On Thursday, May 17, 2007, Sunset Gower Studios honored legendary 90-year-old motion picture and television assistant director and production manager Abby Singer by dedicating its Director’s Building in his name. The ceremony took place on the studio’s lot in Hollywood, California and was attended by Singer, his family, past and present associates, and friends.
“Abby Singer began his remarkable career right here on the Sunset Gower Studios lot in 1946, when he worked in the production department, then known as Columbia Pictures,” stated Sunset Gower CEO Robert Papazian. “We are very proud of Abby and felt it was fitting that we honor him for his remarkable career and his worthy contributions to our industry.”
The ceremony included the installation of a plaque honoring Singer, followed by an informal luncheon on the patio of the studio commissary. Singer became famous during one of his production assignments when he purposely convinced the crew into thinking the second-to-last shot of the day was actually the last shot. After this action, the second-to-last shot of the day became known throughout the film industry worldwide as The Abby Singer Shot – or sometimes shortened to The Abby.
“I started at Columbia Pictures in the late 1940s as secretary to production manager Jack Fier,” Singer recalled. “In a few short years, he made me a second assistant director and I haven’t stopped since. I love films and enjoyed every minute of every working day. Filming is a trouble shooting business and I found it fun to be able to solve any problem.”
Singer was honored in 1985 with the DGA’s Frank Capra Award for service to the Guild. “I gave all I could to the Guild because it gave me a lot,” he told DGA Quarterly in 2006. “When I joined there were 300 members, and the studios kept us busy,” Singer recalls. “Next to my wife and children, the film business is everything I ever wanted.”
