George Albert Zabriskie ’48

George died from Parkinson's disease July 4, 2005. He spent the last days of his life in Pittsburgh to be close to his daughter, Tavia LaFollette, who profiled his life for this memorial.

George was born Oct. 24, 1926, in Wilmette, Ill. Following his father's death the next year, he went to live with his grandparents in New York City. George attended Trinity School until joining the Navy. At Princeton, he earned his degree in history and had a passion for filmmaking. He was in Campus Club and played club football and hockey.

"I fought the Korean War out in Long Island City making training films for the Army," he said. In 1952 he married Virginia Marshall, who created the well-known Zabriskie Galleries in New York and Paris. The marriage ended in divorce, and in 1962 George married actress Sherry LaFollette, daughter of Wisconsin Gov. Phillip LaFollette and granddaughter of Gov. "Fighting Bob" LaFollette. The couple produced a son and a daughter, dozens of films, and four books. They were honored at the Cannes Film Festival for The Secret Squint. Their film Summerdog opened the Guild Theatre in Rockefeller Center.

Sherry died in 2002. To George's children, Oliver and Tavia, the class offers condolences on the death of a creative and fine man.