Jack Martin Smith(1911-1993)
- Art Director
- Art Department
- Production Designer
Jack Martin Smith graduated with a degree in architecture from the
University of Southern California. He joined MGM as a sketch artist and
designer in 1938 (among others, creating drawings for the Emerald City
in The Wizard of Oz (1939)) and
the following year was promoted to full art director. He worked for the
studio until 1954, chiefly associated with creating the lavish,
mythical backgrounds for the big budget musicals produced by the
Arthur Freed unit, foremost among them
Meet Me in St. Louis (1944),
Ziegfeld Follies (1945) and
Easter Parade (1948).
In 1954, Smith joined 20th Century Fox, collaborating with Lyle R. Wheeler on creating the sumptuous look of An Affair to Remember (1957) and Peyton Place (1957). He eventually succeeded Wheeler as supervising art director, putting his stamp on some of the most spectacular blockbusters of the era, including Cleopatra (1963) and Hello, Dolly! (1969). From the early 60's, he also worked extensively in television. In addition to his work in Hollywood, Smith was an accomplished painter of seascapes and river scenes.
In 1954, Smith joined 20th Century Fox, collaborating with Lyle R. Wheeler on creating the sumptuous look of An Affair to Remember (1957) and Peyton Place (1957). He eventually succeeded Wheeler as supervising art director, putting his stamp on some of the most spectacular blockbusters of the era, including Cleopatra (1963) and Hello, Dolly! (1969). From the early 60's, he also worked extensively in television. In addition to his work in Hollywood, Smith was an accomplished painter of seascapes and river scenes.
