George Joseph Steiner, Jr.

George Joseph Steiner, Jr. suffered a cardiac event and passed away suddenly on Friday, September 25, 2020. He was 68. He was born on August 19, 1952 in New Orleans, and is survived by his loving wife of 24 years, Eileen Williams Steiner, his sister Susan Steiner Villere (Pierre G.), father-in-law John Williams, mother-in-law Joanne Williams, brothers-in-law John Williams, Jr. (Angie) and David Williams (Rina), as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins on both his father’s and mother’s sides of the family. He was preceded in death by his father, George J. Steiner and his mother, Shirley Lis Robertson Steiner. George majored in communications at Loyola University, and went on to pursue a lifetime career in the local film industry. At age 18, he produced his first documentary called Queen City of the South, which became his launching pad for a career in film that spanned five decades. In subsequent years, he worked on dozens of New Orleans film shoots in various capacities, including set production assistant, assistant location manager, assistant director, assistant producer, and executive producer. While he worked on many feature films over the course of his career, he was known for his work on Terminator Genisys, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and She's Funny That Way where he served as executive producer, and which starred Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson. He also worked in various capacities on dozens of television programs and commercials during the course of his 50-year career – in total, he was involved in over 150 television commercials, documentaries, feature films and made-for-TV movies. He served as Commissioner of the Louisiana Film Commission under Governor Edwin Edwards, and later served as the founding President of Filmworks New Orleans, a 36-acre motion picture production facility that offered a sound stage, mill services, a commissary, and a back lot for turnkey local production. George was a member of several professional organizations, including three decades of membership in the Directors Guild of America, and was also a member of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts (IATSE Local 478). George will be remembered for his radiant smile, his infectious laughter, his quick wit, his artistic talent, and for the innumerable lives he touched personally and professionally.

A visitation will be held at St. Dominic Catholic Church, 775 Harrison Avenue, on Friday, October 2, 2020 beginning at 10:00 a.m. A Memorial Mass will follow at 11:00 a.m., and a Celebration of Life event honoring George’s memory will be held at a later date. Both the visitation and Memorial Mass will be live streamed on the St. Dominic YouTube Channel.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Greater New Orleans Chapter of the American Heart Association in George’s name.

The family invites you to share your thoughts, fond memories, and condolences online at www.lakelawnmetairie.com.