Bill Thomas (costume designer)
Bill Thomas ( born October 30, 1921 in Chicago, Illinois as William Thomas Peterson, † 30 May 2000, Beverly Hills, California ) was an American costume designer. Thomas was nominated ten times during his career for the Academy Award, once he could win it. Thomas designed the costumes for more than 300 films.
Life and work
Bill Thomas studied at the University of Southern California and at the Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles. During World War II he served as a soldier in the United States Army Air Corps. During the war he designed, among other things, clothes for the United Service Organizations. From 1947 he worked for two years for Metro -Goldwyn -Mayer, and later for the Universal Studios and Walt Disney Productions. When he was hired in 1960 for the film Spartacus, fell at his task, only to design the costumes for Jean Simmons. This work was honored in 1961 with the Oscar. Multiple Thomas had not only human actors with costumes provide, so he designed in three films ( My husband Gottfried, Moon Pilot and Monkeys Go Home! ) Also clothes for Monkeys.
One of the most well-known ensemble that Thomas has designed, is the combination of a blue dress, black coat, striped scarf, hat with flower and an umbrella with a parrot head, worn by Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins.
Although Thomas had no own fashion label, sometimes he designed dresses for actresses and singers. His clients included Kim Novak and Helen Reddy.
Filmography (selection)
Awards and nominations
- Academy Awards 1961: Oscar for Spartacus ( Best Costume Design (Color film), together with Arlington Valles )
- Nominated for Seven Thieves ( Best Costume Design (black & white ) )
- Nomination for The Ship of Fools ( Best Costume Design (black & white ) )
- Nomination for the damned, Sweet World ( Best Costume Design (Color film ) )