# Wiard Ihnen

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American art director

Wiard Ihnen Born (1897-08-05)August 5, 1897[1] Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S. Died June 22, 1979(1979-06-22) (aged 81) Los Angeles, California, U.S. Resting place Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) Education Columbia University École des Beaux-Arts de Paris Occupation Art director Spouse Edith Head ​ ​ (m. 1940; died 1979)​

**Wiard Boppo "Bill" Ihnen** (August 5, 1897[1] – June 22, 1979) was an American [art director](/source/Art_director#In_film). He was active from 1919 to 1960 and won [Academy Awards](/source/Academy_Awards) for [Best Art Direction](/source/Academy_Award_for_Best_Production_Design) for *[Wilson](/source/Wilson_(1944_film))* (1944) and *[Blood on the Sun](/source/Blood_on_the_Sun)* (1945). He was married to [Edith Head](/source/Edith_Head).

## Early years

Ihnen was born in [Jersey City, New Jersey](/source/Jersey_City%2C_New_Jersey). His age and year of birth are uncertain. While some sources indicate he was born in 1897, his obituary in the *[Los Angeles Times](/source/Los_Angeles_Times)* reported his age as 91, indicating that he was born in approximately 1888.[2]

His father, Henry S. Ihnen, was an architect and painter. Ihnen attended public schools in [East Rutherford, New Jersey](/source/East_Rutherford%2C_New_Jersey).[3] He worked for a time as the assistant to a prominent New York architect and studied architecture at [Columbia University](/source/Columbia_University). He also studied at [École des Beaux-Arts de Paris](/source/%C3%89cole_des_Beaux-Arts_de_Paris), spent a year at the art centers of Spain and France, and studied color and technique at the University of Mexico.[3][4]

## Art direction

Ihnen first worked in the motion picture business in approximately 1919 at [Paramount Studios](/source/Paramount_Studios) on [Long Island](/source/Long_Island).[3][4] After several years with Paramount in New York, he become an art director at Paramount's Hollywood studios.[3]

One of his earliest works as an art director was the [Josef von Sternberg](/source/Josef_von_Sternberg)'s 1932 film, *[Blonde Venus](/source/Blonde_Venus)*. He drew attention for his design of "fantastically exotic" African nightclub in the film.[5]

Other early art directing credits include the [Marx Brothers](/source/Marx_Brothers)' *[Duck Soup](/source/Duck_Soup_(1933_film))* (1933) and a pair of [Mae West](/source/Mae_West) comedies: *[Go West, Young Man](/source/Go_West%2C_Young_Man_(1936_film))* (1936) and *[Every Day's a Holiday](/source/Every_Day's_a_Holiday_(1937_film))*. Ihnen received his first [Academy Awards](/source/Academy_Awards) nomination for [Best Art Direction](/source/Academy_Award_for_Best_Production_Design) on *Every Day's a Holiday*.[6] He also worked as the associate art director on [John Ford](/source/John_Ford)'s *[Stagecoach](/source/Stagecoach_(1939_film))* which won the Academy Award for art direction for [Alexander Toluboff](/source/Alexander_Toluboff).

During the 1940s, Ihnen twice won the Academy Award for art direction, for the biographical film *[Wilson](/source/Wilson_(1944_film))* (1944) and for *[Blood on the Sun](/source/Blood_on_the_Sun)* (1945), a wartime film about a Japanese plot to take over the world.[7][8]

Ihnen continued as an art director until 1960. His later works include the film noir works *[Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye](/source/Kiss_Tomorrow_Goodbye_(film))* (1950) and *[I, the Jury](/source/I%2C_the_Jury_(1953_film))* (1953), [Fritz Lang](/source/Fritz_Lang)'s *[Rancho Notorious](/source/Rancho_Notorious)* (1952), the aviation adventure film *[Top of the World](/source/Top_of_the_World_(1955_film))* (1955), and the biographical *[The Gallant Hours](/source/The_Gallant_Hours)* (1960).

## Personal life and later years

In 1940, Ihnen was married in Las Vegas to Hollywood dress designer [Edith Head](/source/Edith_Head).[9] Ihnen died from cancer in 1979.[2] He is interred at [Forest Lawn Memorial Park](/source/Forest_Lawn_Memorial_Park_(Glendale)) in [Glendale, California](/source/Glendale%2C_California), next to his wife.[10]

## Filmography

- *[The Dance of Life](/source/The_Dance_of_Life_(film))* (1929, set design)[11]

- *[Blonde Venus](/source/Blonde_Venus)* (1932, art director)

- *[Madame Butterfly](/source/Madame_Butterfly_(1932_film))* (1932)

- *[Duck Soup](/source/Duck_Soup_(1933_film))* (1933, art director)[12]

- *[Terror Aboard](/source/Terror_Aboard)* (1933, art director)

- *[Good Dame](/source/Good_Dame)* (1934, art director)

- *[Thirty-Day Princess](/source/Thirty-Day_Princess)* (1934, art director)

- *[The Trumpet Blows](/source/The_Trumpet_Blows)* (1934, art director)

- *[Becky Sharp](/source/Becky_Sharp_(film))* (1935)[3]

- *[Dancing Pirate](/source/Dancing_Pirate)* (1936, art director)

- *[Go West, Young Man](/source/Go_West%2C_Young_Man_(1936_film))* (1936, art director)

- *[Mind Your Own Business](/source/Mind_Your_Own_Business_(film))* (1936, art director)

- *[Every Day's a Holiday](/source/Every_Day's_a_Holiday_(1937_film))* (1937, art director)[13]

- *[The Girl from Scotland Yard](/source/The_Girl_from_Scotland_Yard)* (1937, art director)

- *[Love on Toast](/source/Love_on_Toast)* (1937, art director)

- *[Midnight Madonna](/source/Midnight_Madonna)* (1937, art director)

- *[On Such a Night](/source/On_Such_a_Night_(1937_film))* (1937, art director)

- *[Outcast](/source/Outcast_(1937_film))* (1937 art director)

- *[Doctor Rhythm](/source/Doctor_Rhythm)* (1938, art director)

- *[Hollywood Cavalcade](/source/Hollywood_Cavalcade)* (1939, art director)

- *[The Return of the Cisco Kid](/source/The_Return_of_the_Cisco_Kid)* (1939, art director)

- *[Stagecoach](/source/Stagecoach_(1939_film))* (1939, associate art director)

- *[The Blue Bird](/source/The_Blue_Bird_(1940_film))* (1940, art director)

- *[Johnny Apollo](/source/Johnny_Apollo_(film))* (1940, art director)

- *[Maryland](/source/Maryland_(1940_film))* (1940, art director)

- *[The Return of Frank James](/source/The_Return_of_Frank_James)* (1940, art director)

- *[Youth Will Be Served](/source/Youth_Will_Be_Served)* (1940, art director)

- *[Confirm or Deny](/source/Confirm_or_Deny)* (1941, art director)

- *[Hudson's Bay](/source/Hudson's_Bay_(film))* (1941, art director)

- *[Man Hunt](/source/Man_Hunt_(1941_film))* (1941, art director)

- *[Moon Over Miami](/source/Moon_Over_Miami_(film))* (1941, art director)

- *[Remember the Day](/source/Remember_the_Day)* (1941, art director)

- *[Tall, Dark and Handsome](/source/Tall%2C_Dark_and_Handsome_(film))* (1941, art director)

- *[Iceland](/source/Iceland_(film))* (1942, art director)

- *[The Magnificent Dope](/source/The_Magnificent_Dope)* (1942, art director)

- *[Roxie Hart](/source/Roxie_Hart_(film))* (1942, art director)

- *[Secret Agent of Japan](/source/Secret_Agent_of_Japan)* (1942, art director)

- *[China Girl](/source/China_Girl_(1942_film))* (1943, art director)

- *[Crash Dive](/source/Crash_Dive)* (1943, art director)

- *[Jane Eyre](/source/Jane_Eyre_(1943_film))* (1944, art director)

- *[Wilson](/source/Wilson_(1944_film))* (1944, art director)[14]

- *[Along Came Jones](/source/Along_Came_Jones_(film))* (1945, production design)

- *[Blood on the Sun](/source/Blood_on_the_Sun)* (1945, production design)[15]

- *[It's a Pleasure](/source/It's_a_Pleasure_(film))* (1945, art director)

- *[Tomorrow Is Forever](/source/Tomorrow_Is_Forever)* (1946, production design)

- *[The Time of Your Life](/source/The_Time_of_Your_Life_(film))* (1948, production design)

- *[Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye](/source/Kiss_Tomorrow_Goodbye_(film))* (1950, production design)

- *[Only the Valiant](/source/Only_the_Valiant)* (1951, production design)

- *[Rancho Notorious](/source/Rancho_Notorious)* (1952, production design)

- *[I, the Jury](/source/I%2C_the_Jury_(1953_film))* (1953, art director)

- *[A Lion Is in the Streets](/source/A_Lion_Is_in_the_Streets)* (1953, production design)

- *[War Paint](/source/War_Paint_(1953_film))* (1953, art director)

- *[This Is My Love](/source/This_Is_My_Love)* (1954, production design)

- *[Crashout](/source/Crashout)* (1955, set design)

- *[The Indian Fighter](/source/The_Indian_Fighter)* (1955, art director)

- *[Top of the World](/source/Top_of_the_World_(1955_film))* (1955, art director)

- *[The King and Four Queens](/source/The_King_and_Four_Queens)* (1956, production design)

- *[The Gallant Hours](/source/The_Gallant_Hours)* (1960, art director)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Age_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Age_1-1) Note: His obituary in the *Los Angeles Times* suggests he was born in approximately 1888.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-obit_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-obit_2-1) ["Wiard Ihnen Dies; Won Oscars for Movie Art Direction Work"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59324115/obituary-for-wiard-b-ihnen-aged-91/). *Los Angeles Times*. June 26, 1979 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Passaic_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Passaic_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Passaic_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Passaic_3-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Passaic_3-4) ["Wirad B. Ihnen Leaves for the Coast After Visit Here"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59336257/wiard-ihnen/). *The Herald-News*. August 14, 1935. p. 12 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-JW_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-JW_4-1) Baxter, Peter J. (November 13, 1993). [*Just watch!: Sternberg, Paramount and America*](https://books.google.com/books?id=ruRZAAAAMAAJ&q=Wiard+Boppo+Ihnen). British Film Institute. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780851703862](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780851703862) – via Google Books.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Art Director: The Vision of Wiard Ihnen"](https://web.archive.org/web/20201007203403/https://backstoryclassic.com/2019/02/art-director-the-vision-of-wiard-ihnen/). Backstory: New Looks at Classic Films. February 24, 2019. Archived from the original on October 7, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["The 10th Academy Awards 1938"](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1938). *Oscars.org*. Retrieved September 15, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Oscars1945_7-0)** ["The 17th Academy Awards (1945) Nominees and Winners"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110706093748/http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/legacy/ceremony/17th-winners.html). *oscars.org*. Archived from [the original](http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1945) on July 6, 2011. Retrieved August 14, 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Oscars1946_8-0)** ["The 18th Academy Awards (1946) Nominees and Winners"](http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1946). *oscars.org*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110706093754/http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/legacy/ceremony/18th-winners.html) from the original on July 6, 2011. Retrieved August 16, 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Hedda Hopper (September 30, 1940). ["Film Fashions Expert Married"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59338450/film-fashions-expert-married/). *Los Angeles Times* – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Ellenberger, Allan R. (May 1, 2001). [*Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory*](https://books.google.com/books?id=8bOJCgAAQBAJ). McFarland. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780786409839](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780786409839).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Nancy Carroll and Hal Skelly Star In Love Melodrama at the Regen"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59336581/the-dance-of-life/). *The Ottawa Citizen*. November 16, 1929 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Duck Soup"](http://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/6922?cxt=ymal). American Film Institute. Retrieved September 14, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Every Day's a Holiday"](https://web.archive.org/web/20201017124900/https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/74255/every-days-a-holiday#credits). TCM Classic Movies. Archived from [the original](https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/74255/every-days-a-holiday#credits) on October 17, 2020. Retrieved September 14, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Wilson"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110902143709/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/95931/Wilson/). TCM Classic Movies. Archived from [the original](https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/95931/wilson) on September 2, 2011. Retrieved September 14, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Blood on the Sun"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110722181648/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/69140/Blood-on-the-Sun/). TCM Classic Movies. Archived from [the original](https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/69140/blood-on-the-sun) on July 22, 2011. Retrieved September 14, 2020.

## External links

- [Wiard Ihnen](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0407311/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

- [Wiard Ihnen](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/12730) at [Find a Grave](/source/Find_a_Grave)

- [Wiard Ihnen papers](http://catalog.oscars.org/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=66600) at the [Margaret Herrick Library](/source/Margaret_Herrick_Library)

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)

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND FAST WorldCat National United States Other Yale LUX

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