Thomas Stephen Gries, a Georgetown University alumnus, was born in the vibrant city of Chicago, Illinois, to Ruth Marie (Gluck),a multifaceted individual with a background in advertising copywriting and acting, and Joseph Charles Gries. After completing his service with the esteemed United States Marines during World War II, Gries transitioned to a career in journalism, working as a reporter for a prominent Chicago newspaper.
In 1947, Gries relocated to Hollywood, where he began working as a talent agent. His professional trajectory soon took a turn as he joined the ranks of producer/director Stanley Kramer's team, serving as a publicist and story aide. As his experience and expertise grew, Gries progressed to the role of associate producer, eventually transitioning to writing and producing documentaries.
Gries's impressive career continued as he made the leap to television, earning an Emmy Award in 1963 for his direction of the series East Side/West Side. Throughout his career, Gries balanced his work between feature films and made-for-TV movies, producing a mix of critically acclaimed and less successful projects. Notable highlights include the feature films Will Penny (1967) and Helter Skelter (1976),as well as the made-for-TV movie Number One (1969).
In his later years, Gries's output in both genres became more routine. Tragically, his life was cut short when he suffered a heart attack while playing tennis.
