Director Fred F. Sears with the cast of Apache Ambush (1955).
Fred F. Sears
(July 7, 1913 – November 30, 1957)
Can’t remember the first time I noticed the name Fred F. Sears. Growing up a monster kid, I’m gonna guess it was a local-TV airing of either Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers or The Werewolf (both 1956).
Years later, when I began my deep dive into 50 Westerns, it quickly became obvious that Sears could lift his Westerns out of the budgetary basement to create something special. Like the terrific Fury At Gunsight Pass (1956).
Frederick Francis Sears was born 105 years ago today in Boston. After years in regional theater and teaching drama at Southwestern University in Memphis, he headed to Hollywood — and wound up at Columbia as a bit actor and dialogue director. While working on some of Durango Kid pictures (usually as a bad guy), he got to know Charles Starrett. He directed one of the Durango Kids, Desert Vigilante (1949), and eventually pretty much took over the series.
Fred F. Sears and Joan Taylor working on Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers (1957).
Sears became a preferred director for Sam Katzman, whose quickie unit at Columbia cranked out serials and genre pictures at a frantic pace. He spent the rest of his career at Columbia (except for one freelance gig, 1958’s Badman’s Country). From crime pictures to horror movies to Westerns, Sears’ ability to get ’em done on time and on budget served him well. Quality wasn’t much of a concern wit Katzman, but Sears always managed to provide some anyway. Today he’s known for Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers (1956), a picture that benefits from remarkable stop-motion animation from Ray Harryhausen, and The Giant Claw (1957), a film completely scuttled by some of the worst special effects in Hollywood history. But Fury At Gunsight Pass and The Werewolf (1956) are near-perfect examples of how good low-budget genre filmmaking can be.
Fred F. Sears died in his office at Columbia on November 30, 1957, with eight pictures waiting for release. He was 44.
UTAH BLAINE” is another one I will always remember him for particularly.
Yep, that’s a good one.
In a perfect world (or rather, MY perfect world), someone would put together a Fred Sears retrospective somewhere. Can you imagine a better few days full of movies?
May he rest in peace .He was one of the people who made our viewing pleasure what it is today .
Just watched AMBUSH AT TOMAHAWK GAP the other day. It’s available to stream free for Amazon Prime members and the print is gorgeous.