# Paul Sylbert > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Paul_Sylbert > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Paul_Sylbert.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Sylbert > Source revision: 1318198836 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) American screenwriter (1928–2016) Paul Sylbert Publicity Photo of Paul Sylbert Born (1928-04-16)April 16, 1928 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. Died November 19, 2016(2016-11-19) (aged 88) Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, U.S. Occupations Production designer, art director, set designer Years active 1951–2008 Spouses Anthea Sylbert (divorced) Jeannette D'Ambrosio Sylbert (his death)[1] Relatives Richard Sylbert (twin brother) **Paul Sylbert** (April 16, 1928 – November 19, 2016) was an American [Academy Award](/source/Academy_Awards)-winning [production designer](/source/Production_designer), [art director](/source/Art_director#In_film), and [set designer](/source/Set_designer) who [directed](/source/Television_director) on occasion. Born in [Brooklyn](/source/Brooklyn), [New York](/source/New_York_(state)), the son of a dressmaker, Sylbert grew up in the borough's [Flatbush](/source/Flatbush%2C_Brooklyn) neighborhood and graduated from [Erasmus Hall High School](/source/Erasmus_Hall_High_School) in 1946.[1] He fought in the [Korean War](/source/Korean_War) and attended the [Tyler School of Art](/source/Tyler_School_of_Art) at [Temple University](/source/Temple_University) in [Elkins Park, Pennsylvania](/source/Elkins_Park%2C_Pennsylvania) with his identical twin brother [Richard](/source/Richard_Sylbert).[2] Early in their careers, they collaborated on *[Baby Doll](/source/Baby_Doll)* and *[A Face in the Crowd](/source/A_Face_in_the_Crowd_(film))*.[3] Sylbert also attended the Hans Hoffman School of Art and The Actors Studio. He is a veteran of the United States Army and served in Korea. Sylbert was a member of the faculty at the Film and Media Arts department of Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he taught courses in film studies. He also taught a course called Film: The Creative Process at [Temple University](/source/Temple_University) in the Spring of 2014. Sylbert died on November 19, 2016, at the age of 88.[4][1] ## Filmography ### Television (as designer) - *[The Big Story](/source/The_Big_Story_(radio_and_TV_series))*(1951) - *[The Home Show](/source/The_Home_Show)*(1954) - *The Ira Hayes Story* - *John Brown* (1960) - *Songs for Sale* - *[Molly Goldberg](/source/The_Goldbergs_(broadcast_series))* - *[Ford Theater](/source/Ford_Theatre)* - *Danger* - *[Suspense](/source/Suspense_(American_TV_series))* - *[Studio One](/source/Studio_One_(American_TV_series))* ### Feature films (as designer) - *[Roogie's Bump](/source/Roogie's_Bump)* (1954) - *[Baby Doll](/source/Baby_Doll)* (1956) - *[The Wrong Man](/source/The_Wrong_Man)* (1956) - *[A Face in the Crowd](/source/A_Face_in_the_Crowd_(film))* (1957) - *[Country Music Holiday](/source/Country_Music_Holiday)* (1958) - *[The Teenage Millionaire](/source/The_Teenage_Millionaire)* (1961) - *Without Each Other* (1962) - *[The Tiger Makes Out](/source/The_Tiger_Makes_Out)* (1967) - *The Riot* (1969) - *[Bad Company](/source/Bad_Company_(1972_film))* (1972) - *[The Drowning Pool](/source/The_Drowning_Pool_(film))* (1975) - *[One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest](/source/One_Flew_Over_the_Cuckoo's_Nest_(film))* (1975) - *[Mikey and Nicky](/source/Mikey_and_Nicky)* (1976) - *[Heaven Can Wait](/source/Heaven_Can_Wait_(1978_film))* (1978) - *[Hardcore](/source/Hardcore_(1979_film))* (1979) - *[Kramer vs. Kramer](/source/Kramer_vs._Kramer)* (1979) - *[Resurrection](/source/Resurrection_(1980_film))* (1980) - *[Wolfen](/source/Wolfen_(film))* (1981) - *[Blow Out](/source/Blow_Out)* (1981) - *[Without a Trace](/source/Without_a_Trace_(1983_film))* (1983) - *[Gorky Park](/source/Gorky_Park_(film))* (1983) - *[Firstborn](/source/Firstborn_(1984_film))* (1984) - *[The Journey of Natty Gann](/source/The_Journey_of_Natty_Gann)* (1985) - *[Ishtar](/source/Ishtar_(film))*(1987) - *[Nadine](/source/Nadine_(1987_film))* (1987) - *[The Pick-up Artist](/source/The_Pick-up_Artist_(film))* (1987) - *[Biloxi Blues](/source/Biloxi_Blues_(film))* (1988) - *[Fresh Horses](/source/Fresh_Horses_(film))* (1988) - *[Career Opportunities](/source/Career_Opportunities_(film))* (1989) - *[Rush](/source/Rush_(1991_film))* (1991) - *[The Prince of Tides](/source/The_Prince_of_Tides)* (1991) - *[Sliver](/source/Sliver_(film))*(1992) - *[Milk Money](/source/Milk_Money_(film))* (1994) - *[Free Willy 2](/source/Free_Willy_2)* (1995) - *[The Grass Harp](/source/The_Grass_Harp_(film))* (1995) - *[Rosewood](/source/Rosewood_(film))* (1997) - *[Conspiracy Theory](/source/Conspiracy_Theory_(film))* (1997) - *[To End All Wars](/source/To_End_All_Wars)* (2001) ### Stage (as designer) - *Susannah* (1957) - *Tale for a Deaf Ear* (1958) - *Street Scene* (1958) - *The Crucible* (1959) - *Carmina Buranna* (1960) - *Oedipus Rex* (1960) - Festival of Two Worlds, Spoletto, Italy: The Angel of Fire (1959), Lulu (1974) - *The Agon of Gross* - Off-Broadway (1952) - *The Making of Moo* - Off-Broadway (1956) - *The Four Poster* - Theatron Kentrikon, Athens, Greece (1957) - *Two For The Seesaw*- Theatron Kentrikon, Athens, Greece (1958) - *The Miracle Worker* - Theatron Dionysus, Athens, Greece (1961) - *Night of the Iguana* - Coconut Grove Playhouse (1961) - *The Duchess of Malfi* - The Mark Taper Forum (1974) ### Stage direction - *Oedipus Rex*, New York City Opera Company (1960) - *The Four Poster* - Theatron Kentrikon, Athens, Greece (1957) - *Two for the Seesaw* - Theatron Kentrikon, Athens, Greece (1958) - *The Miracle Worker* - Theatron Dionysus, Athens, Greece (1961) ### Television direction - [*The Defenders*](/source/The_Defenders_(1961_TV_series)) (1963) - [*The Nurses*](/source/The_Nurses_(TV_series)) (1963) - *[Mr. Broadway](/source/Mr._Broadway_(TV_series))* (1964) - [*The Reporter*](/source/The_Reporter_(TV_series)) (1964) ### Commercial direction - Over 50 spots including Clairol, Dash, Burma Shave, Belvedere Cigarettes, Belmont Park, etc. - TV Graphics and Group Productions (1965–1968) ### Industrial direction - General Electric (1966) - New York Telephone Co. (1967) ### Feature film direction - *Instant Love -* Herbert Richards Productions, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (1963) - *[The Steagle](/source/The_Steagle)* - Avco-Embassy Pictures, Inc. (1971) ### Writer - film - *[The Steagle](/source/The_Steagle)* - Avco-Embassy Pictures, Inc. (1971) - *[Nighthawks](/source/Nighthawks_(1981_film)) -* Universal Studios (1981) ### Writer - books - *Final Cut - The making and breaking of a film*, Seasbury Press/Continuum Books (1974) - *100 Ways to Beat the Blues* (contributor), Tanya Tucker, Simon & Schuster (2003) - *Cows: A rumination* (contributor), Carl Hileman, Emmis Books (2004) ## Awards - Academy Award - [*Heaven Can Wait*](/source/Heaven_Can_Wait_(1978_film)) (1978) - Academy Award Nominee - *[The Prince of Tides](/source/The_Prince_of_Tides)* (1992) - Lifetime Achievement Award - Art Directors Guild (2009) ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Grimes2016_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Grimes2016_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Grimes2016_1-2) William Grimes (2016-11-25). ["Paul Sylbert, Oscar-Winner Who Gave Movies Their Look, Dies at 88"](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/25/movies/paul-sylbert-dead-oscar-winner-heaven-can-wait.html). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. Retrieved 2016-11-29. Paul Sylbert was born on April 16, 1928, in Brooklyn, and grew up in the Flatbush neighborhood.... After graduating from Erasmus Hall High School in 1946, he served in the same Army unit in Korea as his brother. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-VH1_2-0)** [Richard Sylbert bio at VH1.com](https://web.archive.org/web/20090719211531/http://www.vh1.com/movies/person/100470/bio.jhtml) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FilmReference.com_3-0)** ["Paul Sylbert"](http://www.filmreference.com/film/31/Paul-Sylbert.html). *FilmReference.com*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Barnes2016_4-0)** Mike Barnes (2016-11-23). ["Paul Sylbert, Oscar-Winning Production Designer on 'Heaven Can Wait,' Dies at 88"](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/paul-sylbert-dead-heaven-can-wait-production-designer-dies-at-88-950392). *HollywoodReporter.com*. Retrieved 2022-10-26. ## External links - [Paul Sylbert](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0843128/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier)) - [Paul Sylbert Temple University](https://web.archive.org/web/20111004215755/http://sct.temple.edu/web/fma/about/adjunct-faculty/#paulsylbert/) - [The Miami News August 19, 1960](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2206&dat=19600819&id=0o4yAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vekFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5200,2848237/) Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND WorldCat National United States France BnF data Italy Czech Republic Spain Other IdRef SNAC Yale LUX 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 Lifetime Achievement Award 1996—2014 Robert F. Boyle Henry Bumstead Harold Michelson Jan Scott Albert Brenner Sir Ken Adam William J. Creber John B. Mansbridge Dean Tavoularis Stuart Craig Paul Sylbert Terence Marsh Patricia Norris Tony Walton Herman Zimmerman Camille Abbott Jim Bissell John P. Bruce Rick Carter Will Ferrell 2015—2020 Bill Anderson Harrison Ellenshaw Patrizia Von Brandenstein Cate Bangs Albert Obregon Joseph Musso Rene Lagler William J. Newmon II James J. Murakami John Moffitt Marty Kline Norm Newberry Joe Alves Denis Olsen Stephen Berger Jack Johnson John Eaves Patrick DeGreve Martha Johnson Stuart Wurtzel --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Paul Sylbert](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Sylbert) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Sylbert?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.