Frederick Willard Zens (June 26, 1920 – March 27, 2013) was an American film producer, director, screenwriter and soundtrack composer who worked on mainly low budget films from the 1960s through the 1980s.

Early life and education

Zens was born in

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...

. Following service as a

test pilot A test pilot is an aircraft pilot with additional training to fly and evaluate experimental, newly produced and modified aircraft with specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques.Stinton, Darrol. ''Flying Qualities and Flight Testin ...

in the U.S. Army Air Force in the

European Theatre of Operations The European theatre of World War II was one of the two main theatres of combat during World War II, taking place from September 1939 to May 1945. The Allied powers (including the United Kingdom, the United States, the Soviet Union and Franc ...

, Zens earned his master's degree in film from the

University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in ...

(USC).Movie Master Will Zens Retires to Westlake
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Career

He made his first film ''Capture That Capsule'' in

1961 Events January * January 1 – Monetary reform in the Soviet Union, 1961, Monetary reform in the Soviet Union. * January 3 ** United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower announces that the United States has severed diplomatic and cons ...

. Zens did not make another film until ''

The Starfighters ''The Starfighters'' is a 1964 American Cold War film written, produced and directed by Will Zens, and starring Bob Dornan, Richard Jordahl and Richard Masters. In an unusual twist based on the storyline of a pilot and his congressman father, p ...

'' filmed at

George Air Force Base George Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base located within the city limits, 8 miles northwest, of central Victorville, California, about 75 miles northeast of Los Angeles, California. Established by the United States Army Air C ...

that chronicled the

F-104 The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is an American single-engine, supersonic Interceptor aircraft, interceptor. Created as a day fighter by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed as one of the "Century Series" of fighter aircraft for the United States Air ...

aircraft with

Bob Dornan Robert Kenneth Dornan (born April 3, 1933) is an American actor, radio talk show host, combat veteran, and Republican politician from California. Dornan represented two Southern California districts in the United States House of Representatives fr ...

in the lead role. Zens and Dornan next collaborated on a

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...

film ''

To the Shores of Hell ''To the Shores of Hell'' is a 1966 Vietnam War film shot in Technicolor and Techniscope that was directed by Will Zens and starring Marshall Thompson, Richard Arlen, Dick O'Neill and Robert Dornan that was distributed by Crown International Pi ...

'' made the following year. In 1967 Zens made '' The Road to Nashville'' and ''

Hell on Wheels Hell on Wheels was the itinerant collection of flimsily assembled gambling houses, dance halls, saloons, and brothels that followed the army of Union Pacific Railroad workers westward as they constructed the first transcontinental railroad in 18 ...

'' but made no more films until ''

Hot Summer in Barefoot County ''Hot Summer in Barefoot County'' is a 1974 comedy film directed by Will Zens and produced & distributed by Preacherman Corporation. The plot involves an undercover agent who is sent to a small southern town in order to uncover an underground m ...

'' (1974) and ''

Trucker's Woman ''Trucker's Woman'' (also released as ''Truckin' Man'') is a 1975 action film directed by Will Zens and starring Michael Hawkins. Plot Mike Kelly's father is driving his truck, when suddenly the brakes fail and he ends up losing control, resu ...

'' (1975), with his final film, ''The Fix'' in 1985.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Zens, Will 1920 births 2013 deaths Filmmakers from Milwaukee USC School of Cinematic Arts alumni Film directors from Wisconsin American male screenwriters Writers from Milwaukee Screenwriters from Wisconsin Film producers from Wisconsin Films directed by Will Zens