ADG Perspective

January-February 2016

Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/619377

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 111 of 115

110 P E R S P E C T I V E | J A N UA RY / F E B R UA RY 2 0 1 6 milestones JACK SENTER 1917 – 2015 from the staff of The Tolucan Times John Harrison Senter, known as Jack to his friends and Grampy to loved ones and family, was born in Lakewood, Ohio, in June of 1917. He was the son of John Shepherd Senter of Bedford, Ohio, and Anna Harrison of Alpena, Michigan. Anna was a direct descendant of Presidents William Henry Harrison and Benjamin Harrison. He attended the Cleveland School of the Arts and Case Western Reserve University, studying architecture, drafting and engineering, and planned to take this background to Los Angeles and become an Art Director. In 1940, Jack moved to California, driving cross-country, ignoring signs telling approaching drivers to "Turn around—there are no jobs here," with the intent of working in the movie business. That same year, he married his sweetheart, Gale. They found their first apartment in Los Feliz near close relatives. When WWII broke out, he was assigned to Lockheed Aircraft and worked on the design of the P-38 fighter plane. After the war, he began his career in motion pictures as a Set Designer for ten years at Paramount Studios. When ABC opened its West Coast studio, he became an Art Director there, designing The Plymouth Show (with Lawrence Welk, precursor to Welk's show) and network commercials for Dodge and Plymouth. He moved to 20th Century Fox to design a range of television series including Hong Kong, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis and Peyton Place. He taught film and stage design at Chouinard Institute, designed the occasional feature film along with a continuing string of filmed television series, and was finally promoted to head of the television Art Department at Fox. When the studio closed its department, he became a freelance Production Designer for various film companies and was nominated twice for Emmy Awards ® , for Masada and Centennial, both at Universal. His feature films included The Greatest Show on Earth, The War of the Worlds, Oh, God! and Far and Away. His set of the M.A.S.H. operating room was on display as part of the "Binding Up the Wounds" exhibit in the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institute. Jack was predeceased by his wife, Carmella Gale (Nana) Senter, and two sons, Thomas Weston (1983) and John Christopher (2014). He is survived by his grandchildren, Alexis Conway Senter, Guerin Bonpane (Tina) Senter, Thomas Hollis Senter, his great-granddaughter, Olivia Weston Senter, a nephew, Scott (Kathleen) Johnson and grandniece, Kay Cullinan. A celebration of his 98 years was held Monday, August 10, at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills.

Articles in this issue

view archives of ADG Perspective - January-February 2016