CTVA Profile - Director - George Blair
Profile - Director - George Blair
Compiled for ctva by
Sal Crisanti
<crisanti52@netscape.net>
WHEN YOU THINK OF VERSATILITY
IN A DIRECTOR, THE NAME THAT COMES TO MIND, IS GEORGE BLAIR. BEFORE BECOMING A
FULL-TIME DIRECTOR, GEORGE BLAIR STARTED OUT IN THE MOVIE INDUSTRY PAYING HIS
DUES LIKE ANYONE ELSE TRYING TO MAKE A LIVING IN FILMS. HE STARTED OUT AS AN
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AT UNIVERSAL PICTURES ON FEATURE DRAMA TITLED "THE FIGHTING
YOUNG"(1935). IN 1936 HE WORKED ON ANOTHER FEATURE, THIS TIME AT PARAMOUNT
PICTURES, CALLED "PALM SPRINGS"(1936). FROM THERE HE SIGNED ON AT REPUBLIC
PICTURES AND ALSO WORKING AS AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR THERE. THEN IN 1944 GEORGE
BLAIR TOOK ON THE DUTIES OF A DIRECTOR. HIS FIRST FILM WAS A THRILLER ENTITLED:
"SILENT PARTNER". ALMOST ALL OF THEM WERE EITHER A CRIME OR A MYSTERY FILM WITH
AN OCCASIONAL WESTERN. HIS CAREER AT REPUBLIC PICTURES CONTINUED UNTIL 1956.
IN 1950 GEORGE BLAIR CAUGHT THE TELEVISION BUG, BUT NOT AS BAD AS SOME
OTHER DIRECTORS DID. HIS TV CREDITS INCLUDED:
"THE GENE AUTRY SHOW."(1950-1956),
"RACKET SQUAD"(1950-1951),
"THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN" (1952-1957),
"MR.& MRS. NORTH"(1952-1954),
"HIGHWAY PATROL"(1955-1959)
AND
"WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE"(1958-1961).
HE DIRECTED SOME 25 EPISODES FOR THE 'SUPERMAN' TV SERIES,
STARRING GEORGE REEVES.
FOR 'WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE' HE DIRECTED ABOUT 10 EPISODES,
ALTERNATING WITH OTHER DIRECTORS SUCH AS, THOMAS CARR,
DONALD MCDOUGALL, AND R.G. SPRINGSTEEN.
IN BETWEEN HIS TV ASSIGNMENTS HE CONTINUED WORKING ON FEATURE FILMS
UNTIL 1960.
HIS FINAL PROJECT WAS A MOVIE FOR TV TITLED:
"THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERBOY"(1961).
GEORGE BLAIR'S DIRECTORIAL STYLE WAS STRAIGHT-FORWARD AND WITH A LOT
OF VARIETY THAT SET HIM APART FROM OTHER DIRECTORS.