Photo of Cedric Gibbons
Art direction

Cedric Gibbons

Profession
Art direction
Born
March 23, 1893 · Dublin, Ireland
Died
July 26, 1960

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Austin Cedric Gibbons (March 23, 1893 – July 26, 1960) was an Irish art director and production designer for the film industry. He also made a significant contribution to motion picture theater architecture from the 1930s to 1950s. He is credited as the designer of the Oscar statuette in 1928. Gibbons was born in Dublin, Ireland and studied at the Art Students League of New York and worked for his architect father. While at Edison Studios from 1915, he first designed a set for a film released in 1919, assisting Hugo Ballin. But, after this first foray, the studio closed, and he signed with Samuel Goldwyn in 1918. This evolved to working for Louis B. Mayer at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer from 1924 to 1956—a 32-year career. Gibbons was one of the original 36 founding members of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and oversaw the design of the Academy Awards statuette in 1928, a trophy for which he himself would be nominated 39 times, winning 11. He retired in 1956 with about 1,500 films credited to him: however, his contract with MGM dictated that he receive credit as art director for every MGM film released in the United States, even though other designers may have done the bulk of the work. Even so, his actual hands-on art direction may have been on about 150 films. In 1930, Gibbons married actress Dolores del Río and co-designed their house in Santa Monica, an intricate Art Deco residence influenced by Rudolf Schindler. They divorced in 1941; three years later he married actress Hazel Brooks with whom he remained until his death at the age of 67. Gibbons's grave is in the Calvary Cemetery, East Los Angeles.

Known for

The Wizard of Oz poster
The Wizard of Oz
Film · 1939 · ★ 7.6
Singin' in the Rain poster
Singin' in the Rain
Film · 1952 · ★ 8.1
Freaks poster
Freaks
Film · 1932 · ★ 7.8
Forbidden Planet poster
Forbidden Planet
Film · 1956 · ★ 7.3
The Philadelphia Story poster
The Philadelphia Story
Film · 1940 · ★ 7.5
The Shop Around the Corner poster
The Shop Around the Corner
Film · 1940 · ★ 8.1
An American in Paris poster
An American in Paris
Film · 1951 · ★ 7.0
Gaslight poster
Gaslight
Film · 1944 · ★ 7.5
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers poster
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Film · 1954 · ★ 7.1
A Night at the Opera poster
A Night at the Opera
Film · 1935 · ★ 7.4
The Thin Man poster
The Thin Man
Film · 1934 · ★ 7.5
The Asphalt Jungle poster
The Asphalt Jungle
Film · 1950 · ★ 7.5

Filmography