Editing George Seaton

{{Short description|American screenwriter, playwright, film director and producer, and theater director}}
{{for|the African American carpenter, real estate holder, and school benefactor|George Lewis Seaton}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name          = George Seaton
| image         = George Seaton (filmmaker).jpg
| birth_name    = George Edward Stenius<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BNFDAAAAIAAJ&q=%22GEORGE+EDWARD+STENIUS%22&pg=RA1-PA289|title=Catalog of Copyright Entries|year=1933}}</ref>
| birth_date    = {{Birth date|1911|4|17}}
| birth_place   = [[South Bend, Indiana]], U.S.
| death_date    = {{Death date and age|1979|7|28|1911|4|17}}
| death_place   = [[Beverly Hills, California]], U.S.
| spouse        = {{marriage|Phyllis Loughton|1936}}
| occupation    = {{hlist|Screenwriter|playwright|film director|film producer|theatre director}}
| years_active  = 1934–79
}}

'''George Seaton''' (April 17, 1911 – July 28, 1979) was an American screenwriter, playwright, film director and producer, and theater director.  Seaton led several industry organizations, serving as a three-time president of the [[Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences]], president of the [[Writers Guild of America West]] and the [[Screen Directors Guild]], and vice president of [[Motion Picture Relief Fund]]. He won two Academy Awards for his screenplays.<ref name="Clark">{{Cite news |last=Clark |first=Alfred E. |date=1979-07-29 |title=George Seaton, Director, Dead; Got Two Oscars for Screenplays |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/07/29/archives/george-seaton-director-dead-got-two-oscars-for-screenplays-also.html |access-date=2023-10-09 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

==Life and career==
===Early life===
Seaton was born George Edward Stenius in [[South Bend, Indiana]], of Swedish descent, the son of Olga (Berglund) and Charles Stenius, who was a chef and restaurant manager.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b4IRAQAAMAAJ&q=%22the+son+of+Charles+Stenius,+a+Swedish-born+chef+and+restaurant+manager,+and+Olga+Berglund%22|title = American National Biography|isbn = 978-0-19-512798-0|last1 = Garraty|first1 = John Arthur|last2 = Carnes|first2 = Mark Christopher|year = 1999| publisher=Oxford University Press }}</ref> He was baptized as Roman Catholic. He grew up in a Detroit Jewish neighborhood, and described himself as a "[[Shabbos goy|Shabas goy]]". He went on to learn Hebrew in an Orthodox Jewish Yeshiva and was even [[bar mitzvah]]ed.<ref>{{Google books |id=UJb_tnBVcG8C |page=187 |title=Hello, I Must Be Going: Groucho and His Friends }}</ref> Seaton attended [[Phillips Exeter Academy|Exeter Academy]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Archival Resources in Wisconsin: Descriptive Finding Aids: Biography/History |url=https://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi/f/findaid/findaid-idx?c=wiarchives;view=reslist;subview=standard;didno=uw-whs-us0075an;focusrgn=bioghist;cc=wiarchives;byte=661780401 |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=digicoll.library.wisc.edu}}</ref> and was meant to go to Yale but instead auditioned for Jesse Bonstelle's drama school in Detroit. She hired him for her stock company at $15 a week.<ref name="new">"George Seaton, Director, Dead; Got Two Oscars for Screenplays: Also Directed 'Country Girl' A Change of Plans" By ALFRED E. CLARK. ''New York Times'' 29 July 1979: 36.</ref>

===Acting===
Seaton worked in stock and on radio. He worked as an actor on radio station [[WXYT (AM)|WXYZ]]. John L. Barrett played the [[Lone Ranger]] on test broadcasts of the series in early January 1933, but when the program became part of the regular schedule, Seaton was cast in the title role. In later years, he claimed to have devised the cry "Hi-yo, Silver" because he couldn't whistle for his horse as the script required.<ref name=Moviefone>[http://www.moviefone.com/celebrity/george-seaton/1870419/biography Moviefone.com biography] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004085235/http://www.moviefone.com/celebrity/george-seaton/1870419/biography |date=2011-10-04 }}</ref>

===Writing at MGM===
Seaton wrote several plays, one of which was read by an executive at MGM who offered him a contract.<ref name="new" />

Seaton, with fellow writer and friend [[Robert Pirosh]], joined [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] as a contract writer in 1933.<ref name="Moviefone" /> He was credited on the scripts for ''[[Student Tour]]'' (1934) and ''[[The Winning Ticket]]'' (1935) and did some uncredited work with Robert Pirosh on ''[[A Night at the Opera (film)|A Night at the Opera]]'' (1935). Seaton's first major screen credit was the [[Marx Brothers]] comedy ''[[A Day at the Races (film)|A Day at the Races]]'' (1937).  His work on the script for ''[[Stage Door]]'' (1937) and ''[[The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|The Wizard of Oz]]'' (1939) was uncredited. He wrote a play ''But Not Goodbye''.<ref name="seaton" />

Seaton left MGM in 1937, unhappy at being restricted to comedies.<ref name="seaton">"GEORGE SEATON ON TOP: Being an Introduction to a Modest and Successful Movie Writer-Director" By HELEN COLTON HOLLYWOOD.. ''New York Times'' 14 Nov 1948: X5.</ref>

=== Columbia and 20th Century Fox ===
Seaton went to Columbia where he was credited on the scripts for ''[[The Doctor Takes a Wife]]'' (1940), ''[[This Thing Called Love (1940 film)|This Thing Called Love]]'' (1940) and ''[[Bedtime Story (1941 film)|Bedtime Story]]'' (1941). At Columbia, Seaton first met [[William Perlberg]].<ref name="new"/>

In the early 1940s, Seaton joined [[20th Century Fox]], where he remained for the rest of the decade, writing scripts for ''[[That Night in Rio]]'' (1941) with [[Don Ameche]] and [[Alice Faye]]. For a time, he specialized in musicals and comedy: ''[[Moon Over Miami (film)|Moon Over Miami]]'' (1941), with [[Betty Grable]] and Ameche, and ''[[Charley's Aunt (1941 film)|Charley's Aunt]]'' (1941), with Jack Benny.{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}}

Seaton wrote a historical war film, ''[[Ten Gentlemen from West Point]]'' (1942), then did the comedies ''[[The Magnificent Dope]]'' (1942) with Ameche and Henry Fonda, and ''[[The Meanest Man in the World]]'' (1943) with Jack Benny.{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}}

Seaton wrote ''[[The Song of Bernadette (film)|The Song of Bernadette]]'' (1943), which was a big success. It was produced by [[William Perlberg]] who would have an important influence on Seaton's career. Seaton followed it with the Betty Grable musical ''[[Coney Island (1943 film)|Coney Island]]'' (1943). He also wrote ''[[The Eve of St. Mark]]'' (1944).{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}}

''But Not Goodbye'', Seaton's 1944 [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] debut as a playwright, closed after only 23 performances,<ref>[http://www.ibdb.com/production.asp?ID=1411 ''But Not Goodbye'' at the Internet Broadway Database]</ref> although it later was adapted for the 1946 MGM film ''[[The Cockeyed Miracle]]'' by Karen DeWolf.

===Directing===
Seaton's success as a writer paved the way for his work as a director. His first film was ''[[Diamond Horseshoe]]'' (1945) with Grable, which he also wrote. It was produced by [[William Perlberg]], who would go on to produce all of Seaton's films. The film was very successful.<ref name="zanuck">Memo from [[Darryl F. Zanuck]] to all producers at 20th Century Fox, 13 June 1946, ''Memo from Darryl F. Zanuck'', Grove Press, 1993, pp. 108–109</ref>

Seaton did some uncredited directing on ''[[Where Do We Go from Here? (1945 film)|Where Do We Go from Here?]]'' (1945) then wrote and directed ''[[Junior Miss (film)|Junior Miss]]'' (1945), based on a popular play, with [[Peggy Ann Garner]].

Seaton wrote and directed ''[[The Shocking Miss Pilgrim]]'' (1947) with Grable. He followed it with ''[[Miracle on 34th Street]]'' (1947), which quickly became acknowledged as a classic. Seaton won an Oscar for his screenplay.<ref name="seaton" /> Seaton wrote and directed the comedies ''[[Apartment for Peggy]]'' (1948) with [[William Holden]] and [[Jeanne Crain]], and ''[[Chicken Every Sunday]]'' (1949) with [[Dan Dailey]]. He wrote a screenplay adapted from a [[Harry Segall]] play and directed ''[[For Heaven's Sake (1950 film)|For Heaven's Sake]]'' (1950) with [[Clifton Webb]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE |url=https://www.loc.gov/item/jots.200022561/ |access-date=2023-10-11 |website=Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA}}</ref>

Seaton wrote and directed a 1950 drama about the [[Berlin Airlift]] with [[Montgomery Clift]],''[[The Big Lift]]''. {{Citation needed|date=October 2023}}

===Perlberg-Seaton productions===
In November 1950, Seaton and Perlberg signed a multi-million dollar contract with Paramount for six years. Seaton was to write and direct films, and they would also produce films from others.<ref>"Multimillion-Dollar Movie Contract Signed" ''Los Angeles Times'' 13 Nov 1950: 9.</ref> They produced, but did not write or direct, the comedy ''[[Rhubarb (1951 film)|Rhubarb]]'' (1951), ''[[Aaron Slick from Punkin Crick]]'' (1952), and ''[[Somebody Loves Me (film)|Somebody Loves Me]]'' (1952) with [[Betty Hutton]]. Seaton's first film as writer director for Paramount was ''[[Anything Can Happen]]'' (1952), a comedy with [[José Ferrer]]. {{Citation needed|date=October 2023}}

Seaton made two films with [[Bing Crosby]]. ''[[Little Boy Lost (1953 film)|Little Boy Lost]]'' (1953) was not a success but ''[[The Country Girl (1954 film)|The Country Girl]]'' (1954), based on the play by [[Clifford Odets]] was a notable triumph. Grace Kelly earned an Oscar for Best Actress and Seaton won an Oscar for his screenplay.{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}}

Seaton and Perlberg produced ''[[The Bridges at Toko-Ri]]'' (1954), directed by Mark Robson, with Holden and Kelly. It was a huge hit.{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}}

Seaton wrote and directed ''[[The Proud and Profane]]'' (1956) with William Holden and [[Deborah Kerr]], which was a box office disappointment. He directed a short film ''Williamsburg: The Story of a Patriot'' (1957) and produced ''[[The Tin Star]]'' (1957), directed by [[Anthony Mann]].<ref>"Videos -- Williamsburg: The Story of a Patriot directed by George Seaton" Anonymous. ''American Heritage''; New York Vol. 45, Iss. 6, (Oct 1994): 109.</ref> Seaton and Perlberg were borrowed by Paramount to direct and produce a comedy with [[Clark Gable]] and [[Doris Day]], ''[[Teacher's Pet (1958 film)|Teacher's Pet]]'' (1958).

In April 1958, Seaton announced he and Perlberg would produce six more films for Paramount.<ref>"GABLE WILL STAR IN MOVIE COMEDY: Cast in 'But Not for Me,' a Perlberg-Seaton Film -Progress on 'Strogoff'" By THOMAS M. PRYOR ''New York Times'' 6 Apr 1958: 38.</ref> The first of these were ''[[But Not for Me (film)|But Not for Me]]'' (1959) and ''[[The Rat Race]]'' (1960), directed by [[Robert Mulligan]]. Seaton worked as director on ''[[The Pleasure of His Company]]'' (1961) with Fred Astaire and [[Debbie Reynolds]].

He wrote and directed ''[[The Counterfeit Traitor]]'' (1962) with Holden. They ended to follow it with ''The Hook'' then ''[[Night Without End (novel)#Proposed adaptation|Night Without End]]'' adapted by [[Eric Ambler]] from an [[Alistair MacLean]] novel.<ref>"SEATON-PERLBERG A BUSY FILM TEAM: One Project Finished, One in Production, 2 in View -- Alastair Sim Sequel" By HOWARD THOMPSON. ''New York Times'' 18 Mar 1961: 16.</ref>

Perlberg-Seaton Productions moved to MGM where Seaton directed [[Kirk Douglas]] in ''[[The Hook (1963 film)|The Hook]]'' (1963), a [[Korean War]] drama. Seaton was an uncredited producer on ''[[Twilight of Honor]]'' (1963) and directed some additional scenes on ''[[Mutiny on the Bounty (1962 film)|Mutiny on the Bounty]]'' (1963).<ref>"Big Career Looms for Bob Walker Jr.: Director George Seaton Has High Praise for Young Walker" Hopper, Hedda. ''Los Angeles Times'' 13 July 1962: D11.</ref> Seaton announced he would make ''[[Merrily We Roll Along (film)|Merrily We Roll Along]]'', but the film was never made.<ref>"LOCAL VIEWS: 'MERRILY': In Reverse" By A.H. WEILER. ''New York Times'' 3 Nov 1963: X7.</ref> Seaton wrote and directed ''[[36 Hours (1964 film)|36 Hours]]'' (1964), a war time thriller based on a story by [[Roald Dahl]].<ref>"George Seaton, Film Writer, Dies: Won Academy Award in 1947 and 1955 Incomplete Source" Cohen, Jerry. ''Los Angeles Times'' 29 July 1979: oc1.</ref>

=== Industry leadership ===
Seaton served as president of the [[Writers Guild of America West]] from 1948-1949. In 1955, he was elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences served three terms, 1955-1958.<ref>"George Seaton Elected to Head Film Academy" ''Los Angeles Times'' 11 June 1955: 3.</ref><ref>"George Seaton, Screenwriter; Directed Filming of 'Airport'" ''The Washington Post'' 30 July 1979: B4.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Archival Resources in Wisconsin: Descriptive Finding Aids: Biography/History |url=https://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi/f/findaid/findaid-idx?c=wiarchives;view=reslist;subview=standard;didno=uw-whs-us0075an;focusrgn=bioghist;cc=wiarchives;byte=799251418 |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=digicoll.library.wisc.edu}}</ref>

Seaton directed the [[28th Academy Awards]] in 1956.{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}}

In 1968, Seaton won the [[Valentine Davies Award]] "given to the Writers Guild of America West member whose contributions...have brought dignity and honor to writers everywhere."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Valentine Davies Award Previous Recipients |url=https://awards.wga.org/awards/awards-recipients/honorary-service-awards/valentine-davies-previous-recipients |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=awards.wga.org |language=en}}</ref>

=== Broadway ===
In May 1965, Seaton announced the end of his partnership with Perlberg. He returned to Broadway to direct ''Above William.'' (1965)<ref>"Producers Get the Action" Martin, Betty. ''Los Angeles Times'' 27 May 1965: C8.</ref> He then directed the [[Norman Krasna]] play ''[[Love in E Flat]]'', which was a critical and commercial flop.<ref>[http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=3065 ''Love in E Flat'' at the Internet Broadway Database]</ref> The musical ''[[Here's Love]]'', adapted from his screenplay for ''Miracle on 34th Street'' by [[Meredith Willson]], proved to be more successful.{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}}

===Universal===
Seaton went to Universal<!-- when? --> where he signed a three-picture contract. The first film was the comedy ''[[What's So Bad About Feeling Good?]]'' (1968), which Seaton produced and directed as well as writing with Robert Pirosh, with whom he had cowritten ''A Day at the Races'' (1937).<ref>{{cite news|title=A Nice Guy, Cast As a Movie Star|last=Reed|first=Rex|newspaper= New York Times|date=10 July 1966|page= 81}}</ref> Seaton disliked writing, producing and directing. "It's too much work," he said.<ref>"George Seaton Turns On Manhattan in New Comedy: Seaton Turns Manhattan On" Wigle, Shari. ''Los Angeles Times'' 14 April 1968: n16.</ref>

Seaton then had the biggest hit of his career with the all-star ''[[Airport (1970 film)|Airport]]'' (1970), which Seaton adapted from the novel by [[Arthur Hailey]]. It was produced by [[Ross Hunter]]. Seaton's script earned him an Oscar nomination.<ref>"Movies: How Hunter and Seaton Tackled 'Airport' Task" Brown, Vanessa. ''Los Angeles Times'' 6 Apr 1969: p20.</ref>

Seaton's last film as director was his third for Universal ''[[Showdown (1973 film)|Showdown]]'' (1973), which he also produced. He announced he was looking for another film to make but none eventuated.<ref>"Crash of 1929 Made B.H. Citizen Seaton Bullish on Film Industry" Faris, Gerald. ''Los Angeles Times'' 8 Feb 1973: ws3.</ref>

=== Personal life ===
In 1936, Seaton married [[:File:Phyllis Seaton, 1973.jpg|Phyllis Loughton Seaton]], a Broadway stage manager who became a successful acting coach and was the first female mayor of [[Beverly Hills, California|Beverly Hills]] in 1973.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Archives |first=L. A. Times |date=1987-09-27 |title=Phyllis Seaton, 80, Broadway's 1st Woman Stage Manager, Dies |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-09-27-me-10333-story.html |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=ACADEMY COLLECTIONS {{!}} details |url=https://collections.new.oscars.org/Details/People/96872 |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=collections.new.oscars.org}}</ref> They had two children.<ref name="Clark"/>

Seaton died of [[cancer]] in [[Beverly Hills, California]] in 1979. He had been suffering from it for two years.<ref>"Hollywood film director George Seaton dies" ''Chicago Tribune'' 29 July 1979: b19.</ref>

Seaton's papers are in the Wisconsin Historical Society Archives, Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Archival Resources in Wisconsin: Descriptive Finding Aids: Summary Information |url=https://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi/f/findaid/findaid-idx?c=wiarchives;view=reslist;subview=standard;didno=uw-whs-us0075an;focusrgn=summaryinfo;cc=wiarchives;byte=799247784 |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=digicoll.library.wisc.edu}}</ref>

==Partial filmography==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* ''[[A Day at the Races (film)|A Day at the Races]]'' (1937)
* ''[[The Doctor Takes a Wife]]'' (1940) (writer)
* ''[[Bedtime Story (1941 film)|Bedtime Story]]'' (1941) (writer only)
* ''[[The Song of Bernadette (film)|The Song of Bernadette]]'' (1943)
* ''[[The Meanest Man in the World]]'' (1943)
* ''[[Junior Miss (film)|Junior Miss]]'' (1945)
* ''[[The Shocking Miss Pilgrim]]'' (1947)
* ''[[Miracle on 34th Street]]'' (1947)
* ''[[Apartment for Peggy]]'' (1948)
* ''[[Chicken Every Sunday]]'' (1949)
* ''[[The Big Lift]]'' (1950)
* ''[[For Heaven's Sake (1950 film)|For Heaven's Sake]]'' (1950)
* ''[[Anything Can Happen]]'' (1952)
* ''[[Little Boy Lost (1953 film)|Little Boy Lost]]'' (1953)
* ''[[The Country Girl (1954 film)|The Country Girl]]'' (1954)
* ''[[The Proud and Profane]]'' (1956)
* ''[[Williamsburg: the Story of a Patriot]]'' (1957)
* ''[[Teacher's Pet (1958 film)|Teacher's Pet]]'' (1958)
* ''[[The Pleasure of His Company]]'' (1961)
* ''[[The Counterfeit Traitor]]'' (1962)
* ''[[The Hook (1963 film)|The Hook]]'' (1963)
* ''[[36 Hours (1964 film)|36 Hours]]'' (1964)
* ''[[What's So Bad About Feeling Good?]]'' (1968)
* ''[[Airport (1970 film)|Airport]]'' (1970)
* ''[[Showdown (1973 film)|Showdown]]'' (1973)
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|George Seaton (director)}}
* {{IMDb name|id=780833}}
*[https://archive.today/20131209192450/http://arcat.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1030/ George Seaton Papers] at the [[Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research]].

{{s-start}}
{{s-npo}}
{{succession box
| title = [[President of Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences]]
| before= [[Charles Brackett]]
| years = 1955–1958
| after = [[George Stevens]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{George Seaton}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Awards for George Seaton
| list = 
{{Academy Award Best Adapted Screenplay}}
{{Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award}}
{{Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement}}
{{Valentine Davies Award}}
}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Seaton, George}}
[[Category:1911 births]]
[[Category:1979 deaths]]
[[Category:American theatre directors]]
[[Category:Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award winners]]
[[Category:Presidents of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]]
[[Category:Writers from South Bend, Indiana]]
[[Category:Lone Ranger]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in California]]
[[Category:20th-century American dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award winners]]
[[Category:American people of Swedish descent]]
[[Category:Film directors from Indiana]]
[[Category:20th-century American screenwriters]]