Geo Saizescu

{{short description|Romanian actor}}

{{use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Geo Saizescu

| image = Geo Saizescu filming Grăbește-te încet in April 1981.png

| caption = Saizescu filming Grăbește-te încet in April 1981

| birth_name = Gheorghe Saizescu

| birth_date = {{birth date|1932|11|14|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Prisăceaua, Mehedinți County, Romania

| death_date = {{death date and age|2013|9|23|1932|11|14|df=yes}}

| death_place = Bucharest, Romania

| resting_place = Cernica Monastery, Pantelimon, Ilfov

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| alma_mater = Caragiale National University of Theatre and Film

| occupation = Actor, film director

| years_active = 1956–2012

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| children = {{ill|Cătălin Saizescu|ro}}

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| awards = National Order of Faithful Service, Knight rank

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}}

Geo Saizescu (14 November 1932 – 23 September 2013) was a Romanian film director, screenwriter, and actor.{{cite news|url=http://www.antena3.ro/romania/a-murit-regizorul-geo-saizescu-228730.html|title=A murit regizorul Geo Saizescu. Ce a declarat în ULTIMA emisiune TV în care a apărut|lang=ro|work=Antena 3 CNN|date=September 24, 2013|access-date=September 24, 2023}} He appeared in 22 films between 1963 and 2009 and directed 16 films between 1956 and 2012.

He was born in Prisăceaua, Mehedinți County in 1932, the twelfth child of his parents; his father was a notary in the village. After his secondary studies at the Traian High School in Turnu Severin, he studied at the I.L. Caragiale Institute of Theatre and Film Arts (IATC) in Bucharest, film directing department,{{cite web|url=https://www.cafeneauapolitica.ro/mehedinteanul-geo-saizescu-un-mare-regizor-roman/|title=Mehedințeanul Geo Saizescu – un mare regizor român|lang=ro|first=Viorel|last=Sahagia| website=www.cafeneauapolitica.ro|access-date=September 24, 2023}} graduating in 1957. He made his directorial debut in 1956 with the film Aventurile bravului soldat Svejk; in 1958 he wrote the script and directed the film {{ill|Doi vecini|ro}}.{{cite news|url=https://adevarul.ro/stiri-locale/alexandria/video-regizorii-geo-si-catalin-saizescu-ataca-dur-1425121.html|title=Regizorii Geo și Cătălin Saizescu atacă dur "manelismul" și "comedia" prezentată de posturile TV din România| first=Claudiu|last=Dumitrache| lang=ro|newspaper=Adevărul|date=April 4, 2013|access-date=September 24, 2023}}

In 2002 he was awarded the National Order of Faithful Service, Knight rank. He died at the age of 80 in Bucharest and was buried in the cemetery at Cernica Monastery, in nearby Pantelimon.{{cite news|url=https://adevarul.ro/stiri-interne/evenimente/de-ce-n-a-fost-inmormantat-geo-saizescu-pe-aleea-1476716.html|title=De ce n-a fost înmormântat Geo Saizescu pe aleea actorilor din Bellu? Sebastian Papaiani: "Nu a vrut Caramitru!"| first=Cristian|last=Delcea| lang=ro|newspaper=Adevărul|date=September 26, 2013|access-date=September 24, 2023}}

Saizescu was the founder of the Faculty of Arts at the {{ill|Hyperion University|ro|Universitatea Hyperion din București}} in Bucharest; the faculty now bears his name. His son, {{ill|Cătălin Saizescu|ro}} (born in 1976) is an actor, film director, and producer.