Austen Jewell

Austen Jewell was an assistant director and production manager of Hollywood films. He was the Unit Production Manager for.

Born in Fort Worth, Texas, Jewell began his career in Hollywood as a child actor, appearing in such films as Erich von Stroheim's acclaimed drama, Greed (1924), and Charlie Chaplin's venerable classic, City Lights (1931).

Jewell began working as an assistant director in the 1940s, initially credited as Austin Jewell. During the 1940s and 1950s, he frequently worked with such prolific film directors as, , , and. He also worked under acclaimed director on the multiple Academy Award-nominated western drama Friendly Persuasion (1956).

In 1957, Jewell directed two films for, Hold That Hypnotist and Looking for Danger. That same year, he assisted in the direction of the B-grade horror movies I Was a Teenage Frankenstein (starring Whit Bissell) and Blood of Dracula for director. Jewell was also the production manager for both of these pictures, marking his first foray in film production management.

From 1959 through 1961, Jewell was an assistant director (often for William Beaudine) on the classic television series Lassie. He was also an assistant director on the western series Gunsmoke. His other assistant director credits include the Disney films Babes in Toyland (1961) and Summer Magic (1963, starring Michael J. Pollard) and the 1964 western Invitation to a Gunfighter (starring Alfred Ryder).

Jewell first worked with Star Trek II director Nicholas Meyer as Unit Production Manager (UPM) on the 1979 film Time After Time, starring Malcolm McDowell and David Warner. Jewell was also UPM on such films as The Cincinnati Kid (1965, featuring Jeff Corey), Herbie Rides Again (1974) and the first Superman (1978) and on the popular 1970s series Kung Fu (starring Keye Luke). He was both UPM and Associate Producer on the 1980 horror comedy Motel Hell.

As UPM on Paramount's 1983 drama Terms of Endearment, Jewell shared a Directors Guild of America (DGA) Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures. His next project was another Paramount film, the 1984 comedy Best Defense. After managing production on 1989's Wired (featuring Clyde Kusatsu, Dakin Matthews and Steve Vinovich), Jewell retired from show business.

Jewell died of cancer in Vista, California in 1998. He was 82 years old.