A graduate of Harvard University, Blaustein began in the motion picture
industry as a script reader in Universal's story department. During the
Second World War, he served with the U.S. Army Signals Corps in charge
of training films, heading his own unit in Astoria, New York. After
demobilization, he joined
David O. Selznick as editorial
supervisor. In 1949, he was signed under contract by 20th Century Fox,
first as producer, then as executive producer. He went independent
after leaving Fox in 1955.
Blaustein's main legacy are five imperishable motion pictures: the
first genuinely pro-native American western,
Der gebrochene Pfeil (1950) (its authentic
look facilitated by employing 375 Apaches and utilizing authentic
dwellings and other artefacts); the feisty western comedy
Cowboy (1958); the science fiction classic
Der Tag, an dem die Erde stillstand (1951)
(Blaustein's own personal favorite among his films, noted for its
powerful anti-war message); the delightful supernatural comedy
Meine Braut ist übersinnlich (1958)
(which presaged the popular TV series
Verliebt in eine Hexe (1964) by several years);
and the epic blockbuster
Khartoum - Aufstand am Nil (1966).
After leaving the film industry, Blaustein taught screenwriting and
production techniques at Stanford University and was named Adjunct
Professor of Communication Emeritus. He also served as a member of the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (from 1946) and as a
trustee for the Motion Picture and Television Fund.
