Biographical Note
George Schaefer (1920-1997) was a prolific director of stage, screen, and television, winning eight Emmys and four Directors Guild of America awards.
Following high school graduation, Schaefer first directed plays for The Pastime Players of Oak Park, Illinois, a theater troupe of former high school classmates who staged plays while on summer break from college. Entering service with the U.S. Army during World War II, Schaefer was assigned to an entertanment section organized by Captain Maurice Evans, the famous Shakespearean actor, to produce theatrical works for troops serving in the Central Pacific area. Among the many works staged was a special truncated "G.I." version of Shakespeare's Hamlet, which Evans and Schaefer re-staged on Broadway following the war. During the 1950's, Schaefer continued his stage career with a residency at New York City Center, and a summer residency for the Dallas State Fair Musicals, and as producer of the Broadway and West End hit play The Teahouse of the August Moon. Evans and Schaefer brought Shakespeare to television with faithful stagings of Hamlet, King Richard II, and Macbeth, under the sponsorship of Hallmark Cards. This led to Schaefer's engagement as producer/director for the Hallmark Hall of Fame series of television specials from 1955-1968, where he directed from 3-7 plays each season. Schaefer began directing feature films in the late 1960's, while continuing to direct for television and theater through 1996.