Franklin J. Schaffner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Franklin J. Schaffner
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Schaffner in 1977
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| Born |
Franklin James Schaffner
May 30, 1920 Tokyo, Japan
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| Died | July 2, 1989 (aged 69) Santa Monica, California, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Film director |
| Title | President of the Directors Guild of America, 1987–89 |
| Spouse(s) | Helen Jean Gilchrist (1948–89) (died 2007) |
| Awards | Academy Award for Best Director; 1971 Patton Primetime Emmy Award for Best Direction; 1955 Studio One, 1955 Ford Star Jubilee, 1962 The Defenders |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |
 United States NavyOffice of Strategic Services |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
Franklin James Schaffner (born May 30, 1920 – died July 2, 1989) was a famous American director. He directed movies, TV shows, and plays. He is best known for directing the films Planet of the Apes (1968) and Patton (1970). For Patton, he won an Academy Award for Best Director, which is one of the biggest awards in filmmaking. He also directed Nicholas and Alexandra (1971), Papillon (1973), and The Boys from Brazil (1978). Schaffner was also the president of the Directors Guild of America from 1987 to 1989.
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Early Life and Education
Franklin Schaffner was born in Tokyo, Japan. His parents, Sarah and Paul Schaffner, were American missionaries. He spent his early childhood in Japan.
When he was five years old, his family moved back to the United States. They settled in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Franklin went to J.P. McCaskey High School. He was very good at school and was the top student in his graduating class in 1938. He also enjoyed acting in school plays.
After high school, Schaffner went to Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster. He was very involved in the college's drama program. He acted in many plays and led the Green Room Club. Later, he studied law at Columbia University in New York City.
His studies were stopped when he joined the United States Navy during World War II. He served in Europe and North Africa. Later in the war, he worked with the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in the Pacific. The OSS was a special intelligence agency during the war.
Television Directing Career
After the war, Schaffner returned to the U.S. He first worked for a world peace group. Then, he became an assistant director for a documentary series called The March of Time.
In 1950, he started directing for CBS television. He directed news, sports, and public service shows. He directed the first episode of Ford Theatre, called "The Traitor." He also directed TV versions of famous stories like Alice in Wonderland and Treasure Island.
Schaffner became known for directing TV dramas. He directed "Thunder on Sycamore Street" and the famous "Twelve Angry Men" for Studio One. He won an Emmy Award for "Twelve Angry Men." He won another Emmy for directing The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial in 1955.
He was a regular director for popular shows like Kaiser Aluminium Hour and Playhouse 90. He also directed the first episodes of the series The Defenders, which earned him another Emmy.
In 1962, Schaffner worked with First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy on a TV special. It was called A Tour of the White House with Mrs. John F. Kennedy. This show was seen by over 80 million people worldwide. Schaffner was nominated for a Directors Guild of America award for his work on this special.
Directing Feature Films
Early Movies
In the early 1960s, Franklin Schaffner started directing movies for the big screen. His first major film was The Best Man (1964). It was based on a play about politics. He then directed The War Lord (1965), a historical adventure film starring Charlton Heston.
Schaffner believed that a good story was the most important part of a film. In 1967, he directed The Double Man, a spy thriller filmed in Britain.
Major Successes
Schaffner had a huge hit with Planet of the Apes (1968). This science fiction movie, also starring Charlton Heston, was very popular and critically acclaimed. It told the story of astronauts landing on a planet ruled by intelligent apes.
His next film was Patton (1970). This movie was about the famous World War II general, General Patton, played by George C. Scott. Patton was a massive success. Schaffner won the Academy Award for Best Director and the Directors Guild of America Award for this film.
He then directed Nicholas and Alexandra (1971), a historical drama about the last Russian emperor. In 1973, he directed Papillon, an adventure film about an escape from prison. It starred Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman and was a big financial success. Schaffner once said his films were often about people who felt out of place or time.
He worked with George C. Scott again on Islands in the Stream (1977), based on a novel by Ernest Hemingway. His next film was The Boys from Brazil (1978), a thriller starring Gregory Peck.
Later Works
Schaffner's later films included Sphinx (1981), a mystery set in Egypt, and Yes, Giorgio (1982), a musical comedy. His last films were Lionheart (1987) and Welcome Home (1989).
Schaffner served as the president of the Directors Guild of America from 1987 until his death in 1989.
Working with Others
Franklin Schaffner often worked with the same talented people. The composer Jerry Goldsmith created the music for many of his films. These included Planet of the Apes, Patton, Papillon, Islands in the Stream, The Boys from Brazil, and Lionheart. Four of these musical scores were nominated for an Academy Award.
He also worked with certain actors more than once:
- Charlton Heston and Maurice Evans appeared in The War Lord and Planet of the Apes.
- George C. Scott starred in Patton and Islands in the Stream.
- Laurence Olivier was in Nicholas and Alexandra and The Boys from Brazil.
Personal Life
Franklin Schaffner married Helen Jean Gilchrist in 1948. They had two children, Jennie and Kate. Helen passed away in 2007.
Franklin J. Schaffner died on July 2, 1989, at the age of 69.
His Impact and Legacy
Many people in the film industry respected Franklin Schaffner's work. Screenwriter William Goldman once said Schaffner was one of the best directors at handling "scope" in films. This means he was great at directing big, epic movies. He was compared to famous directors like David Lean.
After his death, Schaffner's wife, Jean Schaffner, created an award in his honor in 1991. It's called the Franklin J. Schaffner Alumni Medal. The American Film Institute gives this award to talented filmmakers who show dedication and commitment to quality. Famous winners include David Lynch and Patty Jenkins.
The Directors Guild of America also created the Franklin J. Schaffner Achievement Award in 1991. This award honors associate directors and stage managers.
In May 2020, the mayor of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, declared "Franklin Schaffner Week." This celebrated 100 years since his birth.
Notable Films and Awards
Franklin Schaffner directed many important films and TV shows. Here are some of his most recognized works and the major awards he won:
- 1955: Won a Primetime Emmy Award for directing "Twelve Angry Men" on Studio One.
- 1956: Won another Primetime Emmy Award for directing "The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial" on Ford Star Jubilee.
- 1962: Won a Primetime Emmy Award for his work on The Defenders.
- 1964: Won the Special Jury Prize at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival for The Best Man.
- 1968: Directed the highly successful science fiction film Planet of the Apes.
- 1970: Directed Patton, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Director and the Directors Guild of America Award.
- 1973: Directed the popular adventure film Papillon.
- 1978: Directed the thriller The Boys from Brazil.
See also
In Spanish: Franklin Schaffner para niños
