Stephen Goosson (March 24, 1889 - March 25, 1973) was an American

film A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...

set designer Scenic design, also known as stage design or set design, is the creation of scenery for theatrical productions including plays and musicals. The term can also be applied to film and television productions, where it may be referred to as prod ...

and

art director Art director is a title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, live-action and animated film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supe ...

Life

Born in

Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...

, Goosson studied architecture at

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York, United States. It was established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church but has been nonsectarian since 1920 ...

. He worked as an

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

before moving to New York City in 1917 and studied at the Ecole des Beaux Arts of Paris. He started his film career as art director for producer Lewis J. Selznick in 1919, and films for

Fox Film Corporation The Fox Film Corporation (also known as Fox Studios) was an American independent company that produced motion pictures and was formed in 1914 by the theater "chain" pioneer William Fox (producer), William Fox. It was the corporate successor to ...

such as '' New Movietone Follies of 1930''. Gossoon made a name for himself working for

Mary Pickford Gladys Louise Smith (April 8, 1892 – May 29, 1979), known professionally as Mary Pickford, was a Canadian-American film actress and producer. A Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood, pioneer in the American film industry with a Hollywood care ...

in 1921 when he invented new methods and materials for her film ''Little Lord Fauntleroy''. He eventually was hired by

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Columbia Pictures, is an American film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution company that is the flagship unit of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group ...

in 1931, where he served as supervising art director for 25 years. Goosson was the principal designed for many of Frank Capra's movies during Capra's time at Columbia in the 1930s, including ''

American Madness ''American Madness'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by Frank Capra and starring Walter Huston as a New York banker embroiled in scandal. Plot At the Union National Bank, the directors are concerned because they think that ba ...

'', ''

It Happened One Night ''It Happened One Night'' is a 1934 American pre-Code romantic comedy film with elements of screwball comedy directed and co-produced by Frank Capra, in collaboration with Harry Cohn, in which a pampered socialite ( Claudette Colbert) tr ...

'', and ''You Can't Take It with You''. Besides his collaboration with Capra, Goosson's most important film of the 1930s was the screwball comedy ''

The Awful Truth ''The Awful Truth'' is a 1937 American screwball comedy film directed by Leo McCarey, and starring Irene Dunne and Cary Grant. Based on the 1922 play ''The Awful Truth'' by Arthur Richman, the film recounts a distrustful rich couple who begin ...

''.

Career

Goosson was nominated for an Academy Award for the

El Brendel Elmer Goodfellow "El" Brendel (March 25, 1890 – April 9, 1964) was an American vaudeville comedian turned movie star, best remembered for his dialect routine as a Swedish immigrant. His biggest role was as "Single-0" in the sci-fi musical ' ...

musical ''Just Imagine'' and eventually won the

Academy Award for Best Art Direction The Academy Award for Best Production Design recognizes achievement for art direction in film. The category's original name was Best Art Direction, but was changed to its current name in 2012 for the 85th Academy Awards. This change resulted fr ...

for '' Lost Horizon''. His designs for the film have been noted as excellent examples of the

Streamline Moderne Streamline Moderne is an international style of Art Deco architecture and design that emerged in the 1930s. Inspired by Aerodynamics, aerodynamic design, it emphasized curving forms, long horizontal lines, and sometimes nautical elements. In indu ...

style that reached the height of its popularity that year. Additional credits include '' Mr. Deeds Goes to Town'', '' Theodora Goes Wild'', ''The Awful Truth'', ''

Holiday A holiday is a day or other period of time set aside for festivals or recreation. ''Public holidays'' are set by public authorities and vary by state or region. Religious holidays are set by religious organisations for their members and are often ...

'', ''

Meet John Doe ''Meet John Doe'' is a 1941 American comedy drama film directed and produced by Frank Capra, written by Robert Riskin, and starring Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck and Edward Arnold. The film is about a "grassroots" political campaign created ...

'', '' The Little Foxes'', and ''

The Jolson Story ''The Jolson Story'' is a 1946 American biographical musical film, a highly fictionalized account of the life of singer Al Jolson, produced by Columbia Pictures and directed by Alfred E. Green. It stars Larry Parks as Jolson, Evelyn Keyes a ...

''. In 1937, he was elected the first president of the Society of Motion Picture Art Directors, the forerunner of the Art Directors Guild, and was elected for a second term in 1947; he was inducted into the Art Directors Guild Hall of Fame in 2007. In the late 1940s, he created the designs for three significant ''film noirs'': '' Gilda'' (1946), ''Dead Reckoning'' (1947), and ''

The Lady from Shanghai ''The Lady from Shanghai'' is a 1947 American film noir produced and directed by Orson Welles and starring Rita Hayworth, Welles, Everett Sloane, and Glenn Anders. Welles's screenplay is based on the novel ''If I Die Before I Wake'' by Sherwo ...

'' (1948). Goosson died of a stroke in

Woodland Hills, California Woodland Hills is a neighborhood bordering the Santa Monica Mountains in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California, United States. History The area was inhabited for around 8,000 years by Native Americans in the United States, ...

Selected filmography

* ''The Hunchback of Notre Dame'' (1923) * '' A Blonde for a Night'' (1928) * '' Let 'Er Go Gallegher'' (1928) * '' Just Imagine'' (1930) * '' Shanghaied Love'' (1931) * '' You May Be Next'' (1936) * '' Lost Horizon'' (1937) * ''

'' (1937) * '' Women of Glamour'' (1937) * ''

She Married an Artist ''She Married an Artist'' is a 1937 American romantic comedy film directed by Marion Gering and starring John Boles (actor), John Boles, Luli Deste, and Frances Drake.Goble p.806 The film's sets were designed by the art director Stephen Goosson. ...

'' (1937) * ''

Murder in Greenwich Village ''Murder in Greenwich Village'' is a 1937 American mystery film directed by Albert S. Rogell and starring Richard Arlen, Fay Wray and Raymond Walburn.Monaco p.14 The screenplay involves an heiress who is falsely accused of murder. The film's ...

'' (1937) * '' Squadron of Honor'' (1938) * '' Kiss and Tell'' (1945)

References

External links

* American art directors Best Art Direction Academy Award winners Artists from Grand Rapids, Michigan 1889 births 1973 deaths American production designers {{US-artdirector-stub Syracuse University alumni

Life

Career

Selected filmography

See also

References

External links