Biography
Irwin Allen (12 June 1916 – 2 November 1991) was an American film and television producer and director. Born in New York City, he began his career in journalism and advertising before moving into film production. His early work included the documentary The Sea Around Us (1953), which won an Academy Award.
Allen became known for science fiction films and television series in the 1960s, including Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961) and the series Lost in Space (1965–1968), The Time Tunnel (1966–1967) and Land of the Giants (1968–1970). In the 1970s he produced and directed action sequences for major disaster films, notably The Poseidon Adventure (1972) and The Towering Inferno (1974). He was married to actress Sheila Mathews from 1974 until his death from a heart attack in Santa Monica, California.
