Byron Conrad Haskin was an American film and television director. He was born in Portland, Oregon. He is remembered today for directing 1953's The War of the Worlds, one of many films where he teamed with producer George Pal. In his early career, he was a special effects artist, with a number of credits on Warner Bros. films, an asset when directing the killer ants film The Naked Jungle and the science fiction film Robinson Crusoe on Mars. Haskin also worked as a cinematographer and producer. His career in television included directing six e…