George Stevens
George Stevens (
December 18,
1904 -
March 8,
1975) was an
American motion picture director, producer, writer and cinematographer. Born in
Oakland, California, Stevens broke into the movie business as a cameraman, working on many
Laurel and
Hardy shorts. His first feature film was
The Cohens and Kellys in Trouble in
1933.
In
1934 he got his first directing job, the
slapstick Kentucky Kernels. His big break came when he directed
Katharine Hepburn in
Alice Adams in
1935. He went on in the late
1930s to direct several
Ginger Rogers and
Fred Astaire movies, not only with the two actors together, but on their own.
Following
World War II, in which he photographed the graphic scenes at the
Dachau concentration camp, his films became more dramatic.
I Remember Mama in
1948 was the last movie with comic scenes that he made. He was responsible for such classic films as
A Place in the Sun,
Shane,
The Diary of Anne Frank,
Giant and
The Greatest Story Ever Told.
Stevens is the father of TV and film writer, producer, and director George Stevens, Jr., and the grandfather of TV and film producer and director Michael Stevens.
Stevens died on his ranch in
Lancaster, California.
*
1960 - Nominated -
Best Director -
The Diary of Anne Frank*
1960 - Nominated -
Best Picture -
The Diary of Anne Frank*
1957 - Won
Best Director -
Giant*
1957 - Nominated
Best Picture -
Giant*
1954 - Won
Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award*
1954 - Nominated
Best Director -
Shane*
1954 - Nominated
Best Picture -
Shane*
1951 - Won
Best Director -
A Place in the Sun*
1951 - Nominated
Best Picture -
A Place in the Sun*
1944 - Nominated
Best Director -
The More the Merrier*
1944 - Nominated
Best Picture -
The More the Merrier*
1943 - Nominated
Best Picture -
The Talk of the TownStevens has a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1701 Vine Street.
Books
George Stevens: Interviews (
2004), Paul Cronin
Giant: George Stevens, a Life on Film (
2004), Marilyn Ann Moss
*
Article about George Stevens
