George Tyssen Butler (12 October 1943 – 21 October 2021) was a British filmmaker and photographer, and a pioneer of the theatrical documentary. Some of his most popular films include
Pumping Iron (1977), which introduced a wider audience to Arnold Schwarzenegger, The Endurance films, retelling Sir Ernest Shackleton's saga of Antarctic survival, and
Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry (2004), about his friend John Kerry's leadership in the peace movement. Butler's films are known for their combination of high artistic, educational and entertainment values, as he believed well-crafted documentaries can hold their own against dramatic features. In addition to his feature-length documentary classics, Butler has also produced acclaimed IMAX features, such as the award-winning
Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure (2001) and
Roving Mars (2006).
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