Allen Facemire, SAHS Class of ’63, is a renowned director, cameraman and photojournalist. He was born in Mineola, NY and lived in Long Island before his family moved to St. Augustine in the late 50s. The director and cameraman credits his mother with inspiring his interest in photography. After returning from basic training in 1964 and seeing the news photographers chronicling the civil rights struggles, Allen’s career course was set.

Fifty plus years of radio and TV productions followed, including traveling to Latin and South America to cover international events and civil unrest. He got an exclusive for ABC on the Shah of Iran after he was deposed in Panama; filmed Jimi Hendrix’s last performance at the Atlanta Pop Festival in 1970; director for the start of a music video show which was precursor to MTV and produced commercials for what would later become Ted Turner’s station.

Allen’s work has been presented in movies and on major news and network feature shows. He contributed to ABC’s “Prime Time” and “Good Morning America,” NBC’s “Dateline;” films like “The Buddy Holly Story” and “Black Beauty;” and television shows including “The Dukes of Hazzard,” “Matlock,” “Cops,” and “Miami Vice.” As a photojournalist, his coverage included the trial and conviction of serial child killer Wayne Williams in Atlanta.

Allen is a member of the Silver Circle of The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, was nominated for an Emmy award and is a partner in a company called SaltRun Productions Inc.