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Dwain Esper (October 7, 1892—October 18, 1982) was an American director and producer of exploitation films (some of which were written by Esper's wife, Hildegarde Stadie). He is considered to be one of the worst directors of all time, and his films have become cult classics for being so notoriously bad. Some view his work as being unintentionally funny. Esper died in 1982. He and Hildegarde had two children, Dwain, Jr. and Millicent.

At one point he exhibited the mummified body of Oklahoma Outlaw Elmer McCurdy, before it was acquired by Dan Sonney.

Filmography

Director credits

• Sinister Harvest (1930)
• The Seventh Commandment (1932)

aka Sins of Love (USA: reissue title)

aka The 7th Commandment (USA: poster title)

• Narcotic (1933)

aka Narcotic Racket (USA: reissue title)

aka Narcotic! (USA: promotional title)

aka Narcotic: As Interpreted by Dwain Esper (USA: closing credits title)

• Maniac (1934)

aka Sex Maniac

• Modern Motherhood (1934)
• Marihuana (1936)

aka Marihuana, the Devil's Weed

aka Marihuana, the Weed with Roots in Hell!

• How to Undress in Front of Your Husband (1937)
• Sex Madness (1938)

aka Human Wreckage (USA: reissue title)

aka They Must Be Told (USA: reissue title)

• Curse of the Ubangi (1946)
• Will It Happen Again? (1948)

aka Love Life of Adolph Hitler (USA: reissue title)

aka The Strange Love Life of Adolf Hitler (USA: reissue title)

aka The Strange Loves of Adolf Hitler (USA: reissue title)

Producer credits

Excluding films Esper directed.

• How to Take a Bath (1937)
• Angkor (1935)

aka Beyond Shanghai (UK)

aka Forbidden Adventure (USA: informal reissue title)

aka Forbidden Adventure in Angkor (USA: reissue title)

Reissues

• Reefer Madness
• Hell-A-Vision

aka Hell-O-Vision (USA)

• Man's Way with Women
• Freaks (uncredited) as Forbidden Love, and later Natures Mistakes with Sam Alexander providing a live appearance with some disfigured members of his 'troupe'.
• Cain: Aventures des mers exotiques

aka Cain

References

Timewatch: The Oklahoma Outlaw IMDb entry

External links

• Dwain Esper at the Internet Movie Database