Biography

Spencer Davies was a theatre scenic, lighting and costume designer, receiving his BA Degree from the Goodman Theatre Art Institute of Chicago. In Hollywood, after departing Chicago, Spencer became a film set designer, employed in the Paramount film studio art department.

Spencer Davies graduated from the Chicago Art Institute, The Goodman Theatre School of Drama, in Illinois. After graduating, he was hired by Paramount Studios as a set designer In the Paramount Art Department. Spencer was promoted to assistant art director, and then to a full art director position. When television began needing qualified designers, Spencer was hired as an art director at NBC-Hollywood & Vine. When the studio moved to Burbank, Spencer, along with the network art department, moved to Burbank. Spencer was a staff designer-art director. Fellow film art directors were hired by NBC for TV production art director positions. Harold Michaelson, Ray Beal, Jay Krause, John Shrum, Frank Swig, Edward Stephenson, and Bob Kelley were also NBC staff designers. Neither NBC nor ABC used set decorators, whereas CBS had set decorator positions in their art department. At NBC and ABC, the art directors were expected to decorate their sets. The network did employ assistant art directors who were supervised by their assigned art director. Spencer Davies became an independent free lance Production Designer on the "Dean Martin Comedy Show" in 1965, remaining with the production company until the show was canceled in 1974.