Jan Spencer Scott (September 26, 1914 – April 17, 2003) was an American production designer and art director. She won 11

Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Owned and operated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the P ...

s, more than any woman in the history of television and more than any other production designers. Scott was nominated for Emmy Awards a record total of 29 times. She was also a president of the Society of Motion Picture Art Directors and also served as a vice-president, second vice-president and governor of the

Academy of Television Arts & Sciences The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), also colloquially known as the Television Academy, is a professional honorary organization dedicated to the advancement of the Television in the United States, television industry in the United S ...

Early years

Scott was born in

Water Valley, Mississippi Water Valley is a city in Yalobusha County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 3,392 at the 2010 census. It is the larger of two county seats in the rural county, and at one time was the center of railroad shops. Geography According ...

, in 1914. Her family moved to

Carbondale, Illinois Carbondale is a city in Jackson County, Illinois, United States, within the Southern Illinois region informally known as "Little Egypt". As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 25,083, making it the most po ...

, while Scott was an infant. Her father worked for a railroad, and her mother was an artist who died when she Scott was one-and-a-half or two years old. She attended Carbondale Community High School and then studied architecture at the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...

Art directing

NBC Chicago

While still studying at the University of Chicago, Scott began working at NBC in Chicago. She did design, scenic painting, carpentry, and lighting work for local television programs. Among others, she worked on a news show with

Hugh Downs Hugh Malcolm Downs (February 14, 1921July 1, 2020) was an American television presenter, radio personality, author, and music composer. A regular television presence from the mid 1940s until the late 1990s, he had several successful roles on mor ...

and a cooking show. She did internships at

WPTZ WPTZ (channel 5) is a television station licensed to Plattsburgh, New York, United States, serving as the NBC affiliate for the Burlington, Vermont–Plattsburgh, New York market. It is owned by Hearst Television alongside Montpelier, Vermo ...

in Philadelphia and another at

MIT The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of modern technology and sc ...

NBC New York

In 1955, Scott moved to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

where she worked as an art director for NBC. In New York, she worked on live drama shows, including ''

NBC Opera Theatre The NBC Opera Theatre (sometimes mistakenly spelled NBC Opera Theater and sometimes referred to as the NBC Opera Company) was an American opera company operated by the National Broadcasting Company from 1949 to 1964. The company was established spe ...

''. She also painted sets for the

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera is an American opera company based in New York City, currently resident at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center), Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Referred ...

Her first prolonged assignment at NBC was as the art director on the ''

DuPont Show of the Month ''DuPont Show of the Month'' was a 90-minute television anthology series that aired monthly on CBS from 1957 to 1961. The DuPont Company also sponsored a weekly half-hour dramatic anthology series hosted by June Allyson, ''The DuPont Show with Ju ...

'', an anthology drama series that began production in 1957. On the DuPont show, she worked closely with directors

George Roy Hill George Roy Hill (December 20, 1921 – December 27, 2002) was an American actor and film director. His films include ''Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid'' (1969) and ''The Sting'' (1973), both starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford; both fil ...

Fielder Cook Fielder Cook (March 9, 1923 – June 20, 2003) was an American television and film director, producer, and writer whose 1971 television film ''The Homecoming: A Christmas Story'' spawned the series ''The Waltons''. Biography and career Born in ...

, and

Franklin J. Schaffner Franklin James Schaffner (May 30, 1920July 2, 1989) was an American film, television, and stage director. He won the Academy Award for Best Director for '' Patton'' (1970), and is known for the films ''Planet of the Apes'' (1968), '' Nicholas and ...

. She also worked with Schaffer on ''

Hallmark Hall of Fame ''Hallmark Hall of Fame'', originally called ''Hallmark Television Playhouse'', is an anthology program on American television, sponsored by Hallmark Cards, a Kansas City, Missouri, Kansas Citybased greeting card company. It is the longest-ru ...

'', including a production of ''

A Doll's House ''A Doll's House'' (Danish language, Danish and ; also translated as ''A Doll House'') is a three-act Play (theatre), play written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It premiered at the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 21 De ...

'' in 1959. She received an Emmy nomination for her art direction on the 1958 production '' Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates'', broadcast as part of the ''

'' series. For Hans Brinker, she designed an ice rink in Brooklyn. She was also nominated on her work for ''Big Deal in Loredo''.

1960s and 1970s

In 1960, she worked on

Sidney Lumet Sidney Arthur Lumet ( ; June 25, 1924 – April 9, 2011) was an American film director. Lumet started his career in theatre before moving to film, where he gained a reputation for making realistic and gritty New York City, New York dramas w ...

's Emmy-nominated production of '' Sacco-Vanzetti Story''. Scott's work on that production included the courtroom and the jail. She worked on a television productions of several musicals in the late 1960s, including ''Brigadoon'', ''

Carousel A carousel or carrousel (mainly North American English), merry-go-round (International English), or galloper (British English) is a type of amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders. The seats are tradit ...

'', '' Kismet'', and ''

Kiss Me Kate ''Kiss Me, Kate'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter and a book by Bella and Samuel Spewack. The story involves the production of a musical version of William Shakespeare's ''The Taming of the Shrew'' and the conflict on and off- ...

''. She won Emmy Awards for her work on ''Kismet'' and ''Kiss Me Kate''. She won her third Emmy Award for the 1970 ''

CBS Playhouse ''CBS Playhouse'' is an American anthology drama television series that aired on CBS from 1967 to 1970. Airing twelve plays over the course of its run, the series won ten Primetime Emmy Awards and featured many noteworthy actors and playwrights. ...

'' production of '' Shadow Game'', a drama directed by

Paul Bogart Paul Bogart (né Bogoff; November 13, 1919 – April 15, 2012) was an Americans, American television director and producer. Bogart directed episodes of the television series 'Way Out (TV series), Way Out'' in 1961, ''Coronet Blue'' in 1967, '' ...

set against the 1965 Northeast blackout. She also worked that year on the PBS courtroom drama ''

The Andersonville Trial ''The Andersonville Trial'' is a 1959 hit Broadway play by Saul Levitt. It was later adapted into a television production and presented as part of the PBS anthology series '' Hollywood Television Theatre''. Development as Climax! episode Intere ...

'' directed by

George C. Scott George Campbell Scott (October 18, 1927 – September 22, 1999) was an American actor. He had a celebrated career on both stage and screen. With a gruff demeanor and commanding presence, Scott became known for his portrayal of stern but complex ...

. In 1972, she art directed for the PBS production '' The Scarecrow''. Scott later said that it was her favorite production. Her work included interiors for a large New England house. In 1974, she worked on '' The Lie'' for ''Playhouse 90'', another production for which she won two Emmy Awards. She won three Emmy Awards for her work on the ABC mini-series '' Eleanor and Franklin'' (1976) and its sequel '' Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years'' (1977). The two mini-series won a total of 17 Emmy Awards. In 1976, she worked on the ''

Roots A root is the part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors the plant body, and absorbs and stores water and nutrients. Root or roots may also refer to: Art, entertainment, and media * ''The Root'' (magazine), an online magazine focusin ...

'' miniseries. She stayed for the first six episodes. She left the production due to conflicts with

Hutu The Hutu (), also known as the Abahutu, are a Bantu ethnic group native to the African Great Lakes region. They mainly live in Rwanda, Burundi, and Uganda where they form one of the principal ethnic groups alongside the Tutsi and the Great L ...

members of the cast. Other notable works in the late 1970s included ''

The Gathering The Gathering may refer to: Film and television * ''The Gathering'' (1977 film), an American television film directed by Randal Kleiser * The Gathering (1998 film), an American thriller film directed by Danny Carrales * ''The Gathering'' (2003 ...

'' (1977) and ''

Orphan Train The Orphan Train Movement was a supervised welfare program that transported children from crowded Eastern cities of the United States to foster homes located largely in rural areas of the Midwestern United States, Midwest short on farming Child ...

''. She moved to Los Angeles in the 1970s, purchasing in a house in the

Hollywood Hills The Hollywood Hills is a residential neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California. It borders Studio City, Universal City and Burbank on the north, Griffith Park on the north and east, Los Feliz on the southeast, Hollyw ...

1980s and 1990s

She next won an Emmy Award for her work on the ''

Evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has Leaf, foliage that remains green and functional throughout the year. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which lose their foliage completely during the winter or dry season. Consisting of many diffe ...

'' (1985), a miniseries that spanned the history of a Jewish family over a 50-year period. ''Evergreen'' was shot partly in Israel and partly in New York's

Lower East Side The Lower East Side, sometimes abbreviated as LES, is a historic neighborhood in the southeastern part of Manhattan in New York City. It is located roughly between the Bowery and the East River from Canal to Houston streets. Historically, it w ...

. She won an Emmy Award for ''Evergreen''. She also won Emmy Awards for ''

Foxfire Foxfire, also called fairy fire and chimpanzee fire, is the bioluminescence created by some species of fungi present in decaying wood. The bluish-green glow is attributed to a luciferase, an oxidative enzyme, which emits light as it reacts with ...

'' (1987), ''

I'll Be Home for Christmas "I'll Be Home for Christmas" is a Christmas song written by the lyricist Kim Gannon and composer Walter Kent and recorded in 1943 by Bing Crosby, who scored a top ten hit with the song. Originally written to honor soldiers overseas who longed ...

'' (1988), and ''

Harvest of Fire ''Harvest of Fire'' is an American mystery drama television film that premiered on CBS on April 21, 1996, as part of the ''Hallmark Hall of Fame'' anthology series. The film is directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman, from a teleplay by Richard Alfie ...

'' (1996).

Later years

Scott died in 2003 at age 88 at her home in the Hollywood Hills. She was posthumously inducted into the

Art Directors Guild Hall of Fame The Art Directors Guild Hall of Fame was established by the Art Directors Guild in 2005 to recognize and honor the accomplishments and contributions of significant art directors and production designers in the film industry. Inductees 2005 * ...

in 2006.

Selected filmography

Television

* ''

The Kaiser Aluminum Hour ''The Kaiser Aluminum Hour'' is a dramatic anthology television series which was broadcast in prime time in the United States from July 3, 1956, through June 18, 1957, by NBC. ''The Kaiser Aluminum Hour'' was shown on alternate Tuesday nights a ...

'' (1956, scenic design) (Emmy nominee) * '' Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates'' (1958, art direction) (Emmy nominee) *''

'' (1959) (Emmy nominee) * '' Sacco-Vanzetti Story'' (1960) * ''

The DuPont Show of the Week ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

'' (1961, art director) (Emmy nominee) * ''

Theatre '62 ''Theatre '62'' is an American dramatic anthology series produced by Fred Coe. Seven hour-long episodes aired on the National Broadcasting Company during the 1961–62 season. Its episodes were abridged adaptations of popular feature films produc ...

'' (1962) (Emmy nominee) * ''

'' (1967, art director) * '' Kismet'' (1967, art director)(Emmy winner) * ''

'' (1968, art director) (Emmy winner) * '' Shadow Game'' (1970, art director) (Emmy winner) * ''

'' (1970) * ''

Montserrat Montserrat ( , ) is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. It is part of the Leeward Islands, the northern portion of the Lesser Antilles chain of the West Indies. Montserrat is about long and wide, wit ...

'' (1971, art director) (Emmy nominee) * '' The Scarecrow'' (1972, art director) (Emmy winner) * ''

Another Part of the Forest ''Another Part of the Forest'' is a 1946 play by Lillian Hellman, a prequel to her 1939 drama '' The Little Foxes''. Plot synopsis Set in the fictional town of Bowden, Alabama, in June 1880, the plot focuses on the wealthy, ruthless, and innat ...

'' (1973, art director) (Emmy nominee) * '' The Lie'' (1974, art director) (Emmy winner) * ''

Trilogy of Terror ''Trilogy of Terror'' is a 1975 American made-for-television anthology horror film directed by Dan Curtis and starring Karen Black. It features three segments, each based on unrelated short stories by Richard Matheson. The first follows a col ...

'' (1975) * '' Eleanor and Franklin'' (1976) (Emmy winner) * '' Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years'' (1977) (Emmy winner) * ''

'', Part II (1977) (Emmy nominee) * ''

'' (1977, art direction) (Emmy nominee) * ''

'' (1979) * '' Studs Lonigan'' (1979, art direction) (Emmy winner) * '' Marilyn: The Untold Story'' (1981, art direction) (Emmy winner) * ''

'' (1985, production designer) (Emmy winner) * '' The Long Hot Summer'' (1986, art direction) (Emmy nominee) * ''

'' (1987, art direction) (Emmy winner) * ''

'' (1988, art direction) (Emmy winner) * ''

The Kennedys of Massachusetts ''The Kennedys of Massachusetts'' is a 1990 television miniseries that aired on ABC. Focusing mainly on the fifty-four-year marriage of Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. and Rose Kennedy. The events depicted in the series are based upon the book by Dori ...

'' (1990) * ''

Cruel Doubt ''Cruel Doubt'' is a 1992 miniseries starring Blythe Danner and Matt McGrath, as well as Danner's daughter, Gwyneth Paltrow. The film was broadcast in two parts on NBC in the United States and on CTV in Canada on May 17 and May 19, 1992. Ed As ...

'' (1992, art direction)(Emmy nominee) * ''

'' (1996, art direction) (Emmy winner) * '' The Summer of Ben Tyler'' (1996) * '' The Love Letter'' (1998) * ''

Grace and Glorie "Grace and Glorie" is an American television play that was broadcast on December 13, 1998, as part of the ''Hallmark Hall of Fame'' series on CBS. The cast included Gena Rowlands and Diane Lane. The production was shot on location in Southington ...

'' (1998)

Feature films

* ''

The World of Henry Orient ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

'' (1964, production designer) * ''

The End The End may refer to: Film * The End (1953 film), ''The End'' (1953 film), a film by Christopher Maclaine * The End (1978 film), ''The End'' (1978 film), a comedy by Burt Reynolds * ''The End'' (1995 film), a List of Canadian films of 1995, Cana ...

'' (1978) * '' Rich and Famous'' (1981) * '' Grandview, U.S.A.'' (1984, production designer)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Scott, Jan American art directors People from Carbondale, Illinois American production designers 1914 births 2003 deaths American women production designers Primetime Emmy Award winners