Paul Frederic Heard (October 14, 1913 – February 27, 1964) was an American film producer, director, and scriptwriter of religious films. From 1946 to 1951 he served as executive director of the Protestant Film Commission, which produced short films for distribution to denominational churches across the United States and Canada. He then formed his own independent production house for religious films. His short film Kenji Comes Home (1949) was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
Early life and education
Paul Frederic Heard was born on October 14, 1913, in Olivia, Minnesota.[1][2] His father, Rev. J. W. Heard, and grandfather, Rev. C. M. Heard, were both Methodist ministers.[3]
Heard studied at Lawrence College, his father's alma mater,[3] from 1929 to 1931.[2] He enrolled at the University of Minnesota from 1933 until his graduation in 1935,[2][4] studying film production in the school's visual education department.[5]
In 1945, Heard was appointed executive director of the newly formed Protestant Film Commission.[2][6] At that time, he commented that "similar techniques" as those used in government propaganda films could be applied to religious films to bring about "spiritual realizations" regarding the challenges of modern life.[6]
When the Protestant Film Commission merged with the Protestant Radio Commission to form the Broadcasting and Film Commission (BFC) of the National Council of Churches of Christ in December 1950,[7] Heard was named director of films in the new organization.[2][8] But in 1951, he resigned in order to become an independent producer of Christian films.[9] He was president of Paul F. Heard Inc, a motion picture production company, until 1963.[2] In 1954, the Los Angeles Times called Paul F. Heard Inc. "one of the big three producers of religious films", and said that Heard had had a hand in the production of hundreds of films for this sector.[10] Heard entered the television market in the early 1950s with the production of a 13-part series of short films titled What's Your Troubles, featuring Dr. and Mrs. Norman Vincent Peale.[11]
In October 1941, Heard's father officiated at his marriage to Gwendolin Vandarwarka in Appleton, Wisconsin.[3][4] In 1950, his wife's mother moved to California and lived with them until her death a month after her 100th birthday in 1963.[16][17]
Heard died on February 27, 1964,[18] aged 50, after undergoing surgery for cancer at Veterans Hospital in San Fernando.[14] Funeral services were held at the Hollywood Congregational Church and burial took place at Mountain View Cemetery in Altadena.[15]
