John Barnes

John Wadsworth Barnes (March 25, 1920 – June 27, 2000) was an American film director and producer. He was most active in the educational film industry, producing, directing and writing for Encyclopædia Britannica Films. In his career he worked on and helped create over 100 film projects. He produced the Academy Award nominated documentary The Living City. He wrote for a radio drama series, made experimental Bolex films, and produced the film To Live Together.

Biography John Barnes was born on March 25, 1920, in Belford, New Jersey. He came from a blue-collar, East Coast background of craftsmen. He did not end up graduating.

John Barnes died in the New York University Medical Center on June 27, 2000. Barnes wrote and directed a series titled Shaw v. Shakespeare that featured George Bernard Shaw as played by actor Donald Moffat. The three part series has been accepted by many as Barnes's magnum opus. Barnes fought against institutional censorship in southern schools which helped expand production and distribution of integrated educational films. Despite what Oscar nominations may allude to, those filmmakers who produced educational films made very little and relied on others to finance them so that they could continue with this career.

Awards The Living City (1953) was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Film NET Festival (1966) won a primetime Emmy in 1970 for the episode "Cinderella: National Ballet of Canada" for Outstanding Variety or Musical Program - Classical Music