Edward Stevenson (costume designer)

Edward " Eddie" Manson Stevenson ( born May 13, 1906 in Pocatello, Idaho, † December 2, 1968 in Los Angeles, California ) was an American costume designer, who in 1961 won an Oscar for Best Costume Design.

Life

Stevenson, the only son of a superintendent of the branch of the railway undertaking Oregon Short Line Railroad in Idaho, initially attended St. Joseph School and the Pocatello High School in his native city before he clipped a lung condition to California and there until 1922 Hollywood High School visited. During his school days he learned by a neighbor who was a cousin of Hollywood stars Gloria Swanson, know the then-known fashion designer and costume designer André- Ani and then began to work for this. Initially he worked as a sketch artist for the film production company Norma Talmadge Productions, before 1925 assistant André- anise at Metro -Goldwyn -Mayer and designed there costumes for actresses such as Greta Garbo, Janet Gaynor and Alma Rubens.

After mediation by the actress Louise Fazenda, he became head of the Kostümbildnerabteilung production company First National, before they merged in September 1928, Warner Bros.. After his retirement he worked there in the following years for various production companies such as Hal Roach Studios and Columbia Pictures, and established besides the early 1930s, his own fashion company Blakely House, which specialized in the production of everyday clothing. In 1935, he became assistant to Bernard Newman, the chief costume designer of RKO Pictures, whom he succeeded as head of the Kostümbildnerabteilung 1936-1950. Then he again worked for various film production companies.

In 1952 he was nominated twice for an Academy Award for Best Costume Design: On the one with Charles Le Maire for the color film David and Bathsheba (1951 ) by Henry King starring Gregory Peck, Susan Hayward and Raymond Massey in the lead roles, on the other hand Margaret Furse for the black and white film the slob and the Queen (1950 ) by Jean Negulesco with the main cast Irene Dunne, Alec Guinness and Andrew Ray.

From the mid- 1950s, Stevenson exclusive costume designer for Lucille Ball and their television show I Love Lucy ( 1955-1957 ) and The Lucy- Desi Comedy Hour ( 1957-1960 ).

In 1961 he won with the costume designer Edith Head legend an Oscar for Best Costume Design in the black and white film So an affair ( The Facts of Life, 1960) by Melvin Frank with Lucille Ball, Bob Hope and Ruth Hussey in the lead roles.

Then Stevenson was again Costume of Lucille Ball in the TV shows The Lucy Show ( 1962-1968 ) and Here's Lucy (1968). Throughout his 45 - year career in the film industry in Hollywood he participated in costume base of over 200 films and television shows.

Filmography (selection)

Awards

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