Born in
Norfolk, Virginia, he graduated from
Columbia University in 1940. Serving in the
U.S. Army's
Signal Corps Photographic Unit during
the War, he moved to Hollywood following
demobilization.
Sam Katzman Schneer joined
Columbia Pictures, where he wrote the script for the
Robin Hood film
The Prince of Thieves (1948) for
Sam Katzman. He later adapted Byron's
The Corsair for Katzman but it was not made. Schneer was credited as associate producer on Katzman's
The 49th Man (1953). Schneer worked as a producer on the TV series
The Web (1954)
Ray Harryhausen Schneer was introduced to Harryhausen by a mutual friend from Schneer's period in the Army. Together the two men created
It Came from Beneath the Sea (1955) (originally
Monster from Beneath the Sea), about a giant octopus that wreaks havoc on the
Golden Gate Bridge. To save money, the octopus had only six tentacles, which Schneer is reported to have been correct in claiming no one would notice. This film made use of stop-motion photography which the two men were to use to greater effect in later films. "He was a typical producer", Harryhausen says, "although he didn’t smoke big black cigars." Schneer would produce all Harryhausen's films except
One Million Years B.C. (1967). Harryhausen and Scheer next worked together on
Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1957) which Schneer produced.
Morningside Productions In 1956, it was announced Schneer was considering joining
RKO but changed his mind and signed a new three-picture deal with Columbia for his Morningside Productions. Schneer made the romantic drama
Hellcats of the Navy (1957) with
Ronald Reagan and his wife (billed as
Nancy Davis); it was the first time Schneer worked with director
Nathan H. Juran. He followed it with
20 Million Miles to Earth (1958) with Harryhausen, directed by Juran. In March 1957 Schneer signed a new three pictures deal with Columbia. He produced a noir,
The Case Against Brooklyn (1958), and a war film,
Tarawa Beachhead (1958), both directed by
Paul Wendkos. More popular than either was
The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958) with Harryhausen, directed by Juran and starring
Kerwin Mathews, who had been in
Tarawa. Schneer made two Westerns with
Fred MacMurray,
Good Day for a Hanging (1959) (directed by Juran) and
Face of a Fugitive (1959) (directed by Wendkos). In May 1959 it was announced Schneer would make nine films for Columbia, including
Battle of the Coral Sea,
I Aim at the Stars,
Mysterious Island, ''Gulliver's Travels
and Air Force Academy
. He started the new contract with Battle of the Coral Sea (1960), directed by Wendkos. Air Force Academy'' was never made.
London In 1960, Schneer moved his base of operations to London, where he remained for 45 years. He produced a biopic of
Wernher von Braun,
I Aim at the Stars (1960), directed by
J. Lee Thompson, and the fantasy
The 3 Worlds of Gulliver (1961), starring Kerwin Matthews.
Mysterious Island (1961), directed by
Cy Endfield was an adaptation of the
Jules Verne novel, with Harryhausen effects.
Gentleman to China with Lloyd Nolan was announced but never made. Schneer had one of his biggest successes with
Jason and the Argonauts (1963), again with Harryhausen; the screenwriter was
Beverley Cross who worked with Schneer on many future projects. Schneer produced a medieval swashbuckler,
Siege of the Saxons (1963) then an Imperial adventure,
East of Sudan (1963), both directed by Juran. He was reunited with Harryhausen for
First Men in the Moon (1964), also from Juran. Schneer produced a "swinging sixties" comedy directed by
Michael Winner,
You Must Be Joking! (1965), and the film version of the stage musical
Half a Sixpence (1967) starring
Tommy Steele.
Fifth Paw of the Lion was announced but not made. In Spain, he produced a Western,
Land Raiders (1970), then returned to fantasy for
The Valley of Gwangi (1969), with Harryhausen.
The Executioner (1970), directed by
Sam Wanamaker was a thriller.
Later Films Schneer made three more films with Harryhausen:
The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973), directed by
Gordon Hessler;
Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977), directed by Wanamaker; and
Clash of the Titans (1981), directed by
Desmond Davis. Harryhausen later said the secret to his success with Schneer was "never agreeing... We were together for a long time. Charles always had a great sympathy for fantasy. We had many disagreements, which brings up that old saying, "if two people think exactly alike, one of them is unnecessary." So we battled out many things in the name of the film, and in the end we'd come to a compromise." Schneer died in
Boca Raton, Florida, aged 88. ==Filmography==