George Waggner facts for kids

George Waggner (born September 7, 1894 – died December 11, 1984) was an American actor, director, producer, and writer. He is most famous for making and directing the 1941 movie The Wolf Man. Sometimes, Waggner would write his name with two capital Gs, like "waGGner," in the credits of his films.

A Creative Career

George Waggner was born in New York City. Before he became a filmmaker, he studied to be a chemist. He also served in World War I. After the war, he moved to Hollywood to become an actor.

Starting in Movies

Waggner first appeared in a film called The Sheik in 1921. He often acted in Western movies. His first movie as a director was Western Trails in 1938.

Directing Famous Films

During his career as a director, George Waggner worked with many well-known actors. He directed John Wayne in The Fighting Kentuckian. He also worked with Lon Chaney Jr. in Man Made Monster and his most famous film, The Wolf Man. Other stars he directed include Brian Donlevy, Broderick Crawford, Randolph Scott, and Boris Karloff.

While he is best known for his horror films today, Waggner also directed many Westerns, action films, and war films.

Music and Television Work

George Waggner also wrote songs for his movies. His first song was "Round, White, and Ruby Red" from the film Operation Pacific. By the end of his career, he had written over 100 songs!

In the 1960s, Waggner started directing for television. He directed episodes for popular TV shows like Maverick, Batman, The Green Hornet, and The Man from U.N.C.L.E..

In 1957, he directed Red Nightmare. This film was made for the U.S. government during a time called the Cold War.

Later Life

George Waggner passed away in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, on December 11, 1984. He was 90 years old.

Selected Filmography

Here are some of the films and TV shows George Waggner worked on:

Director

• Western Trails (1938)
• Man Made Monster (1941)
• The Wolf Man (1941)
• The Climax (1944)
• The Fighting Kentuckian (1949)
• Operation Pacific (1951)
• Red Nightmare (1957)
• Batman (several episodes, 1966-1968)

Writer

• Man Made Monster (1941)
• The Climax (1944)
• The Fighting Kentuckian (1949)
• Operation Pacific (1951)

Producer

• The Wolf Man (1941)
• The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942)
• Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943)
• Phantom of the Opera (1943)

Actor

• The Sheik (1921)
• The Iron Horse (1924)