George Seaton (April 17, 1911 – July 28, 1979) was an American screenwriter, playwright, film director and producer, and theatre director.

Life and career

Early life

Seaton was born George Edward Stenius in

South Bend, Indiana South Bend is a city in and the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total of 103,453 residents and is the fourt ...

, of Swedish descent, the son of Olga (Berglund) and Charles Stenius, who was a chef and restaurant manager. He was baptized as Roman Catholic. He grew up in a Detroit Jewish neighborhood, and described himself as a " Shabas goy". So he went on to learn Hebrew in an Orthodox Jewish Yeshiva and was even bar mitzvahed. He attended Exeter and was meant to go to Yale but instead auditioned for Jesse Bonstelle's drama school in Detroit. She hired him for her stock company at $15 a week."George Seaton, Director, Dead; Got Two Oscars for Screenplays: Also Directed 'Country Girl' A Change of Plans" By ALFRED E. CLARK. ''New York Times'' 29 July 1979: 36.

Actor

Seaton worked in stock and on radio. He worked as an actor on radio station WXYZ. John L. Barrett played the

Lone Ranger The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked former Texas Ranger who fought outlaws in the American Old West with his Native American friend Tonto. The character has been called an enduring icon of American culture. He first appeared in 1933 in ...

on test broadcasts of the series in early January 1933, but when the program became part of the regular schedule Seaton was cast in the title role. In later years, he claimed to have devised the cry "Hi-yo, Silver" because he couldn't whistle for his horse as the script required.Moviefone.com biography
Seaton also wrote several plays, one of which was read by an executive at MGM who offered him a contract.

Writer at MGM

Seaton, along with fellow writer and friend Robert Pirosh, joined

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...

as a contract writer in 1933. He was credited on the scripts for ''

Student Tour ''Student Tour'' is a 1934 American musical film directed by Charles Reisner, written by Ralph Spence and Philip Dunne, and starring Jimmy Durante, Charles Butterworth, Maxine Doyle, Phil Regan, Douglas Fowley and Nelson Eddy. It was releas ...

'' (1934) and '' The Winning Ticket'' (1935) and did some uncredited work with Robert Pirosh on '' A Night at the Opera'' (1935). Seaton's first major screen credit was the

Marx Brothers The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act that was successful in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in motion pictures from 1905 to 1949. Five of the Marx Brothers' thirteen feature films were selected by the American Film Institute (AFI) ...

comedy '' A Day at the Races'' (1937). He left MGM in 1937, unhappy at being restricted to comedies."GEORGE SEATON ON TOP: Being an Introduction to a Modest and Successful Movie Writer-Director" By HELEN COLTON HOLLYWOOD.. ''New York Times'' 14 Nov 1948: X5. He did some uncredited work on the script for '' Stage Door'' (1937) and '' The Wizard of Oz'' (1939). He wrote a play ''But Not Goodbye''.

Columbia

Seaton went to Columbia where he was credited on the scripts for ''

The Doctor Takes a Wife ''The Doctor Takes a Wife'' is a 1940 screwball comedy film starring Loretta Young and Ray Milland as a best-selling author and medical school instructor, respectively, who find it convenient to pretend to be married, even though they initially l ...

'' (1940), '' This Thing Called Love'' (1940) and ''

Bedtime Story A bedtime story is a traditional form of storytelling, where a story is told to a child at bedtime to prepare the child for sleep. The bedtime story has long been considered "a definite institution in many families".Dickson, Marguerite Stockma ...

'' (1941). At Columbia Seaton first met William Perlberg.

20th Century Fox

In the early 1940s, he joined

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Disn ...

, where he remained for the rest of the decade, writing scripts for ''

That Night in Rio ''That Night in Rio'' is a 1941 Technicolor American musical comedy film directed by Irving Cummings and starring Alice Faye, Don Ameche (in a dual role as an American entertainer and an aristocratic businessman he is asked to impersonate tempora ...

'' (1941) with

Don Ameche Don Ameche (; born Dominic Felix Amici; May 31, 1908 – December 6, 1993) was an American actor, comedian and vaudevillian. After playing in college shows, stock, and vaudeville, he became a major radio star in the early 1930s, which ...

and

Alice Faye Alice Faye (born Alice Jeanne Leppert; May 5, 1915 – May 9, 1998) was an American actress and singer. A musical star of 20th Century-Fox in the 1930s and 1940s, Faye starred in such films as ''On the Avenue'' (1937) and ''Alexander's Ragtime B ...

. For a time he specialised in musicals and comedy: '' Moon Over Miami'' (1941), with

Betty Grable Elizabeth Ruth Grable (December 18, 1916 – July 2, 1973) was an American actress, pin-up girl, dancer, model, and singer. Her 42 films during the 1930s and 1940s grossed more than $100 million; for 10 consecutive years (1942–1951) she reign ...

and Ameche, and '' Charley's Aunt'' (1941), with Jack Benny. Seaton wrote a historical war film, ''

Ten Gentlemen from West Point ''Ten Gentlemen from West Point'' is a 1942 American Western film directed by Henry Hathaway and starring George Montgomery, Maureen O'Hara and John Sutton. Its cinematography was nominated for an Academy Award in 1943. George Montgomery replac ...

'' (1942), then did the comedies '' The Magnificent Dope'' (1942) with Ameche and Henry Fonda, and '' The Meanest Man in the World'' (1943) with Jack Benny. Seaton wrote '' The Song of Bernadette'' (1943) which was a big success. It was produced by William Perlberg who would have an important influence on Seaton's career. Seaton followed it with the Betty Grable musical ''

Coney Island Coney Island is a peninsular neighborhood and entertainment area in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is bounded by Brighton Beach and Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn, Manhattan Beach to its east, L ...

'' (1943). He also wrote ''

The Eve of St. Mark ''The Eve of St Mark'' is a 1942 play by Maxwell Anderson set during World War II. It later became a 1944 film by 20th Century Fox that featured some of the same actors who repeated their roles in the film. The title is derived from the legend of ...

'' (1944). ''But Not Goodbye'', Seaton's 1944 Broadway debut as a playwright, closed after only 23 performances, although it later was adapted for the 1946 MGM film ''

The Cockeyed Miracle ''The Cockeyed Miracle'' is a 1946 American fantasy film directed by S. Sylvan Simon and starring Frank Morgan, Keenan Wynn, and Cecil Kellaway. The film was based on the play ''But Not Goodbye'' by George Seaton. The film is about a ghost who, wi ...

'' by Karen DeWolf.

Director

Seaton had been so successful as a writer he was able to turn director. His first film was '' Diamond Horseshoe'' (1945) with Grable, which he also wrote. It was produced by William Perlberg, who would go on to produce all of Seaton's films from this time on. The film was very successful.Memo from Darryl F. Zanuck to all producers at 20th Century Fox, 13 June 1946, ''Memo from Darryl F. Zanuck'', Grove Press, 1993, pp. 108–109 Seaton did some uncredited directing on '' Where Do We Go from Here?'' (1945) then wrote and directed '' Junior Miss'' (1945), based on a popular play, with Peggy Ann Garner. Seaton wrote and directed '' The Shocking Miss Pilgrim'' (1947) with Grable. He followed it with '' Miracle on 34th Street'' (1947), which quickly became acknowledged as a classic. Seaton won an Oscar for his screenplay. Seaton wrote and directed two comedies, ''

Apartment for Peggy ''Apartment for Peggy'' is a 1948 American comedy-drama film directed by George Seaton and starring Jeanne Crain, William Holden, and Edmund Gwenn. The plot is about a depressed professor whose spirits are lifted when he rents part of his home to ...

'' (1948) with William Holden and Jeanne Crain, and '' Chicken Every Sunday'' (1949) with Dan Dailey. He did a drama about the

Berlin Airlift The Berlin Blockade (24 June 1948 – 12 May 1949) was one of the first major international crises of the Cold War. During the multinational occupation of post–World War II Germany, the Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies' railway, ro ...

with Montgomery Clift, '' The Big Lift'' (1950), then did another comedy, '' For Heaven's Sake'' (1950), with

Clifton Webb Webb Parmelee Hollenbeck (November 19, 1889 – October 13, 1966), known professionally as Clifton Webb, was an American actor, singer, and dancer. He worked extensively and was known for his stage appearances in the plays of Noël Coward, i ...

Perlberg-Seaton Productions

In November 1950 Seaton and Perlberg signed a multi-million-dollar contract with Paramount for six years. Seaton would write and direct films, and they would also produce films from others. They produced, but did not write or direct, the comedy ''

Rhubarb Rhubarb is the fleshy, edible stalks ( petioles) of species and hybrids (culinary rhubarb) of '' Rheum'' in the family Polygonaceae, which are cooked and used for food. The whole plant – a herbaceous perennial growing from short, thick rhi ...

'' (1951), '' Aaron Slick from Punkin Crick'' (1952), and ''

Somebody Loves Me "Somebody Loves Me" is a popular song, with music written by George Gershwin, and lyrics by Ballard MacDonald and Buddy DeSylva. The song was published in 1924 and featured in ''George White's Scandals'' of 1924. This is not to be confused with ...

'' (1952) with Betty Hutton. Seaton's first film as writer director for Paramount was '' Anything Can Happen'' (1952), a comedy with José Ferrer. Seaton made two films with

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, musician and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a ...

. '' Little Boy Lost'' (1953) was not a success but '' The Country Girl'' (1954), based on the play by Clifford Odets was a notable triumph. Grace Kelly earned an Oscar for Best Actress and Seaton won an Oscar for his screenplay. Seaton and Perlberg '' The Bridges at Toko-Ri'' (1954), directed by Mark Robson, with Holden and Kelly. It was a huge hit. In 1955 Seaton was elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He would serve three terms. Seaton directed the 28th Academy Awards in 1956. Seaton wrote and directed '' The Proud and Profane'' (1956) with William Holden and

Deborah Kerr Deborah Jane Trimmer CBE (30 September 192116 October 2007), known professionally as Deborah Kerr (), was a British actress. She was nominated six times for the Academy Award for Best Actress. During her international film career, Kerr won a ...

, which was a box office disappointment. He directed a short film ''Williamsburg: The Story of a Patriot'' (1957) and produced '' The Tin Star'' (1957), directed by

Anthony Mann Anthony Mann (born Emil Anton Bundsmann; June 30, 1906 – April 29, 1967) was an American film director and stage actor. Mann initially started as a theatre actor appearing in numerous stage productions. In 1937, he moved to Hollywood where ...

. Seaton and Perlberg were borrowed by MGM to direct and produce a comedy with

Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American film actor, often referred to as "The King of Hollywood". He had roles in more than 60 motion pictures in multiple genres during a career that lasted 37 years, three decades ...

and

Doris Day Doris Day (born Doris Mary Kappelhoff; April 3, 1922 – May 13, 2019) was an American actress, singer, and activist. She began her career as a big band singer in 1939, achieving commercial success in 1945 with two No. 1 recordings, " Sent ...

, '' Teacher's Pet'' (1958). He did not write. In April 1958 Seaton announced he and Perlberg would produce six more films for Paramount. The first of these were '' But Not for Me'' (1959) and ''

The Rat Race ''The Rat Race'' is a 1960 American drama film adapted from the play of the same name by Garson Kanin. Directed by Robert Mulligan, it stars Tony Curtis and Debbie Reynolds as struggling young entertainment professionals in New York City. Filmin ...

'' (1960), directed by Robert Mulligan. Seaton worked as director only on '' The Pleasure of His Company'' (1961) with Fred Astaire and

Debbie Reynolds Mary Frances "Debbie" Reynolds (April 1, 1932 – December 28, 2016) was an American actress, singer, and businesswoman. Her career spanned almost 70 years. She was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer for her portra ...

. He wrote and directed '' The Counterfeit Traitor'' (1962) with Holden. They ended to follow it with ''The Hook'' then ''

Night Without End ''Night Without End'' is a thriller novel by Scottish author Alistair MacLean, first published in 1959. The author has been complimented for the excellent depiction of the unforgiving Arctic environment; among others, the ''Times Literary Supp ...

'' adapted by

Eric Ambler Eric Clifford Ambler OBE (28 June 1909 – 22 October 1998) was an English author of thrillers, in particular spy novels, who introduced a new realism to the genre. Also working as a screenwriter, Ambler used the pseudonym Eliot Reed for bo ...

from an Alistair MacLean novel.

MGM

Perlberg-Seaton Productions moved to MGM where Seaton directed

Kirk Douglas Kirk Douglas (born Issur Danielovitch; December 9, 1916 – February 5, 2020) was an American actor and filmmaker. After an impoverished childhood, he made his film debut in '' The Strange Love of Martha Ivers'' (1946) with Barbara Stanwyck. D ...

in '' The Hook'' (1963) a

Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top:{ ...

drama. He was uncredited producer on '' Twilight of Honor'' (1963) and directed some additional scenes on '' Mutiny on the Bounty'' (1963). Seaton announced he would make '' Merrily We Roll Along'' but the film was never made. Seaton wrote and directed '' 36 Hours'' (1964), a war time thriller based on a story by

Roald Dahl Roald Dahl (13 September 1916 – 23 November 1990) was a British novelist, short-story writer, poet, screenwriter, and wartime fighter ace of Norwegian descent. His books have sold more than 250 million copies worldwide. Dahl has be ...

Broadway

In May 1965 Seaton announced the end of his partnership with Perlberg. He returned to Broadway to direct ''Above William.'' (1965) He then directed the Norman Krasna play '' Love in E Flat'', which was a critical and commercial flop. The musical '' Here's Love'', adapted from his screenplay for ''Miracle on 34th Street'' by Meredith Willson, proved to be more successful.

Universal

Seaton went to Universal where he signed a three-picture contract. The first film was the comedy ''

What's So Bad About Feeling Good? ''What's So Bad About Feeling Good?'' is a 1968 American comedy film directed by George Seaton and starring George Peppard and Mary Tyler Moore. The film was a box office disappointment. Plot Pete (George Peppard) is a former advertising exec ...

'' (1968) which Seaton produced and directed as well as writing with Robert Pirosh, with whom he had cowritten ''A Day at the Races'' (1937). Seaton disliked writing, producing and directing. "It's too much work," he said. Seaton then had the biggest hit of his career with the all-star ''

Airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surfa ...

'' (1970), which Seaton adapted from the novel by

Arthur Hailey Arthur Frederick Hailey, AE (5 April 1920 – 24 November 2004) was a British-Canadian novelist whose plot-driven storylines were set against the backdrops of various industries. His books, which include such best sellers as ''Hotel'' (1965), ...

. It was produced by

Ross Hunter Ross Hunter (born Martin Terry Fuss; May 6, 1916 or 1920 – March 10, 1996) was an American film and television producer and actor. He is best known for producing light comedies such as '' Pillow Talk'' (1959), and the glamorous melodramas '' ...

. Seaton's script earned him an Oscar nomination. Seaton's last film as director was his third for Universal ''

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'' (1973), which he also produced. He announced he was looking for another film to make but none eventuated. Seaton died of

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

Beverly Hills, California Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. ...

in 1979. He had been suffering from it for two years."Hollywood film director George Seaton dies" ''Chicago Tribune'' 29 July 1979: b19.

Partial filmography

* '' A Day at the Races'' (1937) * ''

'' (1940) (writer) * ''

'' (1941) (writer only) * '' The Song of Bernadette'' (1943) * '' The Meanest Man in the World'' (1943) * '' Junior Miss'' (1945) * '' The Shocking Miss Pilgrim'' (1947) * '' Miracle on 34th Street'' (1947) * ''

'' (1948) * '' Chicken Every Sunday'' (1949) * '' The Big Lift'' (1950) * '' For Heaven's Sake'' (1950) * '' Anything Can Happen'' (1952) * '' Little Boy Lost'' (1953) * '' The Country Girl'' (1954) * '' The Proud and Profane'' (1956) * '' Williamsburg: the Story of a Patriot'' (1957) * '' Teacher's Pet'' (1958) * '' The Pleasure of His Company'' (1961) * '' The Counterfeit Traitor'' (1962) * '' The Hook'' (1963) * '' 36 Hours'' (1964) * ''

'' (1968) * ''

'' (1970) * ''

'' (1973)

References

External links

*
George Seaton Papers
at the Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research. {{DEFAULTSORT:Seaton, George 1911 births 1979 deaths American theatre directors Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award winners Presidents of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Writers from South Bend, Indiana Lone Ranger Deaths from cancer in California 20th-century American dramatists and playwrights Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award winners American people of Swedish descent Film directors from Indiana 20th-century screenwriters