Changes: Harold Michelson

Revision as of 16:37, 31 January 2014

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Harold "Mike" Michelson (15 February 1920 – 1 March 2007; age 87) was brought in by Robert Wise to work as production designer on Star Trek: The Motion Picture in the function of head of the art department. His designs, which included that of the air tram, also contributed both to the exterior and interior look of the refit USS Enterprise as seen in that film. His work on the film ultimately earned him an Academy Award nomination.

Many of his distinctive set elements remained when the motion picture sets were revamped to become that of the USS Enterprise-D of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Upon his work on The Motion Picture, he was interviewed by Fantastic Films for a piece titled "The Designing of Star Trek The Motion Picture".

Career outside Star Trek

A native of New York City, Michelson worked with the Bureau of Printing in Washington, DC after graduation. He went on to join the US Air Force and became a bombardier during World War II, flying more than 40 missions over Germany. After the war, he became an illustrator for magazines and later for movie posters.

He began his career on Hollywood films as an illustrator and storyboard artist. The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur, Spartacus, The Birds, Cleopatra, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and The Graduate are just a few of the classic films on which Michelson worked throughout the 1950s and '60s. He was also an illustrator on the acclaimed musical West Side Story, his first collaboration with Star Trek: The Motion Picture director Robert Wise. Michelson eventually became an art director, first for television productions like The Andy Griffith Show and later for films, such as Two People (his second project for Robert Wise), Mommie Dearest, Spaceballs, Planes, Trains & Automobiles and Dick Tracy. He shared an Academy Award nomination (his second) for his art direction on the 1983 film Terms of Endearment.

He first worked as a production designer on the 1971 Cannes Film Festival Jury Grand Prize winning film Johnny Got His Gun. In 1981 he was production designer on the Mel Brooks-directed comedy History of the World: Part 1. His last film as a production designer was 1994's Intersection, which marked the film debut of Jennifer Morrison. Throughout this time, Michelson continued working as an illustrator, artist or visual consultant for films, including Firestarter, The Fly, The Two Jakes, Hoffa and Death to Smoochy. In 1999 he received the Art Directors Guild's Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2002 he was given Outstanding Achievement in Production Design Award from the Hollywood Film Festival.

Michelson died at the Motion Picture & Television Fund retirement home following a long illness. He was 87 years old.

Academy Award

Harold Michelson received the following Academy Award nomination in the category "Best Art Direction-Set Direction":

1980 for Star Trek: The Motion Picture, shared with Joe Jennings, Leon Harris, John Vallone, and Linda DeScenna

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{realworld}}
+{{Sidebar crew|
-[[Image:Harold Michelson, 2001.jpg|thumb|Harold Michelson, {{y|2001}}]]
+| Name              = Mike Michelson
-[[Image:Harold Michelson, 1978-79.jpg|thumb|Harold Michelson during the production of ''Star Trek: The Motion Picture]]
+| image             = Harold Michelson, 2001.jpg
-'''Harold Michelson''' {{born|15|February|1920|died|2|March|2007}} was brought in by [[Robert Wise]] to work as production designer on {{film|1}}. His designs contributed both to the exterior and interior look of the refit {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701}} as seen in that film. His work on the film earned him an Academy Award nomination, shared with art directors [[Joe Jennings]], [[Leon Harris]] and [[John Vallone]] and set decorator [[Linda DeScenna]].
+| Birth name        = Harold Michelson
+| Gender            = Male
+| Date of birth     = {{d|15|February|1920}}
+| Place of birth    =  New York City, New York
+| Date of death     = {{d|1|March|2007}}
+| Place of death    =  Woodland Hills, California
+| Awards for Trek   = [[Academy Award|1 Academy Award nomination]]
+| Roles             = [[:Category:Production designers|Production Designer]]
+| image2            = Harold Michelson, 1978-79.jpg
+| imagecap2         = At work during the production of ''The Motion Picture''
+}}
+'''Harold "Mike" Michelson''' {{born|15|February|1920|died|1|March|2007}} was brought in by [[Robert Wise]] to work as production designer on {{film|1}} in the function of head of the art department. His designs, which included that of the [[air tram]], also contributed both to the exterior and interior look of the refit {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701}} as seen in that film. His work on the film ultimately earned him an [[Academy Award]] nomination.
-Many of his distinctive set elements remained when the motion picture sets were revamped to become that of the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-D|-D}} of ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]''.
+Many of his distinctive set elements remained when the motion picture sets were revamped to become that of the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-D|-D}} of ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]''. Upon his work on ''The Motion Picture'', he was interviewed by ''[[Fantastic Films]]'' for a piece titled "The Designing of Star Trek The Motion Picture".
+==Career outside ''Star Trek''==
 A native of New York City, Michelson worked with the Bureau of Printing in Washington, DC after graduation. He went on to join the US Air Force and became a bombardier during World War II, flying more than 40 missions over Germany. After the war, he became an illustrator for magazines and later for movie posters.
-He began his career on Hollywood films as an illustrator and storyboard artist. ''The Ten Commandments'', ''Ben-Hur'', ''Spartacus'', ''West Side Story'', ''The Birds'', ''Cleopatra'', ''Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' and ''The Graduate'' are just a few of the classic films on which Michelson worked throughout the 1950s and '60s. He eventually became an art director, first for television productions like ''The Andy Griffith Show'' and later for films. He shared a second Academy Award nomination for his art direction on the 1983 film ''Terms of Endearment''.
+He began his career on Hollywood films as an illustrator and storyboard artist. ''The Ten Commandments'', ''Ben-Hur'', ''Spartacus'', ''The Birds'', ''Cleopatra'', ''Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' and ''The Graduate'' are just a few of the classic films on which Michelson worked throughout the 1950s and '60s. He was also an illustrator on the acclaimed musical ''West Side Story'', his first collaboration with ''Star Trek: The Motion Picture'' director Robert Wise. Michelson eventually became an art director, first for television productions like ''The Andy Griffith Show'' and later for films, such as ''Two People'' (his second project for Robert Wise), ''Mommie Dearest'', ''[[Star Trek parodies (film)#Spaceballs|Spaceballs]]'', ''Planes, Trains & Automobiles'' and ''Dick Tracy''. He shared an Academy Award nomination (his second) for his art direction on the 1983 film ''Terms of Endearment''.
-He first worked as a production designer on the 1971 Cannes Film Festival Jury Grand Prize winning film ''Johnny Got His Gun''. In 1981 he was production designer on the Mel Brooks-directed comedy ''History of the World: Part 1''. In addition he was art director on such films as ''Mommie Dearest'', ''[[Star Trek parodies (film)#Spaceballs|Spaceballs]]'', ''Planes, Trains & Automobiles'' and ''Dick Tracy''.
+He first worked as a production designer on the 1971 Cannes Film Festival Jury Grand Prize winning film ''Johnny Got His Gun''. In 1981 he was production designer on the Mel Brooks-directed comedy ''History of the World: Part 1''. His last film as a production designer was 1994's ''Intersection'', which marked the film debut of [[Jennifer Morrison]]. Throughout this time, Michelson continued working as an illustrator, artist or visual consultant for films, including ''Firestarter'', ''The Fly'', ''The Two Jakes'', ''Hoffa'' and ''Death to Smoochy''. In 1999 he received the Art Directors Guild's Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2002 he was given Outstanding Achievement in Production Design Award from the Hollywood Film Festival.
-Throughout this time, Michelson continued working as an illustrator, artist or visual consultant for films, including ''Firestarter'', ''The Fly'', ''The Two Jakes'', ''Hoffa'' and ''Death to Smoochy''. In 1999 he received the Art Directors Guild's Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2002 he was given Outstanding Achievement in Production Design Award from the Hollywood Film Festival.
 Michelson [[Star Trek deaths|died]] at the Motion Picture & Television Fund retirement home following a long illness. He was 87 years old.
+== Academy Award ==
-==External Links==
+Harold Michelson received the following Academy Award nomination in the category "Best Art Direction-Set Direction":
+* {{y|1980}} for {{film|1}}, shared with [[Joe Jennings]], [[Leon Harris]], [[John Vallone]], and [[Linda DeScenna]]
+== Further reading ==
+*"Production Designer Harold Michelson; Visualizing the New Star Trek", David Houston, ''[[Starlog (magazine)|Starlog]]'', issue 30, January 1980, pp. 42-46
+*"Far-Out Production Design for ''Star Trek: The Motion Picture''", Scott Henderson, ''[[American Cinematographer]]'', February 1980, pp. 138-141, 189-191
+*"Behind the Scenes: Production Design", {{STTM|2|8}}, December 2001, pp. 97-99
+== External links ==
+*{{wikipedia}}
 *{{IMDb-link|page=nm0585118}}
-*[http://biz.yahoo.com/iw/070305/0223095.html Harold Michelson obituary]
+*[http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=4216 Harold Michelson obituary]
+[[Category:Production designers|Michelson, Harold]]
+[[Category:Academy Award nominees|Michelson, Harold]]
-[[Category:Production staff|Michelson, Harold]]
+[[es:Harold Michelson]]