You Can Never Be 2 Smart

Schwartz, Charles

Charles W. Schwartz made a series of 24 remarkable nature films, most of which were produced for the Missouri Department of Conservation. From 1949 through 1978, Charlie and Libby Schwartz wandered through much of North America, Hawaii, and the Caribbean on arduous expeditions, carrying cumbersome camera, sound, and blind gear, filming birds, mammals, and reptiles.

Charles Schwartz (b. June 2, 1914), who grew up in St. Louis, was the son of a prominent ophthalmologist, and studied biology and zoology at the University of Missouri. There, he met Elizabeth Reeder (b. September 13, 1912), originally from Columbus, Ohio, who was an instructor on the U of Mo. faculty, and the daughter of a professor at Ohio State University. After receiving her doctorate, she taught at Sweetbriar College in Virginia, and at Stephens College, Missouri. She and Charles married in 1938.

In addition to making films, Charles was a well-regarded wildlife illustrator and author, whose best known books are "Wild Mammals of Missouri" and "Wildlife Drawings." Charles passed away in 1991, and Libby lives in retirement in Idaho. We encourage you to read Libby's outstanding memoir of her life in films, discussing the life of an itinerant husband-and-wife team filming subjects in the wild, often in arduous conditions.

Titles by Charles Schwartz

A Sand County Almanac