Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/629850
P E R S P E C T I V E | M A R C H / A P R I L 2 0 1 6 51 On February 18, 1981, Illustrator and Oscar ® - winning Production Designer John DeCuir gave a talk in the Motion Picture Academy's Little Theater. He was one of the finest raconteurs and storytellers ever to come out of the Art Department. The following excerpt tells a little about Mr. DeCuir himself, and offers some lessons to all of us of how a principled and creative designer can change film history. When I think about money, I always think about the first day of my career, in the early part of the year 1938, at Universal Studios. It was a marvelous day, I had flittered about, through some architecture, through some theater work, through fi ne arts, painting and a smattering of all sorts of bits and things. Because at first I really couldn't find my way. I did a lot of floundering, until I finally zeroed in on cinema. It was film. Film was the thing, and everything else had to give way to that particular idea. At that time, I really did become dedicated, became obsessed really. It gets the hook in—I'm sure you've all felt it in this room—and once that has happened, you're lost to it. When I think about money, I always think about the