William S. Darling

William Sandorhazi Darling ( born September 14, 1882 in Sandra, Austria - Hungary, † September 15, 1963 in Laguna Beach, California; actually Wilmos Bela Sandorhazi ) was an American production designer and painter of Hungarian origin.

Life

After studying art at the Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts in Budapest and at the École des Beaux -Arts in Paris, William S. Darling emigrated to the United States in 1910. Native Wilmos Bela Sandorhazi, he took the early 1920s, the last name of his wife. From 1921 he worked as Art Director for the film. A year later he joined the Fox Film Corporation, where he soon established himself as a leader in his field. Even after the merger of the studio with 20th Century Pictures to 20th Century Fox, he was still the most important art director of the studio, as he was responsible for both B- movies as well as for prestige productions. He proved itself primarily with Filmbauten for exotic locations, such as in Charlie Chan in Egypt ( Charlie Chan in Egypt, 1935) or The Rains Came ( The Rains Came, 1939). Over the years he also worked under the guidance of some well-known directors, including F. W. Murnau, Frank Lloyd, John Ford, Fritz Lang and John Cromwell. Together with other agents scene he was seven times nominated for Best Art Direction Academy Award in the category. For the films cavalcade ( Cavalcade, 1933), The Song of Bernadette ( The Song of Bernadette, 1943) and Anna and the King of Siam ( Anna and the King of Siam, 1946) he was able to win the trophy three times.

The same time he was active as prior to his work in film, as a painter of Impressionist works. In the 1920s and 1930s, he painted numerous watercolors and gouache images with local landscape motifs. In the 1950s he moved primarily in the artistic circles of Laguna Beach and Palm Springs. During this time he mainly painted views of coasts and deserts with watercolor, but also with oil paints. He was also a member of the Laguna Beach Art Association. He died in 1963 one day after his 81st birthday in Laguna Beach. In 2011, he was inducted along with Robert F. Boyle and Alfred Young in the Hall of Fame of the Art Directors Guild.

Filmography (selection)

Awards

Oscar

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