George Seaton is probably best known as a director and producer, but for over thirty-five years he had a highly successful career as a screenwriter. He wrote scripts in almost every genre, nearly always appealing to popular taste; his career was not without critical acclaim, including two Academy Awards, but this acclaim was never the equal of his financial success.

Seaton was born George Stenius, son of Olga Berglund and chef Charles Stenius, in South Bend, Indiana. After the family moved to Detroit, Seaton enrolled in Phillips Exeter Academy in preparation for attending Yale. At Exeter he became interested in theater and wrote several one-act plays; finally deciding he wanted to be an actor, he left Exeter after one year and never attended college. His parents convinced him to try the business world, and Seaton became employed at a brokerage firm in October 1929. The stock market crashed the...