George Seaton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids George Seaton
Born	George Edward Stenius (1911-04-17)April 17, 1911 South Bend, Indiana, U.S.
Died	July 28, 1979(1979-07-28) (aged 68) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Screenwriter playwright film director film producer theatre director
Years active	1934–79
Spouse(s)	Phyllis Loughton (1936–79)

George Seaton (born April 17, 1911 – died July 28, 1979) was a talented American writer, director, and producer. He was known for making many popular movies and plays. He wrote the famous Christmas movie Miracle on 34th Street and also directed it.

George Seaton's Life and Career

Growing Up and Early Work

George Seaton was born George Edward Stenius in South Bend, Indiana. His family had roots in Sweden. His father, Charles Stenius, worked as a chef and restaurant manager. George grew up in a neighborhood with many Jewish families in Detroit. He even learned Hebrew and had a Bar Mitzvah, which is an important Jewish ceremony.

Instead of going to Yale University, George decided to follow his dream of acting. He joined a drama school in Detroit run by Jesse Bonstelle. She hired him to work in her acting company.

Becoming an Actor and Writer

George Seaton started his career as an actor in plays and on the radio. He even played the voice of the famous character The Lone Ranger in early radio shows. He later said he created the well-known phrase "Hi-yo, Silver!" because he couldn't whistle for the horse as the script asked.

Besides acting, George also wrote several plays. One of his plays caught the eye of an executive at MGM, a big movie studio. This led to George getting a contract to write for films.

Writing for Major Film Studios

In 1933, George Seaton joined Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) as a writer. He worked on scripts for movies like Student Tour (1934) and The Winning Ticket (1935). He also helped with the script for the funny Marx Brothers movie A Night at the Opera (1935).

His first major writing credit was for another Marx Brothers comedy, A Day at the Races (1937). George left MGM in 1937 because he wanted to write more than just comedies. He also helped write parts of Stage Door (1937) and the classic The Wizard of Oz (1939).

Later, George moved to Columbia Pictures. There, he wrote scripts for films such as The Doctor Takes a Wife (1940) and Bedtime Story (1941).

Success at 20th Century Fox

In the early 1940s, George Seaton joined 20th Century Fox. He wrote many successful movies there. He often worked on musicals and comedies, like That Night in Rio (1941) and Moon Over Miami (1941), both starring Don Ameche and Alice Faye or Betty Grable.

He also wrote the script for the very successful film The Song of Bernadette (1943). This movie was produced by William Perlberg, who became a very important partner in George's career.

Becoming a Film Director

George Seaton was such a successful writer that he got the chance to direct his own films. His first movie as a director was Diamond Horseshoe (1945), which he also wrote. William Perlberg produced this film, and they continued to work together on all of George's future movies.

He then wrote and directed Junior Miss (1945), which was based on a popular play. In 1947, he wrote and directed Miracle on 34th Street. This movie quickly became a beloved classic, especially around Christmas time. George won an Oscar for his amazing screenplay for this film.

He continued to write and direct comedies like Apartment for Peggy (1948) and Chicken Every Sunday (1949). He also directed a drama about the Berlin Airlift called The Big Lift (1950).

Perlberg-Seaton Productions

In 1950, George Seaton and William Perlberg started their own production company with Paramount Pictures. George would write and direct films, and they would also produce movies made by other directors.

George wrote and directed Anything Can Happen (1952). He also made two films with the famous singer and actor Bing Crosby. One of these, The Country Girl (1954), was a huge success. The actress Grace Kelly won an Oscar for Best Actress in this movie, and George won another Oscar for his screenplay.

In 1955, George Seaton was chosen to be the president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This is the group that gives out the Oscars! He served three terms in this important role.

George and Perlberg also produced The Bridges to Toko-Ri (1954), which was a big hit. They later worked with Clark Gable and Doris Day on the comedy Teacher's Pet (1958).

George continued to direct films like The Pleasure of His Company (1961) and The Counterfeit Traitor (1962).

Later Career and Final Films

After his partnership with Perlberg ended in 1965, George Seaton returned to Broadway to direct plays. He also directed the musical Here's Love, which was based on his own screenplay for Miracle on 34th Street.

He then signed a contract with Universal Pictures. His biggest success at Universal was the all-star movie Airport (1970), which he adapted from a popular book. This film was a huge hit and earned George another Oscar nomination for his script.

George Seaton's last film as a director was Showdown (1973). He passed away from cancer in 1979.

Selected Filmography

See also

In Spanish: George Seaton para niños