Born in France but based in Los Angeles, George Fitzmaurice was a director in the early days of motion pictures, starting off before that as set designer for stage plays. He was proficient in assisting with the transition of Broadway play actors to cinema acting during World War I. Fitzmaurice was well -known for his romance dramas, Son of the Sheik being perhaps his most famous film.
Source:
www.siff.net/festival-2015/son-of-the-sheik