The production designer Cedric Gibbons (1893-1960), though little-known to many filmgoers, strongly influenced many of Hollywood's greatest films.

Gibbons was born in New York on March 23, 1893. Already educated in art and architecture, he began his movie career just as the film industry started rolling. He obtained an assistant's job at the Edison Studios and worked there from 1915 to 1918. Gibbons made a major mark on film design at this time when he insisted on the use of three-dimensional scenery rather than painted backdrops.

In 1918 Gibbons left Edison for a position as art director at Goldwyn's in New York. Later he moved with Goldwyn and Company to California. In 1924 came a significant turning point. MGM studio was formed, and Gibbons became its supervising art director. In 1930 Gibbons married the actress Dolores Del Rio. The couple divorced in 1941.

Strong Influence at MGM

It is not easy to determine which of the...