Ed Sabol
American filmmaker and founder of NFL Films (1916–2015)
title: "Ed Sabol" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1916-births", "2015-deaths", "american-cinematographers", "film-producers-from-new-jersey", "american-male-actors", "american-male-swimmers", "american-military-personnel-of-world-war-ii", "blair-academy-alumni", "jewish-american-film-people", "nfl-films-people", "ohio-state-buckeyes-men's-swimmers", "people-from-warren-county,-new-jersey", "pete-rozelle-radio-television-award-recipients", "pro-football-hall-of-fame-inductees", "sports-emmy-award-winners", "sportspeople-from-atlantic-city,-new-jersey", "sportspeople-from-warren-county,-new-jersey", "jewish-american-military-personnel", "american-people-of-romanian-descent", "21st-century-american-jews", "jews-from-new-jersey", "jews-from-arizona", "jewish-american-sportspeople", "american-television-producers", "20th-century-american-sportsmen"] description: "American filmmaker and founder of NFL Films (1916–2015)" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Sabol" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary American filmmaker and founder of NFL Films (1916–2015) ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox person"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Ed Sabol |
| image | Ed_Sabol.jpg |
| birth_name | Edwin Milton Sabol |
| birth_date | |
| birth_place | Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. |
| death_date | |
| death_place | Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S. |
| alma_mater | Ohio State University |
| occupation | Founder of NFL Films |
| awards | Awards and honors |
| children | Steve Sabol |
| spouse | Audrey Sabol |
| :: |
| name = Ed Sabol | image = Ed_Sabol.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Edwin Milton Sabol | birth_date = | birth_place = Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S. | alma_mater = Ohio State University | occupation = Founder of NFL Films | awards = Awards and honors | children = Steve Sabol | spouse = Audrey Sabol
Edwin Milton Sabol (September 11, 1916 – February 9, 2015) was an American filmmaker and the founder (with his son Steve Sabol, among others) of NFL Films. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011 as a contributor due to his works with NFL Films.
Early life, education, and career
Sabol was born to a Jewish mother and Romanian father in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1916 and raised in Blairstown, New Jersey. While attending Blair Academy, he excelled in several sports, and set a World Interscholastic Swimming record in the 100-yard freestyle race. He continued his noted swimming career at Ohio State University. He was selected for the 1936 Olympic team but refused to participate because of the games being held in Nazi Germany.
NFL Films
Sabol founded Blair Motion Pictures in 1962. Its first major contract was to film the 1962 NFL Championship Game between the New York Giants and the Green Bay Packers at Yankee Stadium in New York. In 1964, Blair Motion Pictures became NFL Films, with an exclusive deal to preserve NFL games on film. It has been said by his son Steve Sabol, of NFL Films, "The only other human endeavor more thoroughly captured on 16-mm film than the National Football League is World War II." In 1995, he officially retired from NFL Films in his role as president and chairman. In 1996, he was elected to the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
On February 5, 2011, Sabol was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
Death
Sabol died on February 9, 2015, at his home in Arizona.
Awards and honors
- 1935: World Interscholastic Record holder, 100-yard freestyle swimming
- 1937: Big Ten championship, 400-yard freestyle relay swimming
- 1937: National AAU championship, 400-yard freestyle relay swimming
- 91 Emmy Awards (to NFL Films)
- 1987: Order of the Leather Helmet (presented by the NFL Alumni Association)
- 1987: Bert Bell Memorial Award (presented by the NFL)
- 1991: Pete Rozelle Award (presented by the NFL)
- 1996: International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
- 2003: Lifetime Achievement Emmy
- 2004: John Grierson International Gold Medal
- 2011: Pro Football Hall of Fame
References
References
- "International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame entry for Ed Sabol".
- (February 9, 2015). "Ed Sabol, founder of NFL Films, dies at 98". Washington Post.
- (June 24, 2012). "Producer Notes". [[CNBC]].
- Rollet, Ron. "Ed Sabol Bio". Cape May New Jersey State Film Festival.
- (August 25, 2004). "NFL Films, Inc.: Father-Son Team Establishes Gold Standard For Sports Photography". CBSnews.com.
- [http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/YearlyFinalists.aspx Pro Football Hall of Fame, Finalists]
- (February 9, 2015). "NFL Films founder Ed Sabol dies". ESPN.
- (February 5, 2011). "Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2011 Announced". Pro Football Hall of Fame.
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