As a cinematographer at Hal Roach Studios, he is credited with saving the film career of young British comic Stan Laurel. Laurel's pale blue eyes would register as an unnatural white on orthochromatic film, the standard film in use at that time. Stevens knew of panchromatic film and was able to get a supply of it from Chicago. This film was sensitive to blue so that Laurel's eyes would photograph more naturally. Laurel would use Stevens for his short films at Roach. When Stan Laurel was teamed up with Oliver Hardy, the team make Stevens their cameraman of choice.
Biography in: John Wakeman, editor. "World Film Directors, Volume One, 1890-1945". Pages 1051-1057. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1987.
Cousin of James W. Horne.
Directed 16 different actors in Oscar-nominated performances: Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Charles Coburn, Jean Arthur, Oskar Homolka, Irene Dunne, Barbara Bel Geddes, Ellen Corby, Montgomery Clift, Shelley Winters, Brandon De Wilde, Jack Palance, James Dean, Rock Hudson, Mercedes McCambridge and Ed Wynn. Only Coburn and Winters won Oscars for their performances in one of Stevens' movies.
Ex-son-in-law of actress Alice Howell.
Father of director George Stevens Jr..
Grandfather of Michael Stevens
Grandson of actress Georgia Woodthorpe.
He was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located at 1709 Vine St.
Head of jury at the Berlin International Film Festival in 1970
Interred at Forest Lawn (Hollywood Hills), Los Angeles, California, USA, in the Morning Light section, Space 3, Plot #8034.
Is portrayed by Craig Barnett in James Dean (2001) (TV), by Robert Mitchum in James Dean: Race with Destiny (1997) (TV) and by Eugene Roche in Liz: The Elizabeth Taylor Story (1995) (TV).
Member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1957
Nephew of Olive Cooper.
President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences from 1958 to 1959
President of the Screen Directors Guild. [1941-1943]
President of the Screen Directors Guild. [1946-1948]
Same birthday as Casper Van Dien who played James Dean in a film with Robert Mitchum as George Stevens.
Son of actor Landers Stevens and actress Georgie Cooper.
Won the Oscar for Best Director twice - for A Place in the Sun (1951) and for Giant (1956). Neither film won Best Picture, and both starred Elizabeth Taylor.