Morton Goldsholl Associates (Goldsholl Associates, Goldsholl Design & Film Associates) was one of Chicago’s leading graphic design studios in the 1950s through 1970s. The studio became recognized for their animated films, progressive hiring practices and developing corporate branding packages for various companies.
In 1955, Morton (Mort) and
Millie Goldsholl
Millie Goldsholl (May 22, 1920 - May 23, 2012) is most well known for running the film division of the Chicago graphic design firm, Morton Goldsholl Associates (Goldsholl Design & Film Associates). She also made her own films and animations, inc ...
established Goldsholl Design & Film Associates. Mort became titular head with responsibility for the design division, while Millie took charge of building a film division. By 1963, the company had grown to about 30 employees. Due to staff growth and an interest in expanding the film division, the Goldsholls built a spare office building on a frontage road in
Northfield, Illinois
Northfield is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, located approximately north of downtown Chicago. As of the 2020 census, the village's population was 5,751. It is part of a collection of upscale residential communities north of ...
, filling it with a stage as well as sound and editing suites for film production to take place alongside the designers.
While at Goldsholl Design & Film Associates, Mort created iconic logos and packaging for
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. () was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, United States. After having lost $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009, the company split into two independent public companies, Motorol ...
,
Vienna Beef
Vienna Beef Inc. is the main manufacturer of the hot dog used in the classic Chicago-style hot dog, as well as Polish sausage and Italian beef, delicacies of independent Chicago-style hot dog and beef stands. The company also produces a variety ...
,
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an independent agency and program of the United States government that trains and deploys volunteers to provide international development assistance. It was established in March 1961 by an executive order of President John F ...
,
Alcoa and
Brach's
Brach's () is a candy and sweets brand of Ferrara Candy Company.
History
In 1904, Emil J. Brach invested his $1,000 life savings in a storefront candy store. He named it "Brach's Palace of Sweets" and it was located at the corner of North Avenu ...
Candy, just to name a few. When he was asked what he liked most about his company, Mort Goldsholl said, “I enjoy my work immensely, but seldom the results. The playtime in design is the most joyful experience––the wasted moments in scribbles, dribbles and scratches that formulate vague thoughts into ideas and dreams into action. I don’t know how or why this is so. The problem is to get the final design to match the fleeting idea. The big dreams about the great work of art can too easily be dissipated in the practicalities of solutions, clients, markets, statistics, sales, function and committee decisions."
Former employees of Goldsholl Design & Film Associates include: DeWitt Beall, David Blumenthal,
Wayne Boyer
Wayne Boyer (born 1937) is a Chicago filmmaker. He is involved in the preservation of architectural history through film and has worked alongside Millie and Morton Goldsholl in creating a new genre of design-based films in advertising. Boyer stud ...
, Tom Freese
Larry Janiak William Langdon, Byron Grush, Paul Jessel, James Logan, Susan Keig,
Thomas Miller, Fred Ota, John Weber and John Siena.
The Goldsholls worked together for 40 years until the company closed down in the 1990s. Mort died in 1995, and Millie died on May 23, 2012.
Since 2006, the majority of the films created by Morton Goldsholl Associates have been in the care of
Chicago Film Archives
Chicago Film Archives (CFA) is a regional moving image archive located in Chicago, Illinois. CFA is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization dedicated to identifying, collecting, preserving and providing access to films that reflect Chicago and the M ...
(CFA). CFA'
Mort & Millie Goldsholl Collectioncontains approximately 129 films made by the firm.
University of Illinois at Chicago
The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) is a public research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its campus is in the Near West Side community area, adjacent to the Chicago Loop. The second campus established under the University of Illinois ...
Special Collections has 22 linear feet of archival print materials in their Morton Goldsholl Collection.
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References
{{Reflist
Advertising agencies of the United States