Stephen Goosson (March 24, 1889 - March 25, 1973) was an American film

set designer Scenic design (also known as scenography, stage design, or set design) is the creation of theatrical, as well as film or television scenery. Scenic designers come from a variety of artistic backgrounds, but in recent years, are mostly train ...

and art director. Born in

Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the second most-populated city in the state after Detroit. Grand Rapids is the ...

, Goosson was an

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...

before starting his film career as art director for producer Lewis J. Selznick, and films for

Fox Film Corporation The Fox Film Corporation (also known as Fox Studios) was an American Independent film production studio formed by William Fox (1879–1952) in 1915, by combining his earlier Greater New York Film Rental Company and Box Office Attractions Film C ...

such as ''

New Movietone Follies of 1930 ''New Movietone Follies of 1930'' is a 1930 American Pre-Code musical film released by Fox Film Corporation, directed by Benjamin Stoloff. The film stars El Brendel and Marjorie White who also costarred in Fox's ''Just Imagine'' in 1930. The f ...

''. He eventually was hired by

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...

, where he served as supervising art director for 25 years. Goosson won the

Academy Award for Best Art Direction The Academy Award for Best Production Design recognizes achievement for art direction in film. The category's original name was Best Art Direction, but was changed to its current name in 2012 for the 85th Academy Awards. This change resulted fro ...

for ''

Lost Horizon ''Lost Horizon'' is a 1933 novel by English writer James Hilton. The book was turned into a film, also called '' Lost Horizon'', in 1937 by director Frank Capra. It is best remembered as the origin of Shangri-La, a fictional utopian lamas ...

''. His designs for the film have been noted as excellent examples of the Streamline Moderne style that reached the height of its popularity that year. Additional credits include ''

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town ''Mr. Deeds Goes to Town'' is a 1936 American comedy-drama romance film directed by Frank Capra and starring Gary Cooper and Jean Arthur in her first featured role. Based on the 1935 short story "Opera Hat" by Clarence Budington Kelland, which ...

'', ''

Theodora Goes Wild ''Theodora Goes Wild'' is a 1936 American screwball comedy film that tells the story of the residents in a small town who are incensed by a risqué novel, unaware that the book was written under a pseudonym by a member of the town's leading fami ...

'', ''

The Awful Truth ''The Awful Truth'' is a 1937 American screwball comedy film directed by Leo McCarey and starring Irene Dunne and Cary Grant. Based on the 1923 play ''The Awful Truth'' by Arthur Richman, the film recounts how a distrustful rich couple begins ...

'', '' Holiday'', ''

Meet John Doe ''Meet John Doe'' is a 1941 American comedy-drama film directed and produced by Frank Capra, written by Robert Riskin, and starring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck. The film is about a "grassroots" political campaign created unwittingly by ...

'', ''

The Little Foxes ''The Little Foxes'' is a 1939 play by Lillian Hellman, considered a classic of 20th century drama. Its title comes from Chapter 2, Verse 15 of the Song of Solomon in the King James version of the Bible, which reads, "Take us the foxes, the lit ...

'', ''

The Jolson Story ''The Jolson Story'' is a 1946 American musical biography film which purports to tell the life story of singer Al Jolson. It stars Larry Parks as Jolson, Evelyn Keyes as Julie Benson (approximating Jolson's wife, Ruby Keeler), William Demares ...

'', and ''

The Lady from Shanghai ''The Lady from Shanghai'' is a 1947 American film noir directed by Orson Welles (uncredited) and starring Welles, his estranged wife Rita Hayworth, and Everett Sloane. It is based on the novel ''If I Die Before I Wake'' by Sherwood King. Altho ...

''. Goosson died of a stroke in

Woodland Hills, California Woodland Hills is a neighborhood bordering the Santa Monica Mountains in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. Geography Woodland Hills is in the southwestern region of the San Fernando Valley, which is located east of Ca ...

Selected filmography

* ''

A Blonde for a Night ''A Blonde for a Night'' is a 1928 American silent comedy film directed by E. Mason Hopper and F. McGrew Willis and starring Marie Prevost, Franklin Pangborn and Harrison Ford.Munden p.68 The film's sets were designed by the art director Step ...

'' (1928) * '' Let 'Er Go Gallegher'' (1928) * '' Just Imagine'' (1930) * ''

Shanghaied Love ''Shanghaied Love'' is a 1931 American Pre-Code drama film directed by George B. Seitz and starring Richard Cromwell, Sally Blane and Noah Beery. It was produced and released by Columbia Pictures. The film's sets were designed by the art dire ...

'' (1931) * ''

You May Be Next ''You May Be Next'' is a 1936 American crime film directed by Albert S. Rogell and starring Ann Sothern, Lloyd Nolan and Douglass Dumbrille.Schlossheimer p.300 The film's sets were designed by the art director Stephen Goosson. Cast * Ann Soth ...

'' (1936) * ''

'' (1937) * ''

'' (1937) * '' Women of Glamour'' (1937) * ''

She Married an Artist ''She Married an Artist'' is a 1937 American romantic comedy film directed by Marion Gering and starring John Boles, Luli Deste, and Frances Drake.Goble p.806 The film's sets were designed by the art director Stephen Goosson. Partial cast * ...

'' (1937) * '' Murder in Greenwich Village'' (1937) * ''

Squadron of Honor ''Squadron of Honor'' is a 1938 American action film directed by Charles C. Coleman and starring Don Terry, Mary Russell, and Thurston Hall. It was produced as a second feature by Columbia Pictures.Miller p.61 The film's sets were designed by th ...

'' (1938)

External links

* American art directors Best Art Direction Academy Award winners Artists from Grand Rapids, Michigan 1889 births 1973 deaths American production designers {{US-artdirector-stub

Selected filmography

See also

External links