Fred F. Sears, a Boston College alumnus, began his show-business career in regional theater, where he simultaneously acted, directed, and produced. He even founded "little theater" groups and taught drama at Southwestern University before being recruited by Columbia Pictures as a dialogue director. Notably, he also ventured in front of the camera, primarily playing sidekick roles in the studio's low-budget westerns.
Sears' directorial debut occurred within the studio's "Durango Kid" western series, starring Charles Starrett. Throughout his career, he remained a loyal employee of Columbia, earning the favor of producer Sam Katzman due to his ability to deliver films efficiently and within budget. Katzman, a quickie producer who released films through Columbia, appreciated Sears' capacity to produce juvenile-delinquent crime films, rock musicals, action thrillers, and science fiction epics.
Sears' most celebrated film is widely regarded as the science fiction classic "Earth vs. the Flying Saucers" (1956),which boasts impressive special effects courtesy of the legendary Ray Harryhausen. The film is notable for its well-paced and tightly constructed narrative, free from the rushed and chintzy aesthetic often associated with Sears' work.
Interestingly, the same genre is also attributed to Sears' worst film, "The Giant Claw" (1957),a clumsy and incoherent mess featuring hilariously awful special effects. The "giant claw" itself appears as a poorly executed marionette resembling a mutant turkey, accompanied by a sound effect akin to a choking crow.
Tragically, Fred Sears succumbed to a heart attack on November 30, 1957, at the tender age of 44. His final five films were released posthumously.
