# Boris Leven

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Russian art director

Boris Leven Born (1908-08-13)13 August 1908 Moscow, Russian Empire Died 11 October 1986(1986-10-11) (aged 78) Los Angeles, California, U.S. Occupations Art director, production designer Years active 1938−1986

Boris Leven was the production designer of *[West Side Story](/source/West_Side_Story_(1961_film))* (1961). He and [Victor A. Gangelin](/source/Victor_A._Gangelin) won the [Academy Award for Best Art Direction – Set Decoration (Color)](/source/Academy_Award_for_Best_Production_Design) for the film.

**Boris Leven** (in early film credits – *Boris Levin*; August 13, 1908 – October 11, 1986) was a [Russian](/source/Russia)-born [Academy Award](/source/Academy_Awards)-winning [art director](/source/Art_director#In_film) and [production designer](/source/Production_designer) whose Hollywood career spanned fifty-three years.

Born in [Moscow](/source/Moscow) in the family of Israel and Zinaida (Narkirier) Leven,[1] Leven emigrated to the [United States](/source/United_States) in 1927 and became a [naturalized citizen](/source/Naturalization) in 1938. After receiving a [Bachelor of Arts](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts) in [architecture](/source/Architecture) from the [University of Southern California](/source/University_of_Southern_California), he attended the [Beaux-Arts Institute of Design](/source/Beaux-Arts_Institute_of_Design) in [New York City](/source/New_York_City).[2]

A film crew at work on the set of *[Giant](/source/Giant_(1956_film))* (1956). The Victorian home Leven designed became an iconic image for the film.

Leven began his film career as a sketch artist at [Paramount Pictures](/source/Paramount_Pictures) in 1933 and joined [20th Century Fox](/source/20th_Century_Fox) three years later. His first screen credit was as the art director for *[Alexander's Ragtime Band](/source/Alexander's_Ragtime_Band_(film))* (1938), for which he received the first of nine Oscar nominations.

The designs Leven created ranged from realistic to highly stylised. For *[Giant](/source/Giant_(1956_film))* (1956), he constructed the Victorian home that sits isolated in a wide expanse of open field, which became an iconic image for the film. His work for *[West Side Story](/source/West_Side_Story_(1961_film))* (1961), which won him the [Academy Award for Best Color Art Direction](/source/Academy_Award_for_Best_Production_Design), included actual New York City locations combined with a [tenement](/source/Tenement) rooftop and [fire escape](/source/Fire_escape), inspired by the more abstract stage production, that were built on a [soundstage](/source/Soundstage). For *[New York, New York](/source/New_York%2C_New_York_(1977_film))* (1977), he created a [fantasized](/source/Fantasy) version of [Manhattan](/source/Manhattan) set in the 1940s.

As an art director, Leven contributed to *[The Flying Deuces](/source/The_Flying_Deuces)* (1939), *[Hello Frisco, Hello](/source/Hello_Frisco%2C_Hello)* (1943), *[Invaders from Mars](/source/Invaders_from_Mars_(1953_film))* (1953), *[The Silver Chalice](/source/The_Silver_Chalice_(film))* (1954), and *[Jonathan Livingston Seagull](/source/Jonathan_Livingston_Seagull_(film))* (1973), among others. His credits as production designer include *[Donovan's Brain](/source/Donovan's_Brain)* (1953), *[Anatomy of a Murder](/source/Anatomy_of_a_Murder)* (1959), *[Two for the Seesaw](/source/Two_for_the_Seesaw_(1962_film))* (1962), *[The Sound of Music](/source/The_Sound_of_Music_(film))* (1965), *[The Sand Pebbles](/source/The_Sand_Pebbles_(film))* (1966), *[Star!](/source/Star!_(film))* (1968), *[The Andromeda Strain](/source/The_Andromeda_Strain_(film))* (1971), *[Mandingo](/source/Mandingo_(film))* (1975), *[The Last Waltz](/source/The_Last_Waltz)* (1978), *[The King of Comedy](/source/The_King_of_Comedy_(film))* (1982), *[Fletch](/source/Fletch_(film))* (1985) and *[The Color of Money](/source/The_Color_of_Money)* (1986).[3]

Leven married Vera Glooshkoff on February 8, 1946. He died in [Los Angeles, California](/source/Los_Angeles%2C_California). Vera Leven died at the age of 101 in June 2011. Prior to her death, she had donated several of Boris Leven's paintings and film drawings to the University of Southern California and New York City's [Museum of Modern Art](/source/Museum_of_Modern_Art).

## See also

- [Art Directors Guild Hall of Fame](/source/Art_Directors_Guild_Hall_of_Fame)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Boris Leven Biography](http://www.filmreference.com/film/77/Boris-Leven.html)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [FilmReference.com](http://www.filmreference.com/Writers-and-Production-Artists-Kr-Lo/Leven-Boris.html)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Oscars1987_3-0)** ["The 59th Academy Awards (1987) Nominees and Winners"](http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1987). *oscars.org*. Retrieved 2011-07-31.

## External links

- [Boris Leven](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0505227/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

- [ABoris Leven production design drawings, 1933-1940](http://catalog.oscars.org/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=71204), Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

v t e Academy Award for Best Production Design Interior Decoration (1927–1939) 1927/1928: William Cameron Menzies 1928/1929: Cedric Gibbons 1929/1930: Herman Rosse 1930/1931: Max Rée 1931/1932: Gordon Wiles 1932/1933: William S. Darling 1934: Cedric Gibbons, Fredric Hope 1935: Richard Day 1936: Richard Day 1937: Stephen Goosson 1938: Carl Jules Weyl 1939: Lyle R. Wheeler Black & White / Color (1940–1946) 1940 (bw): Cedric Gibbons and Paul Groesse / (c): Vincent Korda 1941 (bw): Richard Day, Nathan Juran, and Thomas Little / (c): Cedric Gibbons, Urie McCleary, and Edwin B. Willis 1942 (bw): Richard Day, Joseph C. Wright, and Thomas Little / (c): Richard Day, Joseph C. Wright, and Thomas Little 1943 (bw): James Basevi, William S. Darling, and Thomas Little / (c): Alexander Golitzen, John B. Goodman, Russell A. Gausman, and Ira S. Webb 1944 (bw): Cedric Gibbons, William Ferrari, Paul Huldschinsky, and Edwin B. Willis / (c): Wiard Ihnen and Thomas Little 1945 (bw): Wiard Ihnen and A. Roland Fields / (c): Hans Dreier, Ernst Fegté, and Samuel M. Comer 1946 (bw): William S. Darling, Lyle R. Wheeler, Thomas Little, and Frank E. Hughes / (c): Cedric Gibbons, Paul Groesse, and Edwin B. Willis Art Direction–Set Decoration Black & White / Color (1947–1956) 1947 (bw): John Bryan and Wilfred Shingleton / (c): Alfred Junge 1948 (bw): Roger K. Furse and Carmen Dillon / (c): Hein Heckroth and Arthur Lawson 1949 (bw): Harry Horner, John Meehan, and Emile Kuri / (c): Cedric Gibbons, Paul Groesse, Edwin B. Willis, and Jack D. Moore 1950 (bw): Hans Dreier, John Meehan, Samuel M. Comer, and Ray Moyer / (c): Hans Dreier, Walter Tyler, Samuel M. Comer, and Ray Moyer 1951 (bw): Richard Day and George James Hopkins / (c): Cedric Gibbons, E. Preston Ames, Edwin B. Willis, and F. Keogh Gleason 1952 (bw): Cedric Gibbons, Edward Carfagno, Edwin B. Willis, and F. Keogh Gleason /(c): Paul Sheriff and Marcel Vertès 1953 (bw): Cedric Gibbons, Edward Carfagno, Edwin B. Willis, and Hugh Hunt / (c): Lyle R. Wheeler, George Davis, Walter M. Scott, and Paul S. Fox 1954 (bw): Richard Day / (c): John Meehan and Emile Kuri 1955 (bw): Hal Pereira, Tambi Larsen, Samuel M. Comer, and Arthur Krams / (c): William Flannery, Jo Mielziner, and Robert Priestley 1956 (bw): Cedric Gibbons, Malcolm F. Brown, Edwin B. Willis, and F. Keogh Gleason / (c): Lyle R. Wheeler, John DeCuir, Walter M. Scott, and Paul S. Fox 1957–1958 1957: Ted Haworth and Robert Priestley 1958: William A. Horning, E. Preston Ames, Henry Grace, and F. Keogh Gleason Black & White / Color (1959–1966) 1959 (bw): Lyle R. Wheeler, George Davis, Walter M. Scott, and Stuart A. Reiss / (c): William A. Horning (posthumous award), Edward Carfagno, and Hugh Hunt 1960 (bw): Alexandre Trauner and Edward G. Boyle / (c): Alexander Golitzen, Eric Orbom (posthumous award), Russell A. Gausman, and Julia Heron 1961 (bw): Harry Horner and Gene Callahan / (c): Boris Leven and Victor A. Gangelin 1962 (bw): Alexander Golitzen, Henry Bumstead, and Oliver Emert /(c): John Box, John Stoll, and Dario Simoni 1963 (bw): Gene Callahan / (c): John DeCuir, Jack Martin Smith, Hilyard M. Brown, Herman A. Blumenthal, Elven Webb, Maurice Pelling, Boris Juraga, Walter M. Scott, Paul S. Fox, and Ray Moyer 1964 (bw): Vassilis Photopoulos / (c): Gene Allen, Cecil Beaton, and George James Hopkins 1965 (bw): Robert Clatworthy and Joseph Kish /(c): John Box, Terence Marsh, and Dario Simoni 1966 (bw): Richard Sylbert and George James Hopkins / (c): Jack Martin Smith, Dale Hennesy, Walter M. Scott, and Stuart A. Reiss 1967–1980 1967: John Truscott, Edward Carrere, and John W. Brown 1968: John Box, Terence Marsh, Vernon Dixon, and Ken Muggleston 1969: John DeCuir, Jack Martin Smith, Herman A. Blumenthal, Walter M. Scott, George James Hopkins, and Raphaël Bretton 1970: Urie McCleary, Gil Parrondo, Antonio Mateos, and Pierre-Louis Thévenet 1971: John Box, Ernest Archer, Jack Maxsted, Gil Parrondo, and Vernon Dixon 1972: Rolf Zehetbauer, Jurgen Kiebach, and Herbert Strabel 1973: Henry Bumstead and James W. Payne 1974: Dean Tavoularis, Angelo P. Graham, and George R. Nelson 1975: Ken Adam, Roy Walker, and Vernon Dixon 1976: George C. Jenkins and George Gaines 1977: John Barry, Norman Reynolds, Leslie Dilley, and Roger Christian 1978: Paul Sylbert, Edwin O'Donovan, and George Gaines 1979: Philip Rosenberg, Tony Walton, Edward Stewart, and Gary J. Brink 1980: Pierre Guffroy and Jack Stephens 1981–2000 1981: Norman Reynolds and Leslie Dilley (art); Michael D. Ford (set) 1982: Stuart Craig and Robert W. Laing (art); Michael Seirton (set) 1983: Anna Asp (art) 1984: Patrizia von Brandenstein (art); Karel Černý (set) 1985: Stephen B. Grimes (art); Josie MacAvin (set) 1986: Gianni Quaranta and Brian Ackland-Snow (art); Brian Savegar and Elio Altramura (set) 1987: Ferdinando Scarfiotti (art); Bruno Cesari and Osvaldo Desideri (set) 1988: Stuart Craig (art); Gérard James (set) 1989: Anton Furst (art); Peter Young (set) 1990: Richard Sylbert (art); Rick Simpson (set) 1991: Dennis Gassner (art); Nancy Haigh (set) 1992: Luciana Arrighi (art); Ian Whittaker (set) 1993: Allan Starski (art); Ewa Braun (set) 1994: Ken Adam (art); Carolyn Scott (set) 1995: Eugenio Zanetti (art) 1996: Stuart Craig (art); Stephenie McMillan (set) 1997: Peter Lamont (art); Michael D. Ford (set) 1998: Martin Childs (art); Jill Quertier (set) 1999: Rick Heinrichs (art); Peter Young (set) 2000: Timmy Yip (art) 2001–present 2001: Catherine Martin (art); Brigitte Broch (set) 2002: John Myhre (art); Gordon Sim (set) 2003: Grant Major (art); Dan Hennah and Alan Lee (set) 2004: Dante Ferretti (art); Francesca Lo Schiavo (set) 2005: John Myhre (art); Gretchen Rau (set) 2006: Eugenio Caballero (art); Pilar Revuelta (set) 2007: Dante Ferretti (art); Francesca Lo Schiavo (set) 2008: Donald Graham Burt (art); Victor J. Zolfo (set) 2009: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg (art); Kim Sinclair (set) 2010: Robert Stromberg (art); Karen O'Hara (set) 2011: Dante Ferretti (art); Francesca Lo Schiavo (set) 2012: Rick Carter (art); Jim Erickson (set) 2013: Catherine Martin (art); Beverley Dunn (set) 2014: Adam Stockhausen (art); Anna Pinnock (set) 2015: Colin Gibson (art); Lisa Thompson (set) 2016: David Wasco (art); Sandy Reynolds-Wasco (set) 2017: Paul Denham Austerberry (art); Shane Vieau and Jeff Melvin (set) 2018: Hannah Beachler (art); Jay Hart (set) 2019: Barbara Ling (art); Nancy Haigh (set) 2020: Donald Graham Burt (art); Jan Pascale (set) 2021: Patrice Vermette (art) and Zsuzsanna Sipos (set) 2022: Christian M. Goldbeck (art) and Ernestine Hipper (set) 2023: James Price and Shona Heath (art); Zsuzsa Mihalek (set) 2024: Nathan Crowley (art); Lee Sandales (set) 2025: Tamara Deverell (art); Shane Vieau (set)

v t e Art Directors Guild Hall of Fame (2000s) 2005 Wilfred Buckland Richard Day John DeCuir Anton Grot Boris Leven William Cameron Menzies Van Nest Polglase 2006 John Box Hans Dreier Cedric Gibbons Jan Scott Alexandre Trauner 2007 Hilyard M. Brown Henry Bumstead Carroll Clark Stephen Goosson Harry Horner 2008 Edward Carfagno Stephen B. Grimes Dale Hennesy James Trittipo Lyle R. Wheeler 2009 Ted Haworth Joseph McMillan "Mac" Johnson Romain Johnston John Meehan Harold Michelson Complete list 2000s 2010s 2020s

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND WorldCat National United States France BnF data Italy Israel People Deutsche Biographie Other SNAC Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Boris Leven](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris_Leven) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris_Leven?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.