Gene Callahan(1923-1990)

Elia Kazan (Sept 7, 1909-Sept 2, 2003, age 94), producer and director, hired identical twin brothers, born April 16, 1928, Richard "Dick" (deceased March 23, 2002, age 74) and twin brother Paul Sylbert as his "Baby Doll" production scenic designers and art directors, both sharing art director credit. The Sylbert twins had primarily been working in New York City's live television production as IATSE #829 scenic designers and set decorators. The Sylbert twins had Kazan hire their fellow New York City CBS television studio set decorator Gene Callahan (Nov 7, 1923-Dec 26, 1990, age 67 cancer), who joined them in Benoit, Mississippi to scout local locations and prep the film's primary plantation house location. Consulting and working with Elia Kazan, Gene and the Sylbert twins shared their film designing duties. Knowing of Gene Callahan's Louisiana heritage, Gene was the perfect choice to decorate the squalid run down plantation house interiors and plantation sight exteriors. Gene found the "baby doll" iron bed in a local antique shop, which became a featured prop in the film's set and playbill advertisements. The Sylbert twins and Gene were always on the film set with Kazan and his cinema photographer, during cast/camera rehearsal blocking shot, subsequent filming, on every set up. This was a natural condition to a television art department team, being a part of the cast and crew rehearsal and filming schedule, day and night. When not with the film crew, they would be preparing the next scene/film shot for the company move. Upon completion of the Mississippi filming, Gene took the "iron baby doll bed" back with him to New York City, placing the bed in his spacious and large West Side apartment's living room, a conversation piece! Kazan relied on Gene's Southern upbringing and scene interpretation in his rehearsals and scene motivation. This professional "Baby Doll" film relationship and experience secured the Sylbert's and Callahan's future alliance with Elia Kazan's future creative film assignments. Elia Kazan took Gene to Istanbul, Turkey and Athens, Greece, as his production designer for the 1963 location film "America, America." Gene Callahan won the 1963 Academy Award for Best Art Direction Black-and-White for his painstakingly accurate scenic set designs.