Stuart Samuels, a former assistant professor of history in the School of Arts and Sciences, died on August 2 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 84.

Dr. Samuels earned his bachelor of arts from Rutgers University before pursuing his PhD at Stanford University.In 1968, Dr. Samuels joined Penn’s faculty as a lecturer of film history in the department of history in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. He was a trailblazer in teaching cultural history through feature films, creating the groundbreaking course “Film as Social and Intellectual History,” the first in the nation’s history departments to use feature films as a tool to explore the relationship between popular culture and intellectual history. In 1972, he was promoted to assistant professor of history, and he continued his career at Penn until leaving in 1981.

During his time in Philadelphia, Dr. Samuels co-founded the Walnut Street Theatre Film/Video Center alongside Ruth Perlmutter, a co-founder of the city’s film festival.

Dr. Samuels’ productions received widespread recognition, including his 1993 film Visions of Light: The Art of Cinematography, which won numerous accolades, including the Best Documentary award from the New York Film Critics Circle. He returned to Penn in 2021 to lead a discussion titled “Remembering the ‘60s: A Cultural Revolution,” reflecting on that transformative era.

He is survived by his wife, Judith Kappel, and his son, David.