Irene Sharaff (January 23, 1910 – August 16, 1993) was an American costume designer for stage and screen. Her work earned her five

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

and a

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

. Sharaff is universally recognized as one of the greatest costume designers of all time.

Background

Sharaff was born in

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

to parents of Armenian descent. She studied at the New York School of Fine and Applied Arts, the

Art Students League of New York The Art Students League of New York is an art school at 215 West 57th Street in Manhattan, New York City, New York. The League has historically been known for its broad appeal to both amateurs and professional artists. Although artists may st ...

, and the

Académie de la Grande Chaumière The Académie de la Grande Chaumière is an art school in the Montparnasse district of Paris, France. History The school was founded in 1904 by the Catalan painter Claudio Castelucho on the rue de la Grande Chaumière in Paris, near the Acad� ...

in Paris.

Career

Debbie Reynolds Auction - Barbara Streisand dress and purse from

After working as a fashion illustrator in her youth, Sharaff turned to set and costume design. Her debut production was the 1931

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

production of ''

Alice in Wonderland ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (commonly ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English novel by Lewis Carroll. It details the story of a young girl named Alice who falls through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world of anthropomorphic creatur ...

'', starring

Eva Le Gallienne Eva Le Gallienne (January 11, 1899 – June 3, 1991) was a British-born American stage actress, producer, director, translator, and author. A Broadway star by age 21, Le Gallienne gave up her Broadway appearances to devote herself to founding t ...

. Her use of silks from Thailand for ''

The King and I ''The King and I'' is the fifth musical by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein. It is based on Margaret Landon's novel '' Anna and the King of Siam'' (1944), which is in turn derived from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the chil ...

'' (1951) created a trend in fashion and interior decoration. Howe, Marvine
"Irene Sharaff, Designer, 83, Dies; Costumes Won Tony and Oscars"
''The New York Times'', August 17, 1993 Sharaff's work was featured in the movies ''

West Side Story ''West Side Story'' is a musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's play '' Romeo and Juliet'', the story is set in the mid ...

'' (Academy Award, 1961), ''

Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Philopator ( grc-gre, Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ}, "Cleopatra the father-beloved"; 69 BC10 August 30 BC) was Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC, and its last active ruler.She was also a ...

'' (Academy Award, 1963), '' Meet Me in St. Louis'', '' Hello, Dolly!'', '' Mommie Dearest'', '' The Other Side of Midnight'', ''

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? ''Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' is a play by Edward Albee first staged in October 1962. It examines the complexities of the marriage of a middle-aged couple, Martha and George. Late one evening, after a university faculty party, they receive ...

'' (Academy Award, 1966), ''

Guys and Dolls ''Guys and Dolls'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. It is based on " The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown" (1933) and "Blood Pressure", which are two short stories by Damon Runyon, and also b ...

'', '' The Best Years of Our Lives'', ''

'' (Academy Award, 1956), '' An American in Paris'' (Academy Award, 1951), '' Funny Girl'' and ''

Porgy and Bess ''Porgy and Bess'' () is an English-language opera by American composer George Gershwin, with a libretto written by author DuBose Heyward and lyricist Ira Gershwin. It was adapted from Dorothy Heyward and DuBose Heyward's play '' Porgy'', ...

''. She also designed sets and costumes for

American Ballet Theatre American Ballet Theatre (ABT) is a classical ballet company based in New York City. Founded in 1939 by Lucia Chase and Richard Pleasant, it is recognized as one of the world's leading classical ballet companies. Through 2019, it had an annual ei ...

, the

New York City Ballet New York City Ballet (NYCB) is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company. Léon Barzin was the company ...

, and the

Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo The company Ballets Russes de Monte-Carlo (with a plural name) was formed in 1932 after the death of Sergei Diaghilev and the demise of Ballets Russes. Its director was Wassily de Basil (usually referred to as Colonel W. de Basil), and its a ...

, and contributed illustrations to fashion magazine's such as Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. Among her Broadway design credits are '' Idiot's Delight'', '' Lady in the Dark'', '' As Thousands Cheer'', '' A Tree Grows in Brooklyn'', ''

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...

'', '' Flower Drum Song'', and '' Jerome Robbins' Broadway''. The TDF/Irene Sharaff Lifetime Achievement Award was named for Sharaff. She was its first recipient in 1993. The award is now bestowed annually to a costume designer who, over the course of his or her career, has achieved great distinction and mastery of the art in theatre, film, opera or dance.

Death

Sharaff died in New York City of

congestive heart failure Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome, a group of signs and symptoms caused by an impairment of the heart's blood pumping function. Symptoms typically include shortness of breath, excessive fatigue, ...

, complicated by

emphysema Emphysema, or pulmonary emphysema, is a lower respiratory tract disease, characterised by air-filled spaces ( pneumatoses) in the lungs, that can vary in size and may be very large. The spaces are caused by the breakdown of the walls of the alv ...

, at the age of 83. She bequeathed her collection of books, along with that of her partner, Mai-Mai Sze, to the

New York Society Library The New York Society Library (NYSL) is the oldest cultural institution in New York City. It was founded in 1754 by the New York Society as a subscription library. During the time when New York was the capital of the United States, it was the de ...

Filmography

Debbie Reynolds Auction - Elizabeth Taylor

*1981 '' Mommie Dearest'' *1977 '' The Other Side of Midnight'' *1970 ''

The Great White Hope ''The Great White Hope'' is a 1967 play written by Howard Sackler, later adapted in 1970 for a film of the same name. The play was first produced by Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. and debuted on Broadway at the Alvin Theatre in October 1 ...

'' *1969 '' Hello, Dolly!'' *1969 '' Justine'' *1968 '' Funny Girl'' *1967 ''

The Taming of the Shrew ''The Taming of the Shrew'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1592. The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunk ...

'' *1967 ''

Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...

: A Happening in Central Park'' *1966 '' Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (film)'' *1965 '' The Sandpiper'' *1963 ''

'' *1961 '' Flower Drum Song'' *1961 ''

'' *1960 '' Can-Can'' *1959 ''

'' *1956 ''

'' *1955 ''

'' *1954 '' A Star is Born'' (Production Designer) *1954 ''

Brigadoon ''Brigadoon'' is a musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, and music by Frederick Loewe. The song "Almost Like Being in Love", from the musical, has become a standard. It features two American tourists who stumble upon Brigadoon, a m ...

'' *1953 '' Call Me Madam'' *1951 ''

The Guy Who Came Back ''The Guy Who Came Back'' is a 1951 film made by 20th Century Fox, directed by Joseph M. Newman, and starring Paul Douglas, Joan Bennett, and Linda Darnell. The screenplay was written by Allan Scott, based on story by William Fay. Plot Injur ...

'' *1951 '' An American in Paris'' *1950 ''

Key to the City The Freedom of the City (or Borough in some parts of the UK) is an honour bestowed by a municipality upon a valued member of the community, or upon a visiting celebrity or dignitary. Arising from the medieval practice of granting respected ...

'' *1949 '' In the Good Old Summertime'' *1948 '' Every Girl Should Be Married'' *1948 '' A Song Is Born'' *1947 '' The Unfinished Dance'' *1947 ''

The Romance of Rosy Ridge ''The Romance of Rosy Ridge'' is a 1947 American Western film directed by Roy Rowland, about a rural community bitterly divided during the aftermath of the American Civil War. It stars Van Johnson, Thomas Mitchell, and Janet Leigh in her film de ...

'' *1947 ''

The Hucksters ''The Hucksters'' is a 1947 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film directed by Jack Conway starring Clark Gable and Deborah Kerr, her debut in an American film. The supporting cast includes Sydney Greenstreet, Adolphe Menjou, Ava Gardner, Keenan Wynn, and ...

'' *1947 '' The Secret Life of Walter Mitty'' *1947 '' Song of the Thin Man'' *1947 ''

The Arnelo Affair ''The Arnelo Affair'' is a 1947 American film noir starring John Hodiak, George Murphy, Frances Gifford, and Dean Stockwell, and co-written and directed by Arch Oboler. Plot A lawyer's wife, Anne Parkson ( Frances Gifford) is bored and neg ...

'' *1947 '' The Beginning or the End'' *1947 ''

If Winter Comes ''If Winter Comes'' is a 1947 drama film released by MGM. The movie was directed by Victor Saville and based on the 1921 novel by A.S.M. Hutchinson. The film tells the story of an English textbook writer who takes in a pregnant girl. The novel ...

'' *1947 '' Living in a Big Way'' *1947 ''

The Bishop's Wife ''The Bishop's Wife'' (also known as ''Cary and the Bishop's Wife'') is a 1947 American romantic comedy film directed by Henry Koster and starring Cary Grant, Loretta Young, and David Niven. The plot is about an angel who helps a bishop with his ...

'' *1946 '' Two Sisters from Boston'' *1946 '' The Secret Heart'' *1946 ''

Courage of Lassie ''Courage of Lassie'' is a 1946 Technicolor MGM feature film starring Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Morgan, and dog actor Pal in a story about a collie named Bill and his young companion, Kathie Merrick. When Bill is separated from Kathie following a v ...

'' *1946 '' The Dark Mirror'' *1946 ''

Love Laughs at Andy Hardy ''Love Laughs at Andy Hardy'' is a 1946 American film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, directed by Willis Goldbeck and starring Mickey Rooney and Lewis Stone. The film is also known under its American promotional title ''Uncle Andy Hardy''. ...

'' *1946 ''

Ziegfeld Follies The ''Ziegfeld Follies'' was a series of elaborate theatrical revue productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 to 1931, with renewals in 1934 and 1936. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as ''The Ziegfeld Follies of the Ai ...

'' (Production Designer) *1946 ''

Easy to Wed ''Easy to Wed'' is a 1946 Technicolor American musical comedy film directed by Edward Buzzell, and starring Van Johnson, Esther Williams, Lucille Ball, and Keenan Wynn. The screenplay by Dorothy Kingsley is an adaptation of the screenplay of ...

'' *1946 '' The Green Years'' *1946 '' The Hoodlum Saint'' *1946 '' The Best Years of Our Lives'' *1945 '' Twice Blessed'' *1945 '' The Valley of Decision'' *1945 ''

The Picture of Dorian Gray ''The Picture of Dorian Gray'' is a philosophical novel by Irish writer Oscar Wilde. A shorter novella-length version was published in the July 1890 issue of the American periodical '' Lippincott's Monthly Magazine''.''The Picture of Dorian G ...

'' *1945 ''

Adventure An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme ...

'' *1945 '' The Hidden Eye'' *1945 '' Her Highness and the Bellboy'' *1944 '' Meet Me in St. Louis'' *1944 ''

The Thin Man Goes Home ''The Thin Man Goes Home'' is a 1945 comedy- mystery film directed by Richard Thorpe. It is the fifth of the six '' Thin Man'' films starring William Powell and Myrna Loy as Dashiell Hammett's dapper ex-private detective Nick Charles and his ...

'' *1944 ''

Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble ''Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble'' is a 1944 romantic comedy film directed by George B. Seitz. It is the fourteenth link starring Mickey Rooney as Andy Hardy. In the film, Andy goes to college, but soon gets in trouble with some pretty co-eds. Pl ...

'' *1944 '' Gentle Annie'' *1944 '' Broadway Rhythm'' *1943 ''

Swing Shift Maisie ''Swing Shift Maisie'' (also known as ''Swing It, Maisie'') is a 1943 romantic comedy film directed by Norman Z. McLeod. It is the seventh in a series of 10 films starring Ann Sothern as Maisie, preceded by '' Maisie Gets Her Man'' (1942) and fo ...

'' *1943 '' A Stranger in Town'' *1943 ''

I Dood It ''I Dood It'' (UK title ''By Hook or by Crook'') is a 1943 American musical-comedy film starring Red Skelton and Eleanor Powell, directed by Vincente Minnelli, and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The screenplay is by Fred Saidy and Sig Herzig a ...

'' *1943 '' Madame Curie'' *1943 '' The Human Comedy'' *1941 '' The Devil and Miss Jones'' *1941 '' You'll Never Get Rich'' *1939 '' Eternally Yours'' *1938 '' Vivacious Lady''

Awards and nominations

*1977

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

for '' The Other Side of Midnight'' (nominee) *1969 Academy Award for '' Hello, Dolly!'' (nominee) *1968

for '' Hallelujah, Baby!'' (nominee) *1967 Academy Award for ''

'' (nominee) *1966 Academy Award for ''

'' (winner) *1964 Tony Award for ''

The Girl Who Came to Supper ''The Girl Who Came to Supper'' is a musical with a book by Harry Kurnitz and music and lyrics by Noël Coward, based on Terence Rattigan's 1953 play '' The Sleeping Prince''. The musical premiered on Broadway in 1963. Plot The story is set in ...

'' (nominee) *1963 Academy Award for ''

'' (winner) *1961 Academy Award for ''

'' (winner) *1961 Academy Award for '' Flower Drum Song'' (nominee) *1960 Academy Award for '' Can-Can'' (nominee) *1959 Academy Award for ''

'' (nominee) *1959 Tony Award for '' Flower Drum Song'' (nominee) *1958 Tony Award for ''

'' (nominee) *1957 Tony Award for ''

Shangri-La Shangri-La is a fictional place in Asia's Kunlun Mountains (昆仑山), Uses the spelling 'Kuen-Lun'. described in the 1933 novel '' Lost Horizon'' by English author James Hilton. Hilton portrays Shangri-La as a mystical, harmonious valley, g ...

'', ''

Candide ( , ) is a French satire written by Voltaire, a philosopher of the Age of Enlightenment, first published in 1759. The novella has been widely translated, with English versions titled ''Candide: or, All for the Best'' (1759); ''Candide: or, Th ...

'', ''Happy Hunting'', and ''Small War on Murray Hill'' (nominee) *1956 Academy Award for ''The King and I'' (winner) *1955 Academy Award for ''

'' (nominee) *1954 Academy Award for ''

'' (nominee) *1954 Academy Award for ''A Star is Born'' (nominee) *1954 Academy Award for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color for ''A Star is Born'' (nominee) *1953 Academy Award for '' Call Me Madam'' (nominee) *1952 Tony Award for ''

'' (winner) *1951 Academy Award for '' An American in Paris'' (winner)

References

Bibliography

* Sharaff, Irene. ''Broadway and Hollywood: Costumes Designed by Irene Sharaff'', Van Nostrand Reinhold Co (1976)

External links

* * * Irene Sharaff Papers. Yale Collection of American Literature, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University.
http://www.nysoclib.org/collection/sharaff-sze-collection
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharaff, Irene 1910 births 1993 deaths American costume designers Deaths from emphysema Artists from Boston Artists from New York City Alumni of the Académie de la Grande Chaumière Parsons School of Design alumni American people of Armenian descent Best Costume Design Academy Award winners Lesbian artists LGBT fashion designers LGBT people from New York (state) LGBT people from Massachusetts Tony Award winners 20th-century LGBT people