervision
1950
Sound
1932
Sound
1952
Sound Director
1930
Sound Director
1940
Recording Supervision
1953
Sound Director
1933
Sound Director
1931
Recording Supervision
1936
Sound Director
1933
Sound Director
1931
Recording Supervision
1940
Recording Supervision
1945
Sound
1947
Recording Supervision
1941
Recording Supervision
1931
Sound Director
1935
Recording Supervision
1951
Sound Director
1930
Recording Supervision
1938
Sound Director
1941
Recording Supervision
1936
Sound Director
1933
Recording Supervision
1937
Recording Supervision
1952
Sound Engineer
1929
Sound Director
1939
Sound Director
1935
Sound Director
1934
Sound Director
1938
Recording Supervision
1935
Recording Supervision
1945
Sound Director
1930
Recording Supervision
1952
Sound Director
1938
Sound Director
1930
Sound Director
1937
Recording Supervision
1933
Music Supervisor
1953
Sound Engineer
1930
Sound Director
1934
Recording Supervision
1932
Sound Director
1933
Sound Director
1933
Sound Recordist
1954
Crew (25)
Sound Recordist
1936
Sound Recordist
1935
Sound Recordist
1936
Sound Recordist
1936
Sound Recordist
1929
Sound Recordist
1936
Sound Recordist
1929
Sound Recordist
1929
Sound Recordist
1936
Sound Recordist
1939
Sound Recordist
1929
Sound Recordist
1936
Sound Recordist
1931
Sound Recordist
1939
Sound Recordist
1936
Sound Recordist
1930
Sound Recordist
1931
Sound Recordist
1936
Sound Recordist
1935
Sound Recordist
1935
Sound Recordist
1930
Sound Recordist
1930
Sound Recordist
1935
Sound Recordist
1936
Sound Recordist
1935
