Julian Blaustein

A graduate of Harvard University, Blaustein began in the motion picture industry as a script reader in Universal's story department. During the Second World War, he served with the U.S. Army Signals Corps in charge of training films, heading his own unit in Astoria, New York. After demobilization, he joined David O. Selznick as editorial supervisor. In 1949, he was signed under contract by 20th Century Fox, first as producer, then as executive producer. He went independent after leaving Fox in 1955. Blaustein's main legacy are five imperishable motion pictures: the first genuinely pro-native American western, Broken Arrow (1950) (its authentic look facilitated by employing 375 Apaches and utilizing authentic dwellings and other artefacts); the feisty western comedy Cowboy (1958); the science fiction classic The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) (Blaustein's own personal favorite among his films, noted for its powerful anti-war message); the delightful supernatural comedy Bell Book and Candle (1958) (which presaged the popular TV series Bewitched (1964) by several years); and the epic blockbuster Khartoum (1966). After leaving the film industry, Blaustein taught screenwriting and production techniques at Stanford University and was named Adjunct Professor of Communication Emeritus. He also served as a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (from 1946) and as a trustee for the Motion Picture and Television Fund.