Description:
Austrian-born Nathan Juran was a professional architect before entering the film industry as an art director in 1937. He won an Academy Award for art direction on How Green Was My Valley (1941). World War II interrupted his film career, and he spent his war years with the OSS. Returning to Hollywood, he turned to directing films in the 1950s. He handled mostly low-budget westerns and sci-fi opuses, his most famous (or infamous) being Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958) (which he filmed under the name "Nathan Hertz"). On the other hand, he was also responsible for the superb fantasy adventure The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958). In the early 1960s, he journeyed to Europe, where he spent several years piloting adventure epics and spaghetti westerns.
Birthday
September 1, 1907
Born In
Gura Humora, Bukovina, Austria-Hungary [now Gura Humorului, Bukovina, Romania]
Alternative names
Nathan Hertz
, Jerry Juran
, Nathan H. Juran
, Nathan Hertz Juran
Spouse/Ex-
Catherine Van Ortwick (Wilson) 1994 - October 23, 2002 (his death),Julia Moorer October 7, 1944 - June 9, 1992 (her death),Anne Tarnoff May 29, 1930 - November 3, 1937 (divorced)
Parents
Jacob Juran
Children
Warren Juran
Quotes
[regarding his love for his job in a rare interview for the science-fiction fan
magazine "Starlog" in 1989] I approached the picture business as a business. I always did pictures for the money, and for the creative challenges. I wasn't a born director. I was just a technician who could transfer the script from the page to the stage and could get it shot on schedule and on budget. I never became caught up in the "romance" of the movies.
Nickname
Jerry
