About

Known credits:
116
Birthday:
1920-12-16
Place of birth:
Wallingford, Connecticut, USA
Website:
N/A

George Schaefer

Overview

George Louis Schaefer (December 16, 1920 – September 10, 1997) was an American director of television and Broadway theatre, who was active from the 1950s to the 1990s.

Schaefer was born in Wallingford, Connecticut, and lived in Oak Park, Illinois for much of his boyhood and young adulthood. He was the son of Elsie (née Otterbein) and Louis Schaefer, who worked in sales. Schaefer studied stage directing at the Yale School of Drama. He began his directing career while serving in the U.S. Army Special Services during World War II. He directed over 50 plays for the troops. After being discharged, he directed for the Broadway theatre. His first production was of Shakespeare's Hamlet starring Maurice Evans. In 1953, Schaefer won a Tony Award for his production of The Teahouse of the August Moon which he co-produced with Evans.

During the Golden Age of Television, Schaefer directed numerous live TV adaptations of Broadway plays for NBC's Hallmark Hall of Fame. His first episode for Hallmark was an adaptation of his Broadway staging of Hamlet starring Evans. In the 1980s, several of his productions for Hallmark aired in syndication under the title George Schaefer Showcase Theatre. His television work garnered him five Emmy wins out of 21 total nominations. He also won four Directors Guild of America Awards out of 17 nominations. He holds the record for the most DGA Award nominations. He also directed five theatrical films, but to limited success.

Known for

Acting
1994 Beverly Hills Cop III Actor Mike 58
Average

Directing
1996 Harvey Directing Director 58
Average
1992 The Man Upstairs Directing Director 59
Average
1988 Laura Lansing Slept Here Directing Director 58
Average
1986 Mrs. Delafield Wants to Marry Directing Director 58
Average
1985 Stone Pillow Directing Director 58
Average
1985 Answers Directing Director N/A
N/A
1984 Children in the Crossfire Directing Director 58
Average
1983 The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Directing Director 58
Average
1983 Right of Way Directing Director 59
Average
1982 The Deadly Game Directing Director 59
Average
1982 A Piano for Mrs. Cimino Directing Director 59
Average
1981 People vs. Jean Harris Directing Director N/A
N/A
1981 The Bunker Directing Director 59
Average
1979 Mayflower: The Pilgrims' Adventure Directing Director 58
Average
1979 Blind Ambition Directing Director 69
Fair
1978 Who'll Save Our Children? Directing Director N/A
N/A
1978 First, You Cry Directing Director N/A
N/A
1978 An Enemy of the People Directing Director 59
Average
1978 The Second Barry Manilow Special Directing Director N/A
N/A
1977 The Girl Called Hatter Fox Directing Director N/A
N/A
1977 Our Town Directing Director 59
Average
1976 Amelia Earhart Directing Director N/A
N/A
1976 The Last of Mrs. Lincoln Directing Director N/A
N/A
1976 The Land of Hope Directing Director N/A
N/A
1975 In This House of Brede Directing Director 59
Average
1974 Lincoln Directing Director N/A
N/A
1974 F. Scott Fitzgerald and the Last of the Belles Directing Director 58
Average
1973 A Time For Love Directing Director N/A
N/A
1973 Once Upon a Scoundrel Directing Director 58
Average
1972 A War of Children Directing Director 58
Average
1971 Gideon Directing Director N/A
N/A
1971 Doctors' Wives Directing Director 58
Average
1969 Generation Directing Director 59
Average
1969 The File on Devlin Directing Director N/A
N/A
1969 Pendulum Directing Director 59
Average
1968 The Admirable Crichton Directing Director 58
Average
1968 Elizabeth the Queen Directing Director N/A
N/A
1967 Saint Joan Directing Director N/A
N/A
1967 Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night Directing Director N/A
N/A
1967 Soldier in Love Directing Director N/A
N/A
1966 Blithe Spirit Directing Director N/A
N/A
1966 Barefoot in Athens Directing Director 58
Average
1965 Inherit the Wind Directing Director 59
Average
1965 Eagle in a Cage Directing Director N/A
N/A
1965 The Holy Terror Directing Director N/A
N/A
1964 The Fantasticks Directing Director 58
Average
1964 Little Moon of Alban Directing Director N/A
N/A
1964 Macbeth Directing Director 58
Average
1964 Abe Lincoln in Illinois Directing Director N/A
N/A
1963 A Cry of Angels Directing Director N/A
N/A
1963 The Patriots Directing Director N/A
N/A
1963 The Invincible Mr. Disraeli Directing Director 59
Average
1963 Pygmalion Directing Director N/A
N/A
1962 Arsenic & Old Lace Directing Director 59
Average
1961 Victoria Regina Directing Director N/A
N/A
1961 Give Us Barabbas! Directing Director N/A
N/A
1960 Captain Brassbound's Conversation Directing Director N/A
N/A
1960 The Tempest Directing Director N/A
N/A
1959 A Doll's House Directing Director 59
Average
1959 Winterset Directing Director N/A
N/A
1959 Meet Me in St. Louis Directing Director 58
Average
1958 The Gift of the Magi Directing Director N/A
N/A
1958 Kiss Me, Kate Directing Director 59
Average
1958 Johnny Belinda Directing Director N/A
N/A
1958 Little Moon of Alban Directing Director N/A
N/A
1958 Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates Directing Director N/A
N/A
1957 On Borrowed Time Directing Director N/A
N/A
1957 The Yeomen of the Guard Directing Director N/A
N/A
1957 The Lark Directing Director N/A
N/A
1956 The Little Foxes Directing Director N/A
N/A
1955 Alice in Wonderland Directing Director N/A
N/A
1955 One Touch of Venus Directing Director 59
Average
1954 Macbeth Directing Director 58
Average
1945 Fallen Angel Directing Assistant Director 59
Average

Writing
1985 Answers Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1964 Macbeth Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1955 One Touch of Venus Writing Adaptation 59
Average

Production
1988 Laura Lansing Slept Here Production Producer 58
Average
1986 Mrs. Delafield Wants to Marry Production Producer 58
Average
1984 Children in the Crossfire Production Producer 58
Average
1983 The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Production Producer 58
Average
1982 A Piano for Mrs. Cimino Production Producer 59
Average
1981 People vs. Jean Harris Production Producer N/A
N/A
1981 The Bunker Production Producer 59
Average
1979 Blind Ambition Production Producer 69
Fair
1978 Who'll Save Our Children? Production Producer N/A
N/A
1978 An Enemy of the People Production Producer 59
Average
1977 The Girl Called Hatter Fox Production Producer N/A
N/A
1977 Our Town Production Producer 59
Average
1976 The Last of Mrs. Lincoln Production Producer N/A
N/A
1971 Gideon Production Producer N/A
N/A
1969 The File on Devlin Production Executive Producer N/A
N/A
1968 The Admirable Crichton Production Producer 58
Average
1968 Elizabeth the Queen Production Producer N/A
N/A
1967 Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night Production Producer N/A
N/A
1966 CBS Playhouse Production Producer N/A
N/A
1966 Blithe Spirit Production Producer N/A
N/A
1965 Inherit the Wind Production Producer 59
Average
1965 The Holy Terror Production Producer N/A
N/A
1964 The Fantasticks Production Producer 58
Average
1964 Macbeth Production Producer 58
Average
1964 Abe Lincoln in Illinois Production Producer N/A
N/A
1963 Pygmalion Production Producer N/A
N/A
1962 Arsenic & Old Lace Production Producer 59
Average
1960 Captain Brassbound's Conversation Production Producer N/A
N/A
1960 The Tempest Production Producer N/A
N/A
1959 A Doll's House Production Producer 59
Average
1959 Winterset Production Producer N/A
N/A
1958 The Gift of the Magi Production Producer N/A
N/A
1958 Kiss Me, Kate Production Producer 59
Average
1958 Johnny Belinda Production Producer N/A
N/A
1958 Little Moon of Alban Production Producer N/A
N/A
1957 On Borrowed Time Production Producer N/A
N/A
1957 The Lark Production Producer N/A
N/A
1956 The Little Foxes Production Producer N/A
N/A