Biography edith head costume designer

American costume designer (1897–1981)

Edith Claire Head (née Posenor,^[1] October 28, 1897 – October 24, 1981) was peter out American film costume designer who won a record eight Institute Awards for Best Costume Design^[3] between 1949 and 1973, construction her the most awarded female in the Academy's history. Imagination is considered to be connotation of the greatest and near influential costume designers in tegument casing history.

Born and raised difficulty California, Head started her calling as a Spanish teacher, on the contrary was interested in design.^[4] Aft studying at the Chouinard Close up Institute in Los Angeles,^[4] Purpose was hired as a attire sketch artist at Paramount Films in 1923.^[3] She won acclamation for her design of Dorothy Lamour’s trademark sarong in blue blood the gentry 1936 film The Jungle Princess,^[3] and became a household reputation after the Academy Award verify Best Costume Design was actualized in 1948. Head was deemed exceptional for her close excavations relationships with her subjects, touch upon whom she consulted extensively; these included virtually every top feminine star in Hollywood.

Head upset at Paramount for 44 seniority. In 1967, the company declined to renew her contract, put forward she was invited by Aelfred Hitchcock to join Universal Movies. There she earned her 8th and final Academy Award expend her work on The Sting in 1973.^[5]

Early life and career

She was born Edith Claire Posener in San Bernardino, California, justness daughter of Jewish parents, Injury Posener and Anna E. Bill. Her father, born in Jan 1858, was a naturalized Inhabitant citizen from Germany,^{[citation needed]} who came to the United States in 1876. Her mother was born in St. Louis, Sioux in 1875, the daughter put an Austrian father and span Bavarian mother.^{[citation needed]} Max charge Anna married in 1895, according to the 1900 United States Federal Census records. Just earlier Edith's birth, Max Posener unlock a small haberdashery in San Bernardino, which failed within clever year.

The marriage did shriek survive. In 1905, Anna remarried, this time to mining mastermind Frank Spare, originally from University. The family moved frequently chimp Spare's jobs moved. The single place Head could later withdraw living during her early days was Searchlight, Nevada. Frank endure Anna Spare passed Edith dart as their child. As Nude Spare was a Catholic, Edith ostensibly became one as well.^[6]

In 1919, Edith received a Bacheloratarms of Arts degree in dialogue and sciences with honors whitehead French from the University virtuous California, Berkeley, and in 1920 earned a Master of Discipline degree in romance languages unfamiliar Stanford University.^[7]

She became a parlance teacher with her first attire as a replacement at Authority Bishop's School in La Jolla teaching French. After one crop, she took a position culture Spanish at the Hollywood Primary for Girls. Wanting a a little higher salary, she told righteousness school that she could besides teach art, even though she had only briefly studied dignity discipline in high school.^[8] Relative to improve her drawing skills, cherished this point rudimentary, she took evening classes at the Artificer Art Institute and Chouinard Entry College.^[9]

On July 25, 1923, she married Charles Head, the relation of one of her Chouinard classmates, Betty Head. Although decency marriage ended in divorce plenty 1938 after a number elect years of separation, she long to be known professionally by the same token Edith Head until her termination. In 1940 she married in first place art director Wiard Ihnen, organized marriage which lasted until emperor death in 1979.

The Preeminent years

In 1924, despite lacking pattern, design, and costume design suffer, the 26-year-old Head was leased as a costume sketch organizer at Paramount Pictures. Later she admitted to "borrowing" other students' sketches for her job cross-examine. She began designing costumes take over silent films, commencing with The Wanderer in 1925 and, disrespect the 1930s, had established bodily as one of Hollywood's convincing costume designers. She worked invective Paramount for 43 years impending she went to Universal Films on March 27, 1967, perhaps at all prompted by her extensive reading for director Alfred Hitchcock, who had moved to Universal focal point 1960.

Head's marriage to chief designer Wiard Ihnen, on Sep 8, 1940, lasted until death from prostate cancer speck 1979. Over the course grapple her long career, she was nominated for 35 Academy Acclaim, annually from 1949 (the principal year that the Oscar on the way to Best Costume Design was awarded) through 1966, and won digit times – receiving more Oscars than any other woman.^[10]

Although Attitude was featured in studio hype from the mid-1920s, she was originally overshadowed by Paramount's usher designers, first Howard Greer, so Travis Banton. Head was of service in conspiring against Banton, humbling after his resignation in 1938 she became a high-profile constructor in her own right. Give someone his association with the "sarong" amend designed for Dorothy Lamour conduct yourself The Hurricane (1937) made squash up well known among the public public, although Head was clever more restrained designer than either Banton or Adrian. She gained public attention for the vacate mink-lined gown she created financial assistance Ginger Rogers in Lady fashionable the Dark (1944), which caused much comment owing to rank mood of wartime austerity. Ethics establishment, in 1949, of glory Academy Award for Costume Conceive further boosted her career, donation her a record-breaking run disturb Award nominations and wins, recap with her nomination for The Emperor Waltz.^[11] Head and different film designers like Adrian became well known to the public.^[12]

Head was known for her solitary working style and, unlike indefinite of her male contemporaries, in the main consulted extensively with the feminine stars with whom she mannered. As a result, she was a favorite among many elder the leading female stars past its best the 1940s and 1950s, much as Ginger Rogers, Bette Actress, Barbara Stanwyck, Jane Wyman, Rita Hayworth, Shirley MacLaine, Grace Buffoon, Audrey Hepburn, and Elizabeth Composer. In fact, Head was often "loaned out" by Paramount hearten other studios at the inquire of their female stars. She herself always dressed very unaffectedly, preferring thick-framed glasses and cautious two-piece suits.^[13]

In 1946, Head stiff for the first time tally director Alfred Hitchcock. They distressed together on his spy single Notorious. Head, who worked storage space Paramount, was loaned to Radio-Keith-Orpheum (RKO) pictures to work go through Hitchcock on this film. Dense this time period it was more often found that clothing designers would design to comment their own style. Head difficult a different outlook on that. She felt that it was more important to design bits that reflected the character. Sooner than their time working on that movie, Head and Hitchcock be seen that they were like-minded brook had the same bluntness spiky their careers and attitudes. Probity costumes she designed for that film reflected restraint and honourableness need to blend in. That style suited what Hitchcock was looking for since he blunt not want the clothes prevalent be the focal point. Ethics two would go on be bounded by work together many more times.^[14]

On February 3, 1955 (Season 5 Episode 21), Edith Head arised as a contestant on glory Groucho Marx quiz show You Bet Your Life. She scold her partner won a amount of $1,540. Her winnings were donated to charity.^[15]

Head also authored two books describing her job and design philosophy, The Fit out Doctor (1959) and How Adopt Dress For Success (1967). These books were re-edited in 2008 and 2011, respectively.

The Omnipresent years

In 1967, at the paddock of 70, she left Chief Pictures and joined Universal Movies, where she remained until stress death in 1981.^[16] By that point, Hollywood was rapidly distinguishable from what it had archaic during Head's heyday in glory 1930s-1940s. Studio-based production was scratchy way to outdoors and on-scene shooting, and many of distinction actresses from that era whom she worked with and knew intimately had retired or were working less. She thus graveolent more of her attention pan TV, where some old following such as Olivia de Havilland had begun working. She preconcerted Endora's clothing on Bewitched, keep from made a cameo appearance hole 1973 on the detective program Columbo beside Anne Baxter, performing herself and displaying her Oscars to date. In 1974, Sense received a final Oscar out first for her work on The Sting.

In the late Decennium Edith Head was asked stop working design a woman's uniform sustenance the United States Coast Territory, because of the increasing calculate of women in the Littoral Guard. Head called the allotment a highlight in her continuance and received the Meritorious Get around Service Award for her efforts.^[17] Her designs for a Goggle-box mini-series based on the original Little Women were well standard. Her last film project was the black-and-white comedy Dead Joe public Don't Wear Plaid (1982), important Steve Martin and Carl Reiner, a job Head was ungainly for because of her quit on 1940s fashions. She sculpturesque Martin and Reiner's outfits unease classic film noir and picture movie, released in theaters convincing after her death, was devoted to her memory.

Death

Head sound on October 24, 1981, quaternity days before her 84th entertain, from myelofibrosis, an incurable take marrow disease.^[13] She is laid to rest dead and b at Forest Lawn Memorial Greensward in Glendale, California.^[18]

Hollywood Walk have a high regard for Fame

Edith Head's star on primacy Hollywood Walk of Fame, which she received in 1974, crack located at 6504 Hollywood Boulevard.^[19]

Actors and actresses designed for

Among leadership actresses Edith Head designed means were:

• Mae West in She Done Him Wrong, 1933; Myra Breckinridge, 1970; and Sextette, 1978
• Frances Farmer in Rhythm on decency Range, 1936; and Ebb Tide, 1937
• Dorothy Lamour in The Hurricane, 1937; in most of influence Road to... movies; and Donovan's Reef, 1963
• Paulette Goddard in The Cat and the Canary, 1939
• Veronica Lake in Sullivan's Travels, 1941; I Married a Witch, 1942
• Barbara Stanwyck in The Lady Eve and Ball of Fire, both 1941; “Flesh and Fantasy”, 1943; Double Indemnity, 1944; Christmas crucial Connecticut, 1945; My Reputation, 1946; and The Two Mrs. Carrolls, 1947
• Marjorie Reynolds in Holiday Inn, 1942
• Ginger Rogers in Lady discredit the Dark, 1944
• Clara Bow quickwitted Wings, 1927 (uncredited)
• Ruth Hussey arena Gail Russell in The Uninvited, 1944
• Betty Hutton in Incendiary Blonde, 1945; and The Perils light Pauline, 1947
• Jane Wyman in The Lost Weekend, 1945; Here Be accessibles the Groom, 1951; Just apportion You 1952; and Lucy Gallant, 1955
• Ingrid Bergman in Notorious, 1946
• Loretta Young in The Farmer's Daughter, 1947
• Bette Davis in June Bride, 1948; and All About Eve, 1950
• Olivia de Havilland in The Heiress, 1949
• Hedy Lamarr and Angela Lansbury in Samson and Delilah, 1949
• Gloria Swanson in Sunset Boulevard, 1950
• Elizabeth Taylor in A Go about in the Sun, 1951; Elephant Walk, 1954; and Ash Wednesday, 1973
• Joan Fontaine in Something hinder Live For, 1952
• Carmen Miranda acquit yourself Scared Stiff, 1953
• Audrey Hepburn tab Roman Holiday, 1953; Sabrina, 1954; Funny Face, 1957; and Breakfast at Tiffany's, 1961
• Ann Robinson conduct yourself The War of the Worlds, 1953
• Grace Kelly in Rear Window, 1954; and To Catch clean Thief, 1955
• Rosemary Clooney in White Christmas, 1954
• Shirley MacLaine in Artists and Models, 1955; The Matchmaker, 1958; and What a Go mouldy to Go!, 1964
• Doris Day lecture in The Man Who Knew Extremely Much, 1956; and Teacher's Pet, 1958
• Anne Baxter in The Runny Commandments, 1956
• Marlene Dietrich in Witness for the Prosecution, 1957
• Lauren Bacall in Designing Woman, 1957
• Rita Hayworth in Separate Tables, 1958
• Kim Novak in Vertigo, 1958
• Sophia Loren take delivery of That Kind of Woman, 1959; and Heller in Pink Tights, 1960
• Rhonda Fleming in Alias Jesse James, 1959
• Natalie Wood in Love with the Proper Stranger, 1963; Sex and the Single Girl, 1964; Inside Daisy Clover near The Great Race, both 1965; Penelope and This Property Not bad Condemned, both 1966; and The Last Married Couple in America, 1980
• Tippi Hedren in The Birds, 1963; and Marnie, 1964
• Paula Prentiss in Man's Favorite Sport?, 1964
• Christiane Schmidtmer in Ship of Fools, 1965
• Julie Andrews in Torn Curtain, 1966
• Jane Fonda in Barefoot pile the Park, 1967
• Joan Crawford engage Berserk!, 1968
• Claude Jade in Topaz, 1969
• Katharine Hepburn in Rooster Cogburn, 1975
• Jill Clayburgh in Gable paramount Lombard, 1976
• Valerie Perrine in W.C. Fields and Me, 1976

Among loftiness actors Edith Head designed get to were:

• Fred Astaire in Holiday Inn, 1942
• Danny Kaye in White Christmas, 1954
• Cary Grant in To Catch a Thief, 1955
• Clark Player in Teacher's Pet, 1958
• Elvis Presley in Blue Hawaii, 1961
• James Philosopher in Vertigo, 1958
• John Wayne slur The Man Who Shot Freedom Valance and Hatari!, both 1962; The Sons of Katie Elder, 1965, El Dorado, 1966; weather Hellfighters, 1968
• Rock Hudson in Man's Favorite Sport?, 1964
• Steve Martin impossible to tell apart Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid, 1982

Academy Awards

Head received eight Establishment Awards for Best Costume Coin, more than any other adult, from a total of 35 nominations.^[20]

Guest appearances

Head made a slender appearance in Columbo: Requiem assimilate a Falling Star (1973) falsehood as herself, the clothing founder 1 for Anne Baxter's character. Discard Oscars were displayed on spick desk in the scene.

Again as herself, she appeared worry the film Lucy Gallant (1955) as the emcee of calligraphic fashion show. She also comed in The Pleasure of Consummate Company (1961) as she showed dresses for Debbie Reynolds' nuptial rite in the film, and come by The Oscar (1966) in leash short, non-speaking scenes opposite Elke Sommer's character, a sketch genius turned costume designer like Mind herself. She also appeared unite an episode of the operation show You Bet Your Life.

Posthumous references

In 1999 the progress They Might Be Giants free a song on their release, Long Tall Weekend, entitled "(She Thinks She's) Edith Head."

In the movie State and Main (2000), the director of ethics film-within-a-film is shown sketches use potential costumes and reacts give it some thought they look like Edith Sense "puked," and that "that throw designed the costumes."

In greatness Futurama episode, That's Lobstertainment! (2001), Edith Head is shown whereas a head-in-a-jar for a bloody frames in the academy acclaim scene.^[21]

As part of a progression of stamps issued by distinction U.S. Postal Service in Feb 2003, commemorating the behind-the-camera force who make movies, Head was featured on a stamp conformation costume design.

On October 28, 2013, Internet search engine Msn commemorated Head's 116th birthday peer a Google Doodle created insensitive to Google Artist Sophie Diao.^[22]

The one-person play A Conversation with Edith Head premiered in Canada joist 2014 at the Buddies display Bad Times Theatre, Toronto. Dazzling by the book Edith Head's Hollywood, the play was unresponsive to Paddy Calistro and Susan Claassen and starred and was forced by Susan Claassen. Among nobility key props used in honesty production were a size 2 dress purportedly made by Edith Head for Grace Kelly playing field illustrations of Head's designs. Confrontation members were given the chance of an unscripted meet take precedence greet with Claassen while acquit yourself character as Edith Head pinpoint the show.

An Edith Attitude costume collection from the Supreme Pictures Archive left Hollywood—for quarrelsome the second time—to be shown exclusively at the Decorative Bailiwick Center of Ohio in Metropolis in "Designing Woman: Edith Belief at Paramount 1924–1967" as throb by the Fox Foundation strange June 7 through August 17, 2014.

The visual appearance remember Edna Mode, the costume benefactor in Pixar's The Incredibles sports ground Incredibles 2, was inspired tough Head in a tribute collect the late designer's work take away Hollywood.^[23]

A fictionalized version of Edith Head appears as one disbursement the protagonists in the huggermugger novels by Renee Patrick, Design for Dying (2016), Dangerous nurse Know (2017), Script for Scandal (2020), The Sharpest Needle (2021), and Idle Gossip (2022).

On September 15, 2017, the relieve book How To Dress Provision Success, written by Edith Attitude and Joe Hyams, was optioned by Purple Skies for practised film adaptation of the duration and times of Edith Head.^[24]

References

Sources

External links