Exec George Justin dies at 91

Worked on 'Angry Men,' 'Graduate,' 'Nashville'

By VARIETY STAFF

Production exec George Justin, who worked on influential films including "12 Angry Men," "Marathon Man," and "The Graduate," died of natural causes in Santa Monica, Calif. on March 9. He was 91.

As production manager, associate producer or producer, the New York-based exec worked on influential films "On the Waterfront" and "A Face in the Crowd" for Elia Kazan and "The Fugitive Kind" and "Long day's Journey Into Night" for Sidney Lumet.

Starting off his nearly 60-year career in films, one of his first jobs was working on casting for "Gone With the Wind" as a test director. After serving in the U.S. Army Signal Corps in World War II, he taught filmmaking and directed documentary and industrial films.

Moving into early television, he worked on "You Are There," "The Defenders" and produced a one hour anthology in London, "Espionage."

While usually working as a production manager or associate producer, he also produced films including "Middle of the Night," "Something Wild" and "The Tiger Makes Out."

Moving to Hollywood, Justin became VP for production management at Paramount, where "The Godfather," "Nashville" and "Chinatown" were produced during his time there. He also served as executive production manager for Orion and as Sr. VP of production management at MGM thorught the 1980s.

His other feature credits include "Inside Daisy Clover," "Up the Down Staircase," "The Night they Raided Minsky's," "The Deep," "The Eyes of Laura Mars," "Deadly Illusion" and "Star Struck." He even took a few small acting parts, in "Chinatown" and "Shampoo."

Born in New York city, he graduated from City College of N.Y. Justin had lived in Sag Harbor, N.Y. since 1994. He was a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Directors Guild of America.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Valerie, and a daughter.