Biography

Jeannot Szwarc gained a cult following for his time-travelling romantic fantasy Somewhere in Time (1980). It starred Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour, both very much at the peak of their popularity. The director himself regarded this and the spy thriller Enigma (1982) as his two best feature films.

Paris-born Szwarc (pronounced "Schwartz") spent his early years in Argentina before studying in the U.S., where he obtained a Master's Degree in political science from Harvard University. Having settled in Paris, he began working for a production company on documentaries and commercials, eventually advancing to the position of second unit director. Upon his return to America in the early sixties, he toiled for several years as a freelance scriptwriter. By the end of the decade, Szwarc had graduated to directing prime-time television. He seamlessly adapted to every genre but always maintained a certain predilection for fantasy and science fiction. Helming episodes of top-rating TV shows for the next five decades, Szwarc amassed multiple credits for episodes of, among others, Night Gallery (1969), Kojak (1973), JAG (1995), Without a Trace (2002),Heroes (2006), Smallville (2001), Fringe (2008), Supernatural (2005) and Bones (2005). His occasional big screen forays were somewhat less consistent in quality, including tepid material like Jaws 2 (1978), Bug (1975) and Supergirl (1984).

Jeannot Szwarc was married to the production coordinator Cara de Menual. He died on January 15 2025, aged 85.
- IMDb mini biography by: I.S.Mowis