Stephen Goosson (Stephen Goosson)

Stephen Goosson

Motion Picture Art Director/Set Designer. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Stephen was an architect in Detroit before starting his film career as art director for producer Lewis J. Selznick, and films for Fox Film Corporation such as New Movietone Follies of 1930. He eventually was hired by Columbia Pictures, where he served as supervising art director for 25 years. Nominated for five Academy Awards, Stephen won for his magnificent sets of Shangri-La for Frank Capra’s Lost Horizon in 1937. They collaborated on seven other pictures from Platinum Blonde in 1931 to Meet John Doe in 1941. Always a visionary, he was just as comfortable with simple authenticity (like the cabin in It Happened One Night in 1934 where “the wall of Jericho” is erected) than with magnificent concepts (such as his and co art director Ralph Hammeras, futuristic New York City of 1980 in Just Imagine in 1930. From pencil drawings to final full-scale sets, his work was always extremely rich in details, and always thoroughly researched and authentically built.  It is difficult to imagine any of these movies without Stephen Goosson’s exquisite contributions. Stephen died in Woodland Hills California in 1973. (bio by: Shock) Cause of death: Stroke

Born

  • March, 24, 1889
  • USA

Died

  • March, 03, 1973
  • USA

Cause of Death

  • Stroke

Cemetery

  • Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)
  • California
  • USA

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