Samuel M. Comer (July 13, 1893 – December 27, 1974) was a set decorator who worked on over 300 films during a career spanning four decades. He won four Academy Awards and was nominated for another 22 in the category Best Art Direction.[1]
He guided his niece, Anjanette Comer, into "the biz."
1940 (bw): Cedric Gibbons, Paul Groesse / (c): Vincent Korda
1941 (bw): Richard Day, Nathan Juran, Thomas Little / (c): Cedric Gibbons, Urie McCleary, Edwin B. Willis
1942 (bw): Richard Day, Joseph C. Wright, Thomas Little / (c): Richard Day, Joseph C. Wright, Thomas Little
1943 (bw): James Basevi, William S. Darling, Thomas Little / (c): Alexander Golitzen, John B. Goodman, Russell A. Gausman, Ira S. Webb
1944 (bw): Cedric Gibbons, William Ferrari, Paul Huldschinsky, Edwin B. Willis / (c): Wiard Ihnen, Thomas Little
1945 (bw): Wiard Ihnen, A. Roland Fields / (c): Hans Dreier, Ernst Fegté, Samuel M. Comer
1946 (bw): William S. Darling, Lyle R. Wheeler, Thomas Little, Frank E. Hughes / (c): Cedric Gibbons, Paul Groesse, Edwin B. Willis
1947–1956 renamed
Art Direction
- Set Decoration
Black & White
/ Color separate
1947 (bw): John Bryan, Wilfred Shingleton / (c): Alfred Junge
1948 (bw): Roger K. Furse, Carmen Dillon / (c): Hein Heckroth, Arthur Lawson
1949 (bw): Harry Horner, John Meehan, Emile Kuri / (c): Cedric Gibbons, Paul Groesse, Edwin B. Willis, Jack D. Moore
1950 (bw): Hans Dreier, John Meehan, Samuel M. Comer, Ray Moyer / (c): Hans Dreier, Walter Tyler, Samuel M. Comer, Ray Moyer
1951 (bw): Richard Day, George James Hopkins / (c): Cedric Gibbons, E. Preston Ames, Edwin B. Willis, F. Keogh Gleason
1952 (bw): Cedric Gibbons, Edward Carfagno, Edwin B. Willis, F. Keogh Gleason /(c): Paul Sheriff, Marcel Vertès
1953 (bw): Cedric Gibbons, Edward Carfagno, Edwin B. Willis, Hugh Hunt / (c): Lyle R. Wheeler, George Davis, Walter M. Scott, Paul S. Fox
1954 (bw): Richard Day / (c): John Meehan, Emile Kuri
1955 (bw): Hal Pereira, Tambi Larsen, Samuel M. Comer, Arthur Krams / (c): William Flannery, Jo Mielziner, Robert Priestley
1956 (bw): Cedric Gibbons, Malcolm F. Brown, Edwin B. Willis, F. Keogh Gleason / (c): Lyle R. Wheeler, John DeCuir, Walter M. Scott, Paul S. Fox
1957–1958
1957: Ted Haworth, Robert Priestley
1958: William A. Horning, E. Preston Ames, Henry Grace, F. Keogh Gleason
1959–1966
Black & White
/ Color separate
1959 (bw): Lyle R. Wheeler, George Davis, Walter M. Scott, Stuart A. Reiss / (c): William A. Horning (posthumous award), Edward Carfagno, Hugh Hunt
1960 (bw): Alexandre Trauner, Edward G. Boyle /(c): Alexander Golitzen, Eric Orbom (posthumous award), Russell A. Gausman, Julia Heron
1961 (bw): Harry Horner, Gene Callahan / (c): Boris Leven, Victor A. Gangelin
1962 (bw): Alexander Golitzen, Henry Bumstead, Oliver Emert /(c): John Box, John Stoll, 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, Ray Moyer
1964 (bw): Vassilis Photopoulos /(c): Gene Allen, Cecil Beaton, George James Hopkins
1965 (bw): Robert Clatworthy, Joseph Kish /(c): John Box, Terence Marsh, Dario Simoni
1966 (bw): Richard Sylbert, George James Hopkins / (c): Jack Martin Smith, Dale Hennesy, Walter M. Scott, Stuart A. Reiss
1967–1980
1967: John Truscott, Edward Carrere, John W. Brown
1968: John Box, Terence Marsh, Vernon Dixon, Ken Muggleston
1969: John DeCuir, Jack Martin Smith, Herman A. Blumenthal, Walter M. Scott, George James Hopkins, Raphaël Bretton
1970: Urie McCleary, Gil Parrondo, Antonio Mateos, Pierre-Louis Thévenet
1971: John Box, Ernest Archer, Jack Maxsted, Gil Parrondo, Vernon Dixon
1972: Rolf Zehetbauer, Jurgen Kiebach, Herbert Strabel
1973: Henry Bumstead, James W. Payne
1974: Dean Tavoularis, Angelo P. Graham, George R. Nelson
1975: Ken Adam, Roy Walker, Vernon Dixon
1976: George C. Jenkins, George Gaines
1977: John Barry, Norman Reynolds, Leslie Dilley, Roger Christian
1978: Paul Sylbert, Edwin O'Donovan, George Gaines
1979: Philip Rosenberg, Tony Walton, Edward Stewart, Gary J. Brink
1980: Pierre Guffroy, Jack Stephens
1981–2000
1981: Norman Reynolds, Leslie Dilley; Michael D. Ford (set)
1982: Stuart Craig, Robert W. Laing; Michael Seirton (set)
1983: Anna Asp
1984: Patrizia von Brandenstein; Karel Černý (set)
1985: Stephen B. Grimes; Josie MacAvin (set)
1986: Gianni Quaranta, Brian Ackland-Snow; Brian Savegar, Elio Altramura (set)
1987: Ferdinando Scarfiotti; Bruno Cesari, Osvaldo Desideri (set)
1988: Stuart Craig; Gérard James (set)
1989: Anton Furst; 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)