Jack Arnold, a renowned director of 1950s science-fiction films, is celebrated for his mastery of moody black-and-white cinematography, solid acting, intelligent scripts, snappy pacing, and an unwavering enthusiasm for the genre. His films are distinguished by an eerie atmosphere, which has captivated audiences for generations.
Born on October 14, 1912, in New Haven, Connecticut, Arnold began his career in show business as an actor on and off Broadway in the late 1930s and early 1940s. He appeared in various productions, including "The Time of Your Life," "Juke Box Jenny," "Blind Alibi," "China Passage," and "We're on the Jury."
During World War II, Arnold served in the US Army's Signal Corps. After his tour of duty, he apprenticed under the renowned documentary filmmaker Robert J. Flaherty. He then started making short films and documentaries, one of which, "With These Hands" (1950),was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Documentary Feature.
Arnold made his theatrical movie debut with the B picture "Girls in the Night" (1953) and then ventured into the science-fiction genre with the supremely spooky "It Came from Outer Space" (1953). He achieved his greatest cult popularity with "Creature from the Black Lagoon" (1954),a scary yet poetic reworking of "Beauty and the Beast." The sequel, "Revenge of the Creature" (1955),was equally impressive.
Arnold's crowning cinematic achievement is "The Incredible Shrinking Man" (1957),an intelligent and entertaining classic that has lost none of its potency over the years. His final two genre entries were the enjoyable "Monster on the Campus" (1958) and the offbeat "The Space Children" (1958).
In addition to his film work, Arnold directed episodes of various TV shows, including "Science Fiction Theatre," "Peter Gunn," "Perry Mason," "Rawhide," "Gilligan's Island," "Mod Squad," "Wonder Woman," "The Love Boat," "The Bionic Woman," and "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century."
Arnold was the father of producer/casting director Susan Arnold and passed away at the age of 79 on March 17, 1992.
