Shirley Kassler Ulmer; Screenwriter of ‘American Matchmaker’

Shirley Kassler Ulmer, 86, who wrote the screenplay for “American Matchmaker,” a Yiddish film made by her late husband, the legendary film director Edgar G. Ulmer. Besides acting as script supervisor for all of her husband’s films, she also assisted on several of his screenplays and wrote novels and original scripts, including “American Matchmaker,” under the name Shirle Castle. She also worked as a script supervisor for directors William Wyler, Frank Lloyd and Douglas Sirk and worked in that capacity on television shows like “The Lone Ranger,” “My Private Secretary,” “Batman,” and “CHiPS.” Born in New York, Ulmer came to California as a teenager after her banker-father was wiped out in the stock market crash of 1929. She was married to independent producer Max Alexander but left him and married Ulmer, who went on to establish himself as the king of B movies, making films like “Detour” and “Black Cat,” which are now considered classics of film noir. Edgar and Shirley Ulmer made Yiddish films in the 1930s. “American Matchmaker,” which starred Leo Fuchs, is the story of a Jewish immigrant in New York who seems to have talent for bringing couples together but can’t find romance for himself. Ulmer died in 1972. Shirley Kassler Ulmer died on July 6 in Los Angeles.