George Archainbaud, a French-born individual, commenced his career in the entertainment industry as an actor and stage manager in France. He later emigrated to the United States in 1915, where he secured a position as an assistant director to fellow French expatriate Emile Chautard at William A. Brady's World Film Co. in Fort Lee, New Jersey.
Archainbaud made his directorial debut in 1917 with the film "As Man Made Her." He went on to become a prolific director, producing over 100 feature films and numerous television series episodes over the next 35 years.
Although a significant portion of his feature film output was routine, he did produce some exceptional works, including "The Lost Squadron" (1932),a gritty and dark tale of a group of former World War I aviators who find work as stunt fliers in war movies. This film received critical and financial acclaim, earning praise from critics for its thrilling flying sequences.
Archainbaud is perhaps most closely associated with the Western genre. In the 1940s, he directed a number of fast-paced and exciting Westerns, including "The Kansan" (1943) and several entries in the Hopalong Cassidy series.
When cowboy star Gene Autry transitioned to television to star in his own series, he brought Archainbaud along with him. Archainbaud became the principal director on the show and other Autry-produced series, such as "Buffalo Bill, Jr." (1955),"Annie Oakley" (1954),and "The Adventures of Champion" (1955).
Sadly, Archainbaud passed away due to a heart attack in Beverly Hills, California, in 1959.
