George Sidney

Biography: A middle level director, New York-born George Sidney was born into a show business family and was on the boards as a child. He rose from bit player to office boy to sound technician and editor at MGM during the '30s, and became an assistant director in the middle of the decade. Along with actor/director Dave O'Brien, Sidney established his name at MGM through work on the Pete Smith specialty films, slapstick comedy shorts that were extremely popular for decades after their release in the late '30s and early '40s, and he later worked on the studio's Crime Dows Not Pay and Our Gang short films as well, winning Oscars for short subjects in 1940 and 1941, respectively, after which he was moved up to feature films. Sidney's best feature work was in musicals, including such popular and fondly remembered releases as Thousands Cheer (1943), Anchors Away (1945), Annie Get Your Gun (1950), and Show Boat (1951). Only one of his movies (Kiss Me Kate [1953]) is regarded as a true classic inA middle level director, New York-born George Sidney was born into a show business family and was on the boards as a child. He rose from bit player to office boy to sound technician and editor at MGM during the '30s, and became an assistant director in the middle of the decade. Along with actor/director Dave O'Brien, Sidney established his name at MGM through work on the Pete Smith specialty films, slapstick comedy shorts that were extremely popular for decades after their release in the late '30s and early '40s, and he later worked on the studio's Crime Dows Not Pay and Our Gang short films as well, winning Oscars for short subjects in 1940 and 1941, respectively, after which he was moved up to feature films. Sidney's best feature work was in musicals, including such popular and fondly remembered releases as Thousands Cheer (1943), Anchors Away (1945), Annie Get Your Gun (1950), and Show Boat (1951). Only one of his movies (Kiss Me Kate [1953]) is regarded as a true classic in the genre, as a relatively faithful and very spirited adaptation of the Cole Porter stage musical, and the only non-horror 3-D movie that retains a following in that format today. His screen version of Bye Bye Birdie (1963) also retains a dedicated following. His last film to date, Half a Sixpence, starring Tommy Steele, was release in 1966.… Expand