Screenwriter,  Cinematographer.  He won two Academy Awards,  for Best Original Story and Best Screenplay,  for “The Story of Louis Pasteur” (1936).  This film,  which also won an Oscar for star  Paul Muni,  launched Warner Bros.’ famous series of biopics of the late 1930s.  Collings was born in Nova Scotia,  Canada,  and entered films as an assistant cameraman in 1921.  He had just graduated to director of photography with “Alimony” (1924) and “Untamed Youth” (1924) when he switched to screenwriting at the Famous Players-Lasky studio.  His other scripts,  written alone or in collaboration,  include “A Woman of the World” (1925),  “The Show Off” (1926),  “Time to Love” (1927),   and “British Agent” (1934).  He also oversaw the continuity of “Animal Crackers” (1930),  an unenviable task with the freewheeling Marx Bros.  Shortly after completing “Pasteur”,  Collings suffered a nervous breakdown and did no further work in Hollywood;  co-writer Sheridan Gibney accepted the Oscars on his behalf.  His death at 35 was attributed to pneumonia. (bio by: Bobb Edwards) Cause of death: Pneumonia