Film Director. He was an American film director of the 1940s through 1980s. In 1970, he was awarded an Academy Award for Best Director for "Patton", along with the Director's Guild of America (DGA) Award and the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) Director of the Year Award. He directed the first "Planet of the Apes" movie in 1968. Born Franklin James Schaffner, he was the son of missionaries in Japan. His widowed mother returned to Lancaster, Pennsylvania when he was age five. After graduating in 1938 as valedictorian of McCaskey High School's first graduating class, he graduated in 1942 from nearby Franklin and Marshall College. His acting interest started in high school, continuing with eleven roles in college productions. During World War II (WWII), he studied law at Columbia University in New York City, but his education was suspended by service with the United States Navy, serving with American amphibious forces in Europe and North Africa. Near the end of the war, he was sent to the Pacific Far East to serve with the United States Office for Strategic Services. After the war, he was involved with peace activities while dropping the thought of a law career. He became assistant director on a documentary "The March of Time" before joining CBS Television where he gained valuable experience in covering public events, sports and political conventions. In 1948, he married Helen Jean Gilchrist and the couple had two daughters: Jennie and Kate. He made his directorial debut in 1949 with the TV show "Wesley." Later, he directed more than 150 live dramas for such notable anthology series as "The Ford Theatre Hour," "Playhouse 90," and "Studio One in Hollywood," including the production "Twelve Angry Men" in 1954, which earned him an Emmy Award. He was awarded in 1955 an Emmy for directing and cowriting "The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial." He directed a long list of films, such as: "The Stripper" (1963), "The Best Man" (1964), "The War Lord" (1965), "The Double Man" (1967), "Nicholas and Alexandra" (1971), "Papillon" (1973), "Islands in the Stream" (1977), "The Boys from Brazil" (1978), and "Sphinx" (1981), which earned him a salary of $1,500,000. His last film "Welcome Home" was released shortly before his death in 1989. In 1977, the Franklin J. Schaffner Film Library was established at his alma mater, Franklin and Marshall College.