George Schaefer
A highly distinguished director and producer with credits mostly in theater and television, George Schaefer is best remembered for his work for TV's "Hallmark Hall of Fame," for which he directed and produced a host of renditions of classic plays. He may also be recalled for handling TV-movies that featured several of America's most renowned film stars, such as James Stewart, Bette Davis and Katharine Hepburn. Born in Wallingford, Connecticut, Schaefer attended high school in the Chicago suburb of Oak Park, where he began his career at age 17, directing a stage production of "Leave It to Smith" for the Pastime Players, a troupe he helped to form. During WWII, he served as director of productions for the US Army special services and first met up with Maurice Evans. After the war, Schaefer directed a version of "Hamlet" also known as "G.I. Hamlet," starring Evans, that first played Off-Broadway, then at the City Center Theatre on Broadway and on tour. He became the artistic director and executive producer of the City Center Theatre from 1949-52, and directed productions at the State Fair Music Hall of Dallas, TX, from 1952-56. He and Evans reteamed for a Broadway production of Shaw's "Man and Superman" in 1947. Six years later, the pair co-produced John Patrick's "Teahouse of the August Moon" which won the Pulitzer Prize and the Tony Award. Schaefer staged the London production of "Teahouse" in 1954 then returned to New York to guide a 1955 revival of "Kiss Me, Kate" at City Center (1955). He also directed and produced "Write Me a Murder" in New York (1961) and London (1962). As his TV work increased, Schaefer's stage work became more sporadic after 1970, although he directed the 1980 Los Angeles production of "On Golden Pond."
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
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No Score Yet |
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Harvey | Director | - | 1998 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Man Upstairs | Director | - | 1992 |
No Score Yet |
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Laura Lansing Slept Here | Director | - | 1988 |
No Score Yet |
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Mrs. Delafield Wants to Marry | Director | - | 1986 |
No Score Yet |
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Stone Pillow | Director | - | 1985 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Children in the Crossfire | Director | - | 1984 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Best Christmas Pageant Ever |
Director, Producer |
- | 1983 |
No Score Yet |
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Right of Way |
Director, Producer |
- | 1983 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Deadly Game | Director | - | 1982 |
No Score Yet |
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A Piano for Mrs. Cimino |
Director, Producer |
- | 1982 |
No Score Yet |
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The Bunker |
Director, Producer |
- | 1981 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The People vs. Jean Harris | Director | - | 1981 |
No Score Yet |
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Mayflower: The Pilgrims' Adventure | Director | - | 1979 |
60% |
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An Enemy of the People |
Director, Producer |
- | 1978 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | First You Cry | Director | - | 1978 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Who'll Save Our Children? | Director | - | 1978 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Girl Called Hatter Fox |
Director, Producer |
- | 1977 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Truman at Potsdam | Director | - | 1976 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Amelia Earhart | Director | - | 1976 |
No Score Yet |
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In This House of Brede |
Director, Producer |
- | 1975 |
No Score Yet |
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F. Scott Fitzgerald and the Last of the Belles | Director | - | 1974 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Once Upon a Scoundrel | Director | - | 1973 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | A Time for Love | Director | - | 1973 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | A War of Children |
Director, Producer |
- | 1972 |
20% | No Score Yet | Doctors' Wives | Director | - | 1971 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | A Time for Giving | Director | - | 1969 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The File on Devlin | Director | - | 1969 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Pendulum | Director | - | 1969 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Generation | Director | - | 1969 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Elizabeth, the Queen |
Director, Producer |
- | 1968 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Soldier in Love |
Director, Producer |
- | 1967 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Blithe Spirit |
Director, Producer |
- | 1966 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Barefoot in Athens |
Director, Producer |
- | 1966 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Eagle in a Cage |
Director, Producer |
- | 1965 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Arsenic & Old Lace |
Director, Producer |
- | 1962 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Give Us Barabbas! |
Director, Producer |
- | 1961 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Tempest | Director | - | 1960 |
No Score Yet |
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Macbeth | Director | - | 1960 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Golden Child |
Unknown (Character), Director, Producer |
- | 1960 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Shangri-La |
Director, Producer |
- | 1960 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | A Doll's House |
Director, Producer |
- | 1959 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Kiss Me, Kate |
Director, Producer |
- | 1958 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates | Director | - | 1958 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Little Moon of Alban |
Director, Producer |
- | 1958 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Dial M For Murder |
Director, Producer |
- | 1958 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | On Borrowed Time |
Director, Producer |
- | 1957 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Born Yesterday | Producer | - | 1956 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | One Touch of Venus | Director | - | 1955 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Dream Girl | Director | - | 1955 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Macbeth | Director | - | 1954 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | King Richard II | Director | - | 1954 |
89% |
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The Magnificent Ambersons | Executive Producer | - | 1942 |
TV
Credit | ||||
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No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Love Story | Executive Producer | 1973-1974 |