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Saul Bass(1920-1996)

  • Additional Crew
  • Art Department
  • Animation Department
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Saul Bass
Saul Bass was born in New York City in 1920 and is a widely acclaimed graphic designer with a career spanning over 40 years. Among his most famous works are the title sequences for such classic films as The Man with the Golden Arm (1955), North by Northwest (1959), and Psycho (1960). Bass used his innovative ideas and unique perspective of the world to influence his art, engaging his audiences and developing the graphic design industry in the process. Hitchcock's famous shower-murder scene in Psycho owes its success to the design work of Bass' storyboards. Bass' short documentary Why Man Creates (1968) was spotlighted on the premiere episode of 60 Minutes (1968) in 1968. He is also responsible for the logos of many prominent corporations like AT&T, United Airlines, and Dixie. Bass died in Los Angeles in 1996.
BornMay 8, 1920
DiedApril 25, 1996(75)
BornMay 8, 1920
DiedApril 25, 1996(75)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • Won 1 Oscar
    • 9 wins & 3 nominations total

Photos2

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Known for

Phase IV (1974)
Phase IV
6.4
  • Additional Crew(uncredited)
  • 1974
Why Man Creates (1968)
Why Man Creates
7.2
Short
  • Additional Crew(uncredited)
  • 1968
Cary Grant, Alfred Hitchcock, Eva Marie Saint, and Philip Ober in North by Northwest (1959)
North by Northwest
8.3
  • Additional Crew
  • 1959
Quest (1984)
Quest
6.7
Short
  • Director
  • 1984

Credits

IMDbPro

Additional Crew



  • Anne Heche in Psycho (1998)
    Psycho
    4.6
    • title designer
    • 1998
  • Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, and Joe Pesci in Casino (1995)
    Casino
    8.2
    • title designer
    • 1995
  • Die Nacht der Regisseure (1995)
    Century of Cinema
    7.4
    TV Series
    • title designer
    • 1995
  • Higher Learning (1995)
    Higher Learning
    6.5
    • title designer
    • 1995
  • Michelle Pfeiffer, Winona Ryder, and Daniel Day-Lewis in The Age of Innocence (1993)
    The Age of Innocence
    7.2
    • title designer
    • 1993
  • Mr. Saturday Night (1992)
    Mr. Saturday Night
    5.9
    • title designer
    • 1992
  • Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker (1991)
    Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker
    7.0
    • title designer
    • 1991
  • Robert De Niro, Juliette Lewis, Nick Nolte, and Jessica Lange in Cape Fear (1991)
    Cape Fear
    7.3
    • title sequence
    • 1991
  • Michael J. Fox, Woody Harrelson, and Julie Warner in Doc Hollywood (1991)
    Doc Hollywood
    6.3
    • title designer
    • 1991
  • Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, and Mark Jacobs in GoodFellas (1990)
    GoodFellas
    8.7
    • titles by
    • 1990
  • Michael Douglas, Danny DeVito, and Kathleen Turner in The War of the Roses (1989)
    The War of the Roses
    6.9
    • title sequence
    • 1989
  • Tom Hanks in Big (1988)
    Big
    7.3
    • title designer
    • 1988
  • Holly Hunter, William Hurt, and Albert Brooks in Broadcast News (1987)
    Broadcast News
    7.3
    • title designer
    • 1987
  • "The Human Factor" (Saul Bass Poster) 1979
    The Human Factor
    6.1
    • titles
    • 1979
  • Six Characters in Search of an Author (1976)
    Six Characters in Search of an Author
    6.6
    TV Movie
    • main title design
    • 1976

Art Department



  • Return from the River Kwai (1989)
    Return from the River Kwai
    4.9
    • poster designer (uncredited)
    • 1989
  • Bass on Titles (1982)
    Bass on Titles
    6.5
    Short
    • poster designer (uncredited)
    • 1982
  • The Shining (1980)
    The Shining
    8.4
    • poster designer (uncredited)
    • 1980
  • The Solar Film (1980)
    The Solar Film
    6.3
    Short
    • poster designer (uncredited)
    • 1980
  • "The Human Factor" (Saul Bass Poster) 1979
    The Human Factor
    6.1
    • poster designer (uncredited)
    • 1979
  • Notes on the Popular Arts (1978)
    Notes on the Popular Arts
    6.1
    Short
    • poster designer (uncredited)
    • 1978
  • Bernie Casey and Vonetta McGee in Brothers (1977)
    Brothers
    6.5
    • poster designer (uncredited)
    • 1977
  • Such Good Friends (1971)
    Such Good Friends
    6.0
    • poster designer (uncredited)
    • 1971
  • Liza Minnelli in Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon (1970)
    Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon
    6.1
    • poster designer (uncredited)
    • 1970
  • Why Man Creates (1968)
    Why Man Creates
    7.2
    Short
    • poster designer (uncredited)
    • 1968
  • Very Happy Alexander (1968)
    Very Happy Alexander
    7.3
    • poster designer (uncredited)
    • 1968
  • The Firemen's Ball (1967)
    The Firemen's Ball
    7.3
    • poster designer (uncredited)
    • 1967
  • The Two of Us (1967)
    The Two of Us
    7.6
    • poster designer (uncredited)
    • 1967
  • Hurry Sundown (1967)
    Hurry Sundown
    5.9
    • poster designer (uncredited)
    • 1967
  • Bunny Lake Is Missing (1965)
    Bunny Lake Is Missing
    7.3
    • poster designer (uncredited)
    • 1965

Animation Department



  • Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too (1974)
    Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too
    7.8
    Short
    • layout artist (uncredited)
    • 1974
  • Pinto Colvig in Aquamania (1961)
    Aquamania
    6.7
    Short
    • layout artist (uncredited)
    • 1961
  • Donald and the Wheel (1961)
    Donald and the Wheel
    6.4
    Short
    • layout artist (uncredited)
    • 1961
  • The Litterbug (1961)
    The Litterbug
    6.5
    Short
    • layout artist (uncredited)
    • 1961
  • High Note (1960)
    High Note
    7.4
    Short
    • background layout artist
    • character layout artist (uncredited, uncredited)
    • 1960
  • How to Have an Accident at Work (1959)
    How to Have an Accident at Work
    6.7
    Short
    • layout artist (uncredited)
    • 1959
  • The Truth About Mother Goose (1957)
    The Truth About Mother Goose
    7.1
    Short
    • layout artist (uncredited)
    • 1957
  • In the Bag (1956)
    In the Bag
    7.5
    Short
    • layout artist (uncredited)
    • 1956
  • Jack and Old Mac (1956)
    Jack and Old Mac
    5.7
    Short
    • layout artist (uncredited)
    • 1956
  • Chips Ahoy (1956)
    Chips Ahoy
    7.0
    Short
    • layout artist (uncredited)
    • 1956
  • Grin and Bear It (1954)
    Grin and Bear It
    7.2
    Short
    • layout artist (uncredited)
    • 1954
  • Casey Bats Again (1954)
    Casey Bats Again
    6.5
    Short
    • layout artist (uncredited)
    • 1954
  • How to Sleep (1953)
    How to Sleep
    6.7
    Short
    • layout artist (uncredited)
    • 1953
  • Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom (1953)
    Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom
    7.1
    Short
    • character designer (uncredited)
    • 1953
  • Joseph Dubin, Bill Berg, Ruth Clifford, Pinto Colvig, Dessie Flynn, Jack Hannah, James MacDonald, Clarence Nash, Milt Schaffer, and Norma Swank in Pluto's Christmas Tree (1952)
    Pluto's Christmas Tree
    7.5
    Short
    • background artist (uncredited)
    • 1952

Personal details

  • Born
    • May 8, 1920
    • New York City, New York, USA
  • Died
    • April 25, 1996
    • Los Angeles, California, USA(non-Hodgkin's lymphoma)
  • Spouses
      Elaine Bass1961 - April 25, 1996 (his death, 2 children)
  • Other works
    Foreword to book _The Album Cover Art of Soundtracks_ by Frank Jastfelder and Stefan Kassel. Boston: Little, Brown, 1997, ISBN 0316482404
  • Publicity listings
    • 2 Print Biographies
    • 1 Portrayal
    • 3 Interviews
    • 1 Article

Did you know

  • Trivia
    It has been said that once you see the opening titles to a film that Saul Bass has done, you can walk out of the theatre because you know exactly what the film's about: he has shown you the entire thing in the first minute or so.
  • Quotes
    Design is thinking made visible.
  • Trademark
    Avant-garde title sequences and symbolic posters.

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